Boston Elite Field Announced

You'll recognize some names familiar on the Chicago scene with this announcement of the elite field for this year's Boston Marathon on April 19. Meanwhile, as you can imagine, I'm in full cross-country ski mode as I head to northwest Wisconsin for Saturday's 51K American Birkebeiner. This will be my 30th in a row, so it's extra-special. They have a record field of more than 8,000 from more than 20 countries for the Birkie and the 23K Kortelopet, so it will be quite the spectacle on snow. Marathon skiing has its parallels with marathon running. You ought to try it sometime. Hasn't the XC skiing been great during the Olympics? American viewers never have been given this much coverage before. It's been nice. OK, on with the Boston elites:

Men’s Open Field Personal Best
Deriba Merga, Ethiopia 2:06:38 (London, 2008)
Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Kenya 2:07:14 (Boston, 2006) CR
Ryan Hall, USA 2:06:17 (London, 2008)
Abderrahim Goumri, Morocco 2:05:30 (London, 2008)
Gilbert Yegon, Kenya 2:06:18 (Amsterdam, 2009)
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, Kenya 2:06:23 (Frankfurt, 2009)
Evans Cheruiyot, Kenya 2:06:25 (Chicago, 2008)
Chala Dechase, Ethiopia 2:06:33 (Dubai, 2010)
Elijah Keitany, Kenya 2:06:41 (Amsterdam, 2009)
David Kipkorir Mandago, Kenya 2:06:53 (Paris, 2009)
Benjamin Maiyo, Kenya 2:07:09 (Chicago, 2005)
Tekeste Kebede, Ethiopia 2:07:52 (Fukuoka, 2009)
Gashaw Asfaw, Ethiopia 2:08:03 (Paris, 2006)
John Kipkorir Komen, Kenya 2:08:06 (Reims, 2008)
Samuel Mugo, Kenya 2:08:20 (Beijing, 2009)
Stephen Kiogora, Kenya 2:08:24 (Frankfurt, 2008)
Mebrahtom Keflezighi, USA 2:09:15 (New York City, 2009)
Moses Kipkosgei Kigen, Kenya 2:10:12 (Nairobi, 2009)
Abdellah Falil, Morocco 2:12:37 (Turin, 2009)
Jason Lehmkuhle, USA 2:12:54 (New York City, 2007)
Cutbert Nyasango, Zimbabwe 2:13:19 (Berlin, 2009)
Alejandro Suarez, Mexico 2:13:33 (Torreon, 2009)
Josh Rohatinsky, USA 2:14:23 (New York City, 2008)
Antonio Vega, USA 2:15:45 (Minneapolis/St.Paul, 2009)
Mohammed Amyn, Morocco Debut

Women’s Open Field Personal Best
Salina Kosgei, Kenya 2:23:22 (Berlin, 2006)
Catherine Ndereba, Kenya 2:18:47 (Chicago, 2001) NR
Madai Perez, Mexico 2:22:59 (Chicago, 2006) NR
Teyba Erkesso, Ethiopia 2:23:53 (Houston, 2010)
Dire Tune, Ethiopia 2:24:40 (Houston, 2008)
Lidiya Grigoryeva, Russia 2:25:10 (Los Angeles, 2006)
Weiwei Sun, China 2:25:15 (Beijing, 2002)
Bruna Genovese, Italy 2:25:28 (Boston, 2006)
Albina Mayorova-Ivanova, Russia 2:25:35 (Chicago, 2003)
Yurika Nakamura, Japan 2:25:51 (Nagoya, 2008)
Agnes Kiprop, Kenya 2:26:22 (Turin, 2009)
Nailya Yulamanova, Russia 2:26:30 (Rotterdam, 2009)
Koren Jelela Yal, Ethiopia 2:28:41 (Venice, 2009)
Waynishet Girma, Ethiopia 2:29:50 (Amsterdam, 2009)
Tatyana Pushkareva, Russia 2:30:30 (San Antonio, 2009)
Meseret Legese, Ethiopia 2:31:37 (Padova, 2009)
Michelle Frey, USA 2:35:51 (Minneapolis/St. Paul, 2006)
Mestewat Tufa, Ethiopia Debut
Chaofeng Jia, China Debut