Can Cheserek follow in fiancé's footsteps and triumph in New York?

Kenya’s Edward Cheserek has trained with the best ahead of his marathon debut in Sunday’s New York City Marathon set to gun off at 3 pm.

Cheserek, who won the Copenhagen Half Marathon in 59:11 in September, has been putting in the work at his part-time training base in Eldoret, alongside other Kenyan greats, among them newly minted world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum.

In an interview ahead of the race, King Chess as the runner is fondly known in athletics circles revealed that in June and July, he trained with Kiptum on his way to winning the Chicago Marathon in a world record time of 2:00:35.

Jepchirchir turns focus to Paris after New York marathon withdrawal

“I have been training with him and a couple of other runners. Working out with him has been tough but I tried to hang on he gave me the impetus to push myself and see what I can do on my debut,” he said.

The 29-year-old’s motivation should, however, emanate from closer home as fiancé Sharon Lokedi made her debut in New York last year, beating a star-studded field to triumph in 2:23:23.

In preparation for this year’s race, the couple has trained together in Kenya and kept motivating each other when the other one needed encouragement, he said.

Drawing from her strategy in the Big Apple last year, when she pulled away from veteran Lonah Chemtai Salpeter in the final mile to win, Lokedi encouraged Cheserek to stay composed.

“She was like, ‘The marathon is a long way, but you gotta be patient until whenever you feel good to go,” he told Runnersworld. “I just want to go there, have fun, and run well.”

Cheserek has his work cut out as he goes to battle against some of the best in the classic distance. Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola is the fastest in the men’s field with his personal best (PB) of 2:03:39 recorded in Amsterdam in 2021.

Looking to deny Tola will be his compatriot Shura Kitata, as he aims to go one better than his runner-up finishes in New York last year and in 2018. The 2:06:01 he ran in 2018 remains the third-fastest time in race history, while he also won in London in 2020 but his most recent marathon result is the 14th-place finish he recorded in Boston in April.

Kenya’s Albert Korir returns looking to regain the title he won in 2021. Also, runner-up in New York in 2019, he finished fourth in Boston earlier this year and seventh in New York last year.

Dutch record-holder Abdi Nageeye finished third in New York last year, following a fifth-place finish in 2021 – the year in which he claimed Olympic silver in Sapporo. He also did not finish his race at the World Championships in Budapest but clocked 2:05:32 to place third in Rotterdam in April. 

Elite Men's list

Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:39

Shura Kitata (ETH) 2:04:49

Abdi Nageeye (NED) 2:04:56

Cam Levins (CAN) 2:05:36

Maru Teferi (ISR) 2:06:43

Koen Naert (BEL) 2:06:56

Iliass Aouani (ITA) 2:07:16

Albert Korir (KEN) 2:08:03

Zouhair Talbi (MAR) 2:08:35

Hendrik Pfeiffer (GER) 2:08:48

Yenew Alamirew Getahun (ETH) 2:08:56

Jemal Yimer (ETH) 2:08:58

Elkanah Kibet (USA) 2:09:07

Futsum Zienasellassie (USA) 2:09:40

Jia Erenjia (CHN) 2:09:54

Nathan Martin (USA) 2:10:45

Reed Fischer (USA) 2:10:54

Tyler McCandless (USA) 2:12:28

John Raneri (USA) 2:12:33

Joe Whelan (USA) 2:13:39

Sydney Gidabuday (USA) 2:14:48

Ryan Root (USA) 2:15:22      

Ashenafi Ketema Birhana (ETH) 2:15:27      

Thomas Slattery (USA) 2:15:32

Andreas Myhre Sjurseth (NOR) 2:16:05

Wesley Robinson (USA) 2:16:08

Garret Lee (USA) 2:16:57

Andrew Butchart (GBR) debut

Edward Cheserek (KEN) debut