Chicago Marathon 2011 Results: Moses Mosop's Record Run Deserves National Praise

Kenya’s Moses Mosop added a little more intrigue to the 2011 Chicago Marathon by winning the race with a record time of two hours, five minutes and 37 seconds on Sunday afternoon. The feat is impressive in its own right, and it should be praised on a national level.

The aura of running marathons has taken a hit in America over the last 30 years or so because an American runner has not won a race in that time, with one exception.

In 2009, Meb Keflezighi won the New York City Marathon. He was born in Eritrea and emigrated to the United States in 1987.

Even though we are an arrogant society that only pays attention to something when “one of our own” is involved, we should also be gracious enough to appreciate an amazing athletic achievement whenever we see one.

Mosop’s achievement may not sound like a big deal because it was “just a marathon” and “anyone can enter.” But if you really stop to think about what he has done, you begin to realize that this is no ordinary feat of endurance.

The Kenyan runner ran 26 miles in just over two hours. Most of us won’t even drive 26 miles in a single day, and he ran it in two hours.

Marathon’s are a niche sport; they are something that are hard to get into as a fan unless it is taking place in your city, but that does not mean that lesser-known athletic achievements don’t deserve our respect and admiration.

The fact that it is not an American who is setting the record should also not change our perspective on amazing feats of athleticism.

Mosop is not going to become a household name, not that he wants to be, but we should take a minute to respect and appreciate what he has done as an athlete and human being.