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Kenya’s Kipsang, Keitany win NYC Marathon titles

By WTOP Staff

RACHEL COHEN
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Wilson Kipsang, a former world-record holder, needed to force himself to slow down.

The Kenyan star had entered his first New York City Marathon to challenge himself on a hilly course with no pacemaker. A windy morning made for quite the test Sunday, and Kipsang proved he can win a strategic race.

“I had to really exercise a lot of patience,” he said.

Kipsang pulled away in the final mile for his third major marathon title in just over 13 months. Mary Keitany also took the lead late in the women’s race for a Kenyan sweep.

Kipsang’s record-setting victories in Berlin and London were on flat courses with the aid of a pacemaker, very different from Sunday, when winds were gusting at more than 30 mph at the start. The contenders adjusted by cautiously sticking to a slow pace.

“It was very tactical,” Kipsang said. “So it was not easy.”

He finished in 2 hours, 10 minutes, 59 seconds — the slowest winning time in New York since 1995, and more than 7 1/2 minutes off the world record he set just over a year ago in Berlin.

Keitany tried a very different tactic in her previous NYC Marathon, surging ahead to a huge early lead in 2011. She was caught that day and had to settle for her second straight third-place finish.

This time, Keitany held back. She and countrywoman Jemima Sumgong entered Central Park side by side, and Sumgong appeared to be pulling away with just over a mile left.

But Keitany had one last burst left and won by 3 seconds, matching the tightest finish in the history of the women’s race. Keitany, a two-time London Marathon champ, hadn’t run a 26.2-mile race since 2012 because of the birth of her second child.

“I worked hard for this opportunity,” she said. “I’m happy because I have a victory today, because I know I’ve been coming to New York two times, and I was in that position. So I’m happy today because it was a good day and I win.”

A record 50,881 runners started the 44th edition of the NYC Marathon, which had the millionth finisher in its history Sunday. It was so windy that the wheelchair race started at the 3-mile mark because it was too dangerous to roll across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

Keitany and Kipsang each earned $100,000. Kipsang also clinched the $500,000 World Marathon Majors bonus with the victory. He set a course record in winning London in April.

Had Kipsang finished second Sunday, the prize would have gone to occasional training partner Dennis Kimetto, who broke his world record five weeks ago in Berlin.

Kipsang and Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa, the 2013 Boston Marathon champ, had separated from the pack when they entered Central Park. Desisa at one point accidentally bumped into Kipsang, who turned to ask what happened considering how much space they had.

Then Kipsang decided this was a good time for his finishing kick. He had been saving his energy exactly for this moment.

“I really trusted myself,” he said.

Kipsang wound up beating Desisa by 7 seconds. Another Ethiopian, 2010 NYC Marathon winner Gebre Gebremariam, was third.

The reigning Boston Marathon champ, American Meb Keflezighi, took fourth. It was the fourth top-four finish in New York for the 39-year-old Keflezighi, who won in 2009.

Geoffrey Mutai, seeking to become the first man to win three straight NYC Marathons since Alberto Salazar in 1980-82, faded back to sixth.

Bronx resident Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia was ninth in the women’s race after finishing as the runner-up at the last two NYC Marathons. She was seeking to become the first New Yorker to win the race in 40 years.

Keitany won in 2:25:07. In 2004, Paula Radcliffe also beat Susan Chepkemei by just 3 seconds. Portugal’s Sara Moreira was third Sunday in her marathon debut.

American Desiree Linden took fifth.

Tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, running her first marathon at the end of a grueling season, finished in an impressive 3:26.

Sumgong is still seeking her first major marathon title; she was also second in Boston in 2012 and in Chicago in 2013.

She was originally supposed to run Chicago again in mid-October but pulled out because of a hamstring problem. Instead, she decided to make her NYC Marathon debut, joining the field after defending champion and training partner Priscah Jeptoo withdrew because of a leg injury.

“In the closing miles, my target was to win,” Sumgong said, “but it was Mary’s day.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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