After Boston, Meb Runs On

Published by TeamUSA.org on June 19, 2014

Meb Keflezighi feels like he’s almost on borrowed time as a runner.

Every goal he’s set during his career he’s met: winning state high school cross-country titles; winning NCAA titles in cross-country and indoor and outdoor track at UCLA; earning a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games; winning the New York City Marathon; and, finally, in April, winning the Boston Marathon.

At 39, the San Diego resident has just about done it all.

“Borrowed time, that’s a good way to refer to it,” said Keflezighi, who was in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Saturday to race in the Bellin Run, where he placed third in the 10-kilometer race with a leisurely time of 29 minutes, 58 seconds. He was also the host of a charity run the previous day.

“Knowing as an athlete that I’ve accomplished all my goals is a blessing,” he added. “Not all athletes get to leave that way.”

Keflezighi has flirted with retirement a couple times in the past few years. He considered calling it a career after the 2012 New York City Marathon — a race he won in 2009 — but the event was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy. He then decided to run the 2013 Boston Marathon but a pulled calf forced him to withdraw.

Instead of running, he watched from the grandstand as runners crossed the finish line. Five minutes after he left his post at Boylston Street so he could provide analysis for Universal Sports television coverage, the first bomb went off near the finish line.

Keflezighi knew that day he was going to run in the 2014 Boston Marathon.

“For 365 days, I’ve been thinking, ‘How I can change this to positive for Boylston Street?’” Keflezighi said. “I’ve been thinking, ‘What can I do? What can I do? Can I pull it off?’ I wanted to win it for the runners.”