Meb Keflezighi announces he will end ‘marathon career’ next year in New York City
Meb Keflezighi’s professional marathoning career will come to an end in the same place it began.
The prolific runner and 2014 Boston Marathon winner announced Sunday that he plans to make the 2017 New York City Marathon his last.
So HAPPY to announce that I’ll conclude my marathon career at the 2017 @nycmarathon. pic.twitter.com/iUr2JZ3t3a
— meb keflezighi (@runmeb) November 6, 2016
Keflezghi was in the city Sunday for the 2016 New York City Marathon, which he has also won.
But the 41-year-old wasn’t competing in this year’s race. Instead, he was serving as a grand marshal along his 2016 Summer Olympics teammates.
In 2014, Keflezghi won the first post-bombing Boston Marathon, becoming the first American male to do so since 1983.
In an article published on ESPN.com last week, the Eritrean-born runner detailed some of his retirement plans. Keflezighi said he hopes to run two marathons in 2017: One would be New York; the other, he hopes, would be Boston.
Two more marathons would give Keflezighi a total of 26 for his career, a number that matches the 26.2 mile distance of the race.
“Twenty-six marathons for the distance,” he told ESPN. “And I’m also going to be 42 years old. In terms of running international, it’s 42 kilometers and 195 meters. So, 42 years old and 26 marathons in honor of the distance.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com