Did Cheserek Put Friendship Ahead of Records in Foot Locker Duel?
2011 Foot Locker XC championship recap

By Marc Bloom
As featured in the Web Only issue of Running Times Magazine  

I believe that Edward Cheserek, winner of the 2011 Foot Locker boys’ cross country championship on Dec. 10 in San Diego in an epic duel with Futsum Zeinasellassie, allowed the duel to happen because of his budding friendship with Zeinasellassie. It was a display of Cheserek’s character, which is evidently as wondrous as his remarkable running ability.

I was not in San Diego and had to catch the race on the webcast. Since the event, I have not spoken with Cheserek or his coach, Marty Hannon of St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark. So I have no inside information.

But after watching Cheserek train and race and relate to everyone around him for the past year and a half, since he came to New Jersey from Kenya in June of 2010, I have been just as awed by his kindness and compassion, his gentleness and generosity, his sweet soul, as with his ability to threaten the 4-minute mile and 8:40 2-mile — both of which he could achieve this winter or spring.