Meb Keflezighi wins San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon setting a new 20K American Record en route

Meb Keflezighi, running solo for most of the race, unofficially set a new American record for the 20K on roads, on his way to a winning time of 1:01:00 at the San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon today. Meb's 20K time was 57:52. Cal Berkeley grad, Bolota Asmerom, was second in 1:03:06, and Chico State grad, Charlie Serrano, was third in 1:04:20. 

View photo highlights from the San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon.

Race winners Meb Keflezighi (left) and Belainesh Gebre accepting their awards at the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in San Jose, October 4, 2009. (photo by Lynn Walker)

In the women's race, Ethiopian Belainesh Gebre won in a time of 1:11:24, followed closely by Oakland resident and former Olympian, Magdalena Lewy-Boulet, in 1:11:46. Jenny Wilson was third in 1:22:38. 

Runners nearing the 4 mile mark in the San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, October 4, 2009. (photo by Carolynne Juarez)

Keflezighi, a silver medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics in the Men's Marathon, had run this race in its inaugural year, failing to finish. The race starter, a UCLA alum, as is Keflezighi, chided the athlete in front of the crowd prior to the race for that previous failure to finish, ending with a question, "So you're going to make right, today, right?" Keflezighi confirmed this with a thumbs up. All should be satisfied that he can deliver, as Keflezighi recorded his personal best at the half marathon distance in today's race.

Keflezighi reclaimed the American 20k road record by two seconds over Ryan Hall, a record he had lost in 2006. Keflezighi's time was the third fastest half marathon ever by an American, and the fastest ever run in the state of California.

Lewy-Boulet passed on an opportunity to compete in the World Half Marathon Championships to be held in Birmingham, England next week, in order to support this local race. She set a personal best by 1 second.

Roger Craig, three-time SuperBowl Champion with the San Francisco 49'ers completed his fourth straight San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, in a very respectable time of 1:48:27. Women's soccer star, Brandi Chastain, finished her third straight year at the event in an equally respectable 1:59:03.

Race promoters declared that more than 12,000 competitors participated in this fourth year of the event, with nearly 10,000 finishing, up significantly from past year finisher totals of about 8,500. The organizers do a remarkable job of handling a gargantuan task.

Celebrity participants Brandi Chastain and Roger Craig mug for the camera before the start of the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon at San Jose, CA. October 4, 2009 (photo by Carolynne Juarez)