Overcoming a three-year hamstring battle, Kate Landau wins Detroit women's marathon
After competing in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, Kate Landau battled chronic hamstring issues.
But the 47-year-old is back on the comeback trail in 2023 as she captured the women’s title on Sunday with a time of 2 hours, 50 minutes and 6 seconds over 26.2 miles in the 46th annual Detroit Free Press Marathon presented by MSU Federal Credit Union.
The veteran Landau, who hails from Tacoma, Washington, took home both overall and masters (40 and over) prize money to best runner-up Marissa Ward, of Maumee, Ohio, who finished in 2:53:44, and third-place finisher Jennifer Prentice, of Ann Arbor (2:53:51).
Because of her injuries, Landau was out of the marathon picture for nearly three years before winning the Missoula (Montana) Marathon in June in 2:47:16. She was supposed to run Boston two months earlier, but had to scratch.
“I ran through it a lot, but I also took a lot of time off, but I just couldn’t go fast,” said Landau, a physician’s assistant who ran at Georgetown University. “It felt like — excuse my French — but it was lock-butt. My butt was just in lock mode and I had no power there. I lost all my strength, all my speed. It’s really hard to get it back when you’re in your upper 40s.”
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'I was just trying to finish'
It was Landau’s first trip to the Detroit marathon, but she really didn’t get to experience the sights as she was locked in on winning the race. Race-day temperatures were good — 46 degrees and slightly overcast — but the winds did pick up, hitting 15 mph.
“It was awesome,” Landau said. “But when I’m racing I don’t really see or notice anything. I noticed the wind a little bit, but I don’t notice my surroundings. It was cool to go over the (Ambassador) bridge. It was extra awesome and we actually had a tailwind on the bridge, so that was awesome. It was a great course. It was fabulous — that support. The people on the course were fabulous. ... I just didn’t have the greatest day, which adjusted my total focus. But when you win, you can smile and appreciate it more. I was just trying to finish.”
Landau, ironically, had a brief moment on the course, but didn’t lose much time.
“I had to stop at the port-a-potty at mile 16 maybe,” she said. “It was really a quick stop.”
A native of New York, Landau ran 2:34:06 at the 2020 U.S. Trials and finished 14th. In 2019, she captured the Miami Marathon and won the Rock ‘n’ Roll (Arizona) and Eugene, Oregon, marathons in 2018.
The difficulty of not running as fast
But since 2020, it had become a struggle physically for her.
“I’m trying to stay under the radar a little bit because I’m not at the level that I was,” Landau said. “In some ways, it’s a little hard to be running 19 to 20 minutes slower than I was four years ago. It’s hard, but like I’ve been saying, I just have to shift my goals. It’s still awesome to win. It’s still awesome to be able to win some prize money. It’s a huge bonus for my family.”
In 2004, the Detroit marathon course record was set by Russian Yelena Orlova in 2:34:16. Last year’s winner, Californian Mary Beasley (2:45:05) did not return to defend her title.
Two former winners competed on Sunday, including Lisa Veneziano (2020), who finished sixth overall in 3:01:27, and Joan Massah (2019).
Karen Blackford holds the Detroit marathon record with four wins (1979, 1982, 1984, 1992), while Detroit native Ella Willis (1988, 1989, 1991) and Russian Lyubov Denisova (2012, 2013, 2015) each won it three times.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Veteran runner Kate Landau wins Free Press Marathon women's division
