Geoffrey Mutai ran the fastest marathon in history Monday, but don't look for his name in the world record books. The Kenyan won the Boston Marathon in 2:03:02, beating Haile Gebrselassie's world marathon record by 57 seconds. Unfortunately for Mutai, Boston's course doesn't meet international world record specifications, so he must settle for breaking the Boston record only, while Gebrselassie's world mark remains intact.

Photo: Geoffrey Mutai is the king of Boston after winning Monday's marathon. Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Mutai was the first to credit Ryan Hall with maintaining a fast pace on Monday. Mutai and the other contenders had to follow the American's lead for much of the early race, before Hall slipped back, eventually finishing fourth in 2:04:58.

American fans had more to cheer about Monday, as Desiree Davila fell just two seconds short of becoming the first U.S. woman to win in Boston since Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach in 1985. Davila battled Kenya's Caroline Kilel to the finish line, but Kilel's surge in the last 200 meters made the difference, as she won in 2:22:36. Davila's 2:22:38 is the best time ever by an American woman in Boston. American Kara Goucher was fifth in 2:24:52, a strong showing for a woman who gave birth about seven months ago.

The IAAF adopted rules this week regarding women with hyperandrogenism - simply put, women with high levels of testosterone.

Photo: Caster Semenya competes in the 2009 World Championships. Michael Steele/Getty Images

Caster Semenya's name isn't mentioned in the IAAF's press release. But its investigation into hyperandrogenism began 18 months ago, shortly after Semenya won the World Championship 800-meter race and questions were raised about her male-appearing physique.

Moving forward, any competitor "who is recognised as a female in law" can compete in IAAF events "provided that she has androgen levels below the male range (measured by reference to testosterone levels in serum) or, if she has androgen levels within the male range she also has an androgen resistance which means that she derives no competitive advantage from such levels."

The IAAF has appointed a group of medical experts to help administer the new regulations, which are designed in part to spare other athletes from Semenya's experience: a de facto 11-month ban from competition, which occured under the glare of international public scrutiny. Semenya has since returned to competition.

The issue here is uniquely female. A male athlete with extraordinarily high testosterone levels would not be questioned (provided the testosterone is natural, and not drug-enhanced). Indeed, he'd be celebrated. Any observers who termed him "a freak of nature" would do so with admiration. On the women's side, however, "freak" is used according to the dictionary definition - abnormal.

But the IAAF, despite mishandling Semenya's case, seems to have a reasonable system in place now. Let's hope the system delivers on its promise and treats the athletes with respect while preserving fair competition.

Only one woman - Tirunesh Dibaba in 2005 - has won the 5,000-10,000 double at the World Championships. This year, Vivian Cheruiyot may try to become the second.

Photo: World Cross Country champ Vivian Cheruiyot won her 10,000-meter track debut last Saturday. David Ramos/Getty Images

Cheruiyot won the World Championship 5,000 meters in 2009, making her an automatic qualifier at that distance for this year's Championship. In Spain last Saturday, Cheruiyot won her first 10,000-meter race on a track. She finished in 31:07.02, easily topping the World Championship "A" qualfying standard of 31:45.

Cheruiyot, who recently won the World Cross Country Championship, hasn't decided whether to try the distance double in Daegu later this year. But her words and actions are pointing in that direction. During a recent radio interview she not only suggested that she'd try to make Kenya's 10,000-meter World Championship team, but that she'd be shooting for Paula Radcliffe's 10-kilometer road race world record (30:21) this spring.

University of Southern California sprinter Bryshon Nellum won the 200 meters in 20.81 seconds at the Ben Brown Invitational on March 5. Compared to where Nellum was in 2007, that time might seem disappointing. But compared to where he was in 2008, the performance was phenomenal.

Photo: Bryshon Nellum competes at age 16 in the 2005 World Youth Championships. Julian Finney/Getty Images

Nellum, now 21, posted his personal best in the 200 as a high school senior, running a California prep record 20.43. He was the top-ranked high school sprinter in the U.S. in both the 200 and 400, with a 400-meter personal best of 45.38, and earned the Gatorade National Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year honor in 2007.

Nellum's troubles began when he pulled a hamstring in his first race for USC, in 2008. He rehabbed and tried to come back but aggravated the injury during a warmup session, ending his freshman season. Nellum's sophomore season never began, as he was the victim of an apparently random shooting in the fall, suffering wounds in both legs.

Nellum competed last year despite continuing pain from a bullet fragment that remained in one leg. Nevertheless, he ran the 400 and was part of USC's 4 x 400-meter relay team. He ran a season best 45.94 in the individual 400 and earned All-American honors in the 4 x 400, as USC placed fifth at the NCAA Championships.

After further surgery last August to remove the fragment, Nellum is finally running pain-free. Whether he'll be able to fulfill his earlier promise remains to be seen, but his progress at USC this season should be worth watching.