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Lead Stories: Saturday, July 19, 2008

Flanagan Edges Goucher in Olympic Trials 10k; Begley’s Strong Finish Earns Third

Posted June 28th, 2008 at 1:00 AM by Jared Markowitz

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

The women’s 10,000m at the 2008 USATF Olympic Trials was billed as a “clash of the titans” and did not disappoint. Heavyweights Shalane Flanagan [Pictured] and Kara Goucher outlasted the field and the muggy conditions to stage an epic battle over the final three laps, with Flanagan using a blistering final quarter to secure the victory. The star of the night, however, was third place finisher Amy Begley. Begley needed the Olympic A Standard to make the team and got just that with a heroic effort that included pacing Flanagan and Goucher for long stretches and closing hard to finish just under the standard.

Going into the race, most people had their eye on the four Americans who had achieved the Olympic A standard (31:45.00): Flanagan (30:34.49), Goucher (31:26.48), Team USA Minnesota’s Katie McGregor (31:37.82) and Molly Huddle of Run Providence (31:27.12). The American Olympic team is comprised of the top three finishers in the Trials race who have also achieved the A Standard, either in that race or in a previous meet. This rule allowed the aforementioned “Big Four” to race for place while the rest of the field needed to worry about keeping the pace honest to achieve their Olympic dreams. The A standard became extremely difficult to attain on this night due to the warm and humid conditions (low 80s with significant humidity).
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Flanagan, Goucher, and Begley Take Charge Through First Half of 10,000m Final

Posted June 28th, 2008 at 12:41 AM by Jared Markowitz

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Background:

The Women’s 10000m at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials will showcase several potential medal winners at this summer’s Beijing Games. Leading the way will be Shalane Flanagan (30:34.49), Kara Goucher (31:26.48), Molly Huddle (31:27.12), and Katie McGregor (31:37.82), all of whom have attained the Olympic A Standard of 31:45. Flanagan holds the American Record in both the 5000m and the 10000m while Goucher took bronze in the 10000m at last summer’s World Championships.

This event will serve as both the USATF National Championship and the qualifying race for the US Olympic Team. The three members of the team will be the top three finishers in this race who have met the Olympic A Standard, either in this race or with a previous effort. Thus the aforementioned “Big Four” will only be focused on place, while others will have to push the pace to make the team. This sets up an interesting dynamic and surely a dramatic race.

Mid-Race Update:

The Women’s 10000m is underway at the 2008 USATF Olympic Trials. The weather in Eugene is a bit warm, with temperatures in the low-80s with significant humidity. The race started at a pedestrian pace with Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan leading the field through a relaxed 81 second quarter.
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Dutchwoman Kibet Is First at 37th New York Mini 10-K

Posted June 7th, 2008 at 1:20 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

In hot and sticky conditions, the Netherlands’ Hilda Kibet won the 37th edition of the NYRR New York Mini 10-K, adding her name to the list of stars who have won what is the oldest and most famous all-women’s road race in the world.

Kibet, who just qualified for the Dutch 10,000m team for the Beijing Olympics at a race in Utrecht last Saturday, was in a group of four women through the half-way mark on the winding and hilly course in Central Park (16:12). Kenya’s Everlyne Lagat was the first to fall back from this group, then a little injection of pace in the seventh kilometer put USA marathon record holder Deena Kastor a few steps behind.

Kibet was then left to battle with Mexico’s Madai Perez for the last two kilometers. With 800m to go Kibet pushed one more time, and it was enough to secure her second New York City road racing victory in her last two starts (she won the NYC Half-Marathon presented by NIKE last August).
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Note on the News: Runner and Coach Overcome Adversity

Posted June 7th, 2008 at 9:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

A very nice profile of Blake Russell and her coach Bob Sevene by journalist Liz Robbins is posted on the website of the New York Times. Russell is in New York to run tomorrow’s NYRR New York Mini 10-K along with the other two USA Olympic women’s marathon team members, Deena Kastor and Magdalena Lewy Boulet.

You can read Liz’s story at this link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/07/sports/othersports/07runner.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin
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Race Preview: NYRR New York Mini 10k

Posted June 6th, 2008 at 1:30 PM by Stephanie Lowe

Section: News & Results, Olympics, Road Racing

In preparation for the August 17 Beijing Olympic Marathon, all three members of the United States women’s team, Deena Kastor, Magdalena Lewy-Boulet and Blake Russell, will race in the NYRR New York Mini 10k. The New York Road Runners event starts in Central Park this Saturday, June 7, at 9:00 a.m. Kastor, Lewy-Boulet and Russell will be joined by some of the world’s top female distance runners, including Aziza Aliyu of Ethiopia, Madaí Pérez of Mexico and Hilda Kibet of the Netherlands.

The New York Mini 10k is exclusively for women and offers prize money ranging from $1,500 to $10,000 for the top five finishers. The race also offers prize money to the top five U.S. athletes ($500 to $5,000) and allows double dipping, which means if an American wins, she will receive $15,000.

Without five-time champion Lornah Kiplagat in the field, Kastor, 35, who won in 2004, will have the odds in her favor for reclaiming the title. However, Kibet, 27, has been training with Kiplagat, her cousin, and recently ran 10000-meter times of 31:01 and 30:55.61.
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USA Olympic Marathon Team to Run New York Mini 10-K

Posted May 28th, 2008 at 2:35 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics, Road Racing

They finished 1-2-3 in Boston at the USA Olympic Team Trials - Women’s Marathon last month, and now Deena Kastor, Magdalena Lewy Boulet and Blake Russell will be teaming-up again to compete in the 37th edition of the NYRR New York Mini 10-K. Slated for Saturday, June 7, the “Mini” is the oldest all-women’s road race in the world, founded by Fred Lebow and the New York Road Runners in 1972.

“This is a formidable and very experienced squad with legitimate Olympic medal hopes that all of America should be very proud of,” commented Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of the New York Road Runners. “Having them all here for the Mini reflects our commitment to America’s top athletes and demonstrates that the road to Beijing continues to run through Central Park for America’s Olympians.”
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Kate O’Neill: Make Way for Ducklings and Runners
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #7)

Posted April 22nd, 2008 at 1:22 PM by Kate O'Neill

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Elite Athlete Blogs, Kate O'Neill

Hi, this is my blog in TFS’s Elite Athlete Blog Series. Bookmark kateoneill.thefinalsprint.com and check back every other Monday for my latest entry as I strive for the 2008 Summer Olympics!

For the first time in my life, I dropped out of a race yesterday. I had been eagerly anticipating the Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials since October 8th. That was the day after the Chicago Marathon. For the first 24 hours after the race, I was too exhausted to even contemplate running another marathon, but once I had had a full day to recover, I began dreaming of the possibilities and felt eager to test myself over the 26.2 mile distance again. The thought of racing at the Trials in my hometown in front of my family and friends made me even more excited. I struggled for the first few months of training after Chicago, but by Christmas time training was on an upswing and I could see improvements every week.
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Negative and Even Splitters in Olympic Trials Marathon Deserve “Runner Know Thyself” Award

Posted April 21st, 2008 at 5:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, SoundOFF, Columns

Of the 124 women who finished the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Women’s Marathon, only 4 had negative splits. The most notable one, of course, was Deena Kastor who ran the second half of her race 2.28% faster than the first half. The other three were Megan Hepp (-0.48%), Casey Smith (-0.24%) and third place finisher Blake Russell (-0.22%). Since two of the three women who made the Olympic team had negative splits, this would seem to be the wisest strategy to have had going into the race. Another twenty women, including the now-famous trail blazer Magdalena Lewy Boulet (+0.70%), ran “even” splits, meaning the 2nd half was no more than 1% slower than the first half. The incomparable Joan Samuelson ran her 2nd half just 0.63% slower than her first half.
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The Fan’s Perspective on the USA Olympic Women’s Trials Marathon

Posted April 20th, 2008 at 6:15 PM by Jesse Squire

Section: News & Results, Marathons, SoundOFF, Columns

I’m a new contributor to The Final Sprint. Most of my writing has been at my blog under the moniker of “The Track & Field Superfan”, and that’s the perspective I’ll bring to TFS Media Network. So here are my thoughts on this morning’s Trials race…

#1. Put It On (Live) TV

I’m part of a relatively narrow age group that always saw marathons on TV. Not just the races in the Olympics and the Olympic Trials, but also ABC’s annual live coverage of the New York City race. I’d have to say it had a great influence on who I became; seeing thousands of people run through the streets of New York made distance running seem right at home in the gritty urban environment where I grew up. And for years, whenever it was a cool rainy day and I was running in the local city park, I imagined I was Rod Dixon chasing down Greg Meyer. In fact, I have to admit I still do that.

There are thousands of young American girls who could have been inspired by today’s race, and likewise pretended to be Deena Kastor chasing down an imaginary Magdalena Lewy-Boulet…if only they had seen it on television.
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With Comeback Run, Kastor Wins Olympic Trials Marathon

Posted April 20th, 2008 at 12:08 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Keeping her cool after Magdalena Lewy-Boulet had built up a one minute and 56 second lead through the 14th mile, Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor zipped through the second half to win today’s USA Olympic Team Trials - Women’s Marathon in 2:29:35. For Kastor it was her third Olympic team berth and her second as a marthoner.

“It was a tough race,” Kastor told NBC Sports’ Ed Eyestone after the race. “I was panicking out there.”

Kastor’s panic was caused by Lewy-Boulet’s brave front run which began right from the Boyleston Street starting line in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Although Lewy-Boulet was not running particularly fast, around a 2:30 marathon finish time, the pack did not chase her. By the 14th mile, her lead had fattened to nearly two minutes.
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