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Lead Stories: Saturday, September 6, 2008

American Record for Flanagan At Cardinal Invitational

Posted May 5th, 2008 at 12:30 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

She’d never run a 10,000m race before, but Shalane Flanagan can safely say that she’s already mastered the distance on only her first try at Sunday’s Peyton Jordan Cardinal Invitational. Helped by excellent pacemaking provided by Kenya’s Rose Kosgei and a spirited battle with New Zealand’s Kim Smith which went right to homestretch, the 26 year-old Olympian toppled Deena Kastor’s American record with a sparkling 30:34.49 clocking.

“Thanks to the New York Road Runners, they set me up with a rabbit and that gave me a cushion,” Flanagan told a clutch of reporters after the race. “It really worked out very well.”
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Never Trust A Pacemaker: Mbogo Takes Title in Marathon Debut in Singapore

Posted December 5th, 2007 at 7:23 AM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Never trust a pacemaker. They have a habit of carrying on and winning the race. Elijah Mbogo of Kenya exhibited the habit early Sunday morning, when he won the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon on his debut, and in a course record, no less: 2.14.23. The man who should have known better, two-time winner, Amos Matui failed by just two seconds to catch his 19 year old compatriot, thus missing his hat trick. Veteran, David Cheruiyot, who won Istanbul just five weeks ago, made it a Kenya one-two-three with his 2.14.43, also under the old record.

Mbogo knew who Matui was, because his two previous victories with a fast finish have forged a reputation for the 33 year old. All Matui needed to know about Mbogo was that he was a pacemaker. In contrast to his previous marathon start, when he duly dropped out at 30k, Mbogo said he every intention of finishing today, if he felt good at that point.
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