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Lead Stories: Friday, August 29, 2008

Deena Kastor ready for rematch with Prokopcuka and Jeptoo at Boston Marathon

Posted March 29th, 2007 at 2:10 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Finishing sixth at last November’s ING New York City Marathon was a bitter disappointment for Deena Kastor, the USA record holder for the distance.

She had prepared thoroughly for the storied race, but made a fatal tactical error when she did not respond to a mid-race breakaway by Ukrainian Tatiana Hladyr and Latvian Jelena Prokopcuka.

Kastor finished sixth in 2:27:54, more than eight minutes slower than her American record at London last April, while Prokopcuka went on to defend her New York crown and took the lead in the World Marathon Majors points chase.

But on Monday, April 16, at the 111th Boston Marathon, Kastor will get another crack at the Latvian, a gritty competitor who has won three of her last four marathons and finished second at Boston last year. Speaking via teleconference yesterday from the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., Kastor said she is ready for the rematch.
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Podcast 29: Interview with two-time Olympian Jen Rhines

Posted March 20th, 2007 at 4:10 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode 29 of The Final Sprint Podcast features an interview with two-time Olympian Jen Rhines.

Jen is coming off of an impressive performance at the USA 15k Championships at the Gate River Run in Jacksonville, Florida. She finished second to fellow Team Running USA member Deena Kastor.

The former standout from Villanova also had a very successful 2006 on the rack; setting new personal records in the 5000m (14:55), 10000m (31:24), and the marathon (2:29:32).

Download the podcast to hear Jen explain her decision to focus on 5k and 10k races instead of the marathon, her friendship with Deena Kastor, being trained/coached by her husband Terrence Mahon (who was also an eight-time NCAA All-American), the 2008 Olympics, why she loves running in Rome, who she thinks will win this years Boston Marathon and much more!

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Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Jen Rhines
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 9.63 MB
Length: 00:14:01

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Kastor & Keflezighi win USA 15-K titles at Gate River Run

Posted March 10th, 2007 at 1:32 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results

Deena Kastor and Meb Keflezighi were crowned USA 15-K champions today in Jacksonville.

Kastor, 34, of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., came within four seconds of her North American record for the distance, breaking the finish tape in 47:19 (unofficial). She ran completely alone because the elite women were given a five minute headstart over the men with a $5000 “Equalizer” bonus going to the first athlete to finish.

Keflezighi clocked 43:39 (unofficial) so Kastor won both the $12,000 winner’s check plus the $5,000 Equalizer bonus.
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U.S. 15-K Championships set for Saturday in Jacksonville

Posted March 7th, 2007 at 2:32 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country

Saturday’s Gate River Run 15-K in Jacksonville, Fla., will feature some of America’s best male and female distance runners vying for the U.S. 15-K title and sizable prize and bonus money.

It will be the 30th edition of this warm weather race which last year recorded 9,241 finishers and is the site of both U.S. 15-K records: 42:22 by Todd Williams in 1995 and 47:15 by Deena Kastor in 2003.

Olympic silver medalist, Meb Keflezighi, has won this race five of the last six years it has been contested has also won the race’s “Equalizer” division twice. In the Equalizer division the elite women are given a five-minute headstart over the men, and the first athlete to cross the finish line receives a $5,000 bonus. The overall male and female champions receive $12,000 in prize money.

(Click here to listen to Deena Kastor speak about trying to beat Meb and Ryan Hall in the “Equalizer” on Saturday!)
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Kastor & Keflezighi to return to Gate River Run for Champs

Posted February 15th, 2007 at 10:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country

Deena Kastor, the 2007 USA Cross Country Champion, and Meb Keflezighi, the 2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist, will try to win their respective U.S. 15-K titles –and beat each other– at the 30th running of the Gate River Run in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday, March 10, organizers announced yesterday.

Kastor and Keflezighi, both of whom live and train in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., will be competing against each other in the Equalizer division of the race. The elite women will start five minutes ahead of the men and the first athlete to cross the finish line will receive a bonus of $5,000 on top of the winner’s check of $12,000. Since the race introduced the Equalizer division in 2004, Keflezighi has won it twice, in 2004 and 2006.
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