(5-8-06) From Press Release - Okari Outpaces Kiama to Win 30th Bloomsday Run, Ochichi Survives Rally by Hladyr Over the Final Mile
Spokane, WA - Kenyans Gilbert Okari and Isabella Ochichi lived up to their billing as pre-race favorites, as the two withstood challenges from a strong field of contenders to win their respective divisions in the 30th running of the Lilac Bloomsday Run.
On a chilly, overcast morning, Okari and his training partner Charles Kiama broke away from the pack after the first uphill following Latah Creek, then ran stride for stride through the next two miles of the rolling Bloomsday course. Heading up the infamous Doomsday Hill, though, Okari broke away, emerging with a solid lead by the top. Kiama held on gamely over the final 2-1/2 miles of the 12-kilometer course (7.46 miles), but Okari nevertheless lengthened his lead, racing to the line in 34:14, over 30 seconds ahead of Kiama. Those two were followed by Ernest Meli Kimeli and Julius Kibet, as Kenyans captured the top eight places.
"It was challenging and the hill was tough," Okari said later. "I know [Kiama] well, and he is a strong runner."
In the women's race Ochichi, the 2004 Olympic 5000 meter silver medalist, led the race with a first mile of 4:41, then moved steadily away from the pack. It looked like it might be a runaway, but Ochichi was in for a surprise. Farther back Ukrainian Tetyana Hladyr and Australian Benita Johnson were running stride for stride in pursuit. As those two climbed Doomsday Hill Hladyr broke away, and she began to close steadily on the leader. With less than a mile to go Hladyr finally closed the gap, but Ochichi suddenly responded, unleashing a powerful kick on the final downhill to post a 38:38 victory, two seconds ahead of Hladyr.
"It if was warm I would have been faster, but being cold it was tough," said Ochichi later, then added a nod of thanks to the crowd for spurring her to victory. "When you are running and they say 'Go Isabella, you look good' and then I think I look good, I'm out of here."
In the Men's Masters competition Sean Wade of Houston, Texas, took top honors with a time of 37:45, followed by Alan Newton of Boise, ID. Women's Masters winner Sylvia Mosqueda, 40, of Los Angeles posted a time of 41:37, good enough for 11th overall. Top Washington finishers were Uli Steidl from Shoreline, WA with a time of 37:55 and Janet Collar from Spokane, WA with time of 44:08.
Over 40,000 runners, joggers and walkers finished the 30th running of the Lilac Bloomsday Run, which has now recorded close to 1.2 million finishers. Full results of the event are posted at www.bloomsdayrun.org
Next year's Bloomsday is Sunday, May 6, 2007.
An April to Remember for U.S. Distance Running
(5-4-06) Ryan Lamppa, Running USA wire - T.S. Eliot in his epic poem, The Waste Land, called April "the cruelest month", but for U.S. distance running, April 2006 was the best April on record as American distance runners distinguished themselves in three disciplines: cross country, road and track. Consider the following depth and breadth of achievement from this past month:
APRIL 1
Goucher 6th at World Cross
In the final edition of the World Cross Country 4K Championship, Adam Goucher worked his way thru the stellar short course field to finish 6th in Fukuoka, Japan. His finish was the highest U.S. Senior men's placing since Pat Porter took the same place in the 1986 long course (12K) race.
APRIL 2
Kastor's Four U.S. Records at Berlin
At the Vattenfall Berlin Half-Marathon, Deena Kastor finished second in 1:07:34 to Edith Masai's 1:07:16 and in the process, the Team Running USA athlete broke her U.S. record by 19 seconds. Additionally en route, the 2004 Olympic Marathon bronze medalist set three more pending U.S. records: 12K in 38:24, 10 miles in 51:31 and 20K in 64:07.
APRIL 17
U.S. Men 3-4-5 at Boston
Led by 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist Meb Keflezighi, U.S. men made a statement at the 110th Boston Marathon. In his Boston debut, Keflezighi, a Team Running USA athlete, went for the win and placed third in 2:09:56, followed by Brian Sell 4th (2:10:55, PR) and Alan Culpepper 5th (2:11:02). In addition, Peter Gilmore (2:12:45, PR) and Clint Verran (2:14:12, PR) also finished in the top 10, 7th and 10th respectively. The U.S. also put 11 men in the top 20 - its best Boston showing in the prize money era (first year 1986) and its best showing overall since 1983.
APRIL 23
Deena Does It! Sub-2:20 Win at London
On April 23, Kastor impressively won the Flora London Marathon in a sterling 2:19:36, which broke her 2003 U.S. record (2:21:16) and made her the 4th fastest woman all-time and the 8th woman to break 2:20 (and first American woman). The Team Running USA athlete maintained a metronomic 5:20 pace throughout and split each half in 1:09:48.
APRIL 30
Webb, Ritzenhein, Famiglietti Sub-27:40 at Stanford
At the Cardinal Invite, Alan Webb and Dathan Ritzenhein, both 23, thrilled the rabid crowd over 25 laps as the miler Webb, in his 10,000 meter debut, sprinted to the narrow win, 27:33.72 to 27:35.65, the 8th and 9th fastest Americans all-time. Webb's time was a U.S. 10,000m debut record. Steeplechaser and fellow 2004 Olympian Anthony Famiglietti, also in his 10,000m debut, closed well to finish third in 27:37.74 (#12 U.S. individual).
The current U.S. distance "resurgence" did not happen and has not happened overnight, but started after the 2000 Olympics as a critical mass of people decided to stop talking about the limited success of U.S. distance running since the mid-80s and decided to do something about it by, in short, creating better training environments. Four years later in Athens, the Olympic Marathon medals won by Keflezighi and Kastor showed the value of group dynamics and training and that American distance runners could return to the highest podium.
The lion's share of the credit for this resurgence goes to the athletes and coaches who have been and are dedicated to improving the fortunes of U.S. distance running. In addition, Running USA, New York Road Runners, Nike, Hansons-Brooks, Atlanta Track Club, the Town of Mammoth Lakes, Twin Cities Marathon, Chevron Houston Marathon and others have stepped up to help develop, support and promote more U.S. athletes. And together, the sport and its athletes are in a better place than 5 years ago.
Along with the veterans such as Keflezighi, Kastor, Goucher, Culpepper, Jen Rhines, Abdi Abdirahman, Carrie Tollefson and Khalid Khannouchi showing the way, there is a solid youth movement (under 25) with Webb, Ritzenhein, Ryan Hall, Ian Dobson, Galen Rupp, Shalane Flanagan, Lauren Fleshman and Sara Hall who collectively will inspire and lead the current generation as well as the next generation: the 54 million U.S. kids 18 and under (Echo Babies, the largest generation since the height of the Baby Boomers) in school today.
Yes, U.S. distance running has made noteworthy and laudable progress since 2000 and the future looks promising, but there is still more work to be done and more resources needed to produce more depth and top world class performances for Beijing 2008 and beyond, and April 2006 could prove to be a watershed moment for U.S. distance running.
For more information on Running USA, please visit RunningUSA.org
APRIL 1
Goucher 6th at World Cross
In the final edition of the World Cross Country 4K Championship, Adam Goucher worked his way thru the stellar short course field to finish 6th in Fukuoka, Japan. His finish was the highest U.S. Senior men's placing since Pat Porter took the same place in the 1986 long course (12K) race.
APRIL 2
Kastor's Four U.S. Records at Berlin
At the Vattenfall Berlin Half-Marathon, Deena Kastor finished second in 1:07:34 to Edith Masai's 1:07:16 and in the process, the Team Running USA athlete broke her U.S. record by 19 seconds. Additionally en route, the 2004 Olympic Marathon bronze medalist set three more pending U.S. records: 12K in 38:24, 10 miles in 51:31 and 20K in 64:07.
APRIL 17
U.S. Men 3-4-5 at Boston
Led by 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist Meb Keflezighi, U.S. men made a statement at the 110th Boston Marathon. In his Boston debut, Keflezighi, a Team Running USA athlete, went for the win and placed third in 2:09:56, followed by Brian Sell 4th (2:10:55, PR) and Alan Culpepper 5th (2:11:02). In addition, Peter Gilmore (2:12:45, PR) and Clint Verran (2:14:12, PR) also finished in the top 10, 7th and 10th respectively. The U.S. also put 11 men in the top 20 - its best Boston showing in the prize money era (first year 1986) and its best showing overall since 1983.
APRIL 23
Deena Does It! Sub-2:20 Win at London
On April 23, Kastor impressively won the Flora London Marathon in a sterling 2:19:36, which broke her 2003 U.S. record (2:21:16) and made her the 4th fastest woman all-time and the 8th woman to break 2:20 (and first American woman). The Team Running USA athlete maintained a metronomic 5:20 pace throughout and split each half in 1:09:48.
APRIL 30
Webb, Ritzenhein, Famiglietti Sub-27:40 at Stanford
At the Cardinal Invite, Alan Webb and Dathan Ritzenhein, both 23, thrilled the rabid crowd over 25 laps as the miler Webb, in his 10,000 meter debut, sprinted to the narrow win, 27:33.72 to 27:35.65, the 8th and 9th fastest Americans all-time. Webb's time was a U.S. 10,000m debut record. Steeplechaser and fellow 2004 Olympian Anthony Famiglietti, also in his 10,000m debut, closed well to finish third in 27:37.74 (#12 U.S. individual).
The current U.S. distance "resurgence" did not happen and has not happened overnight, but started after the 2000 Olympics as a critical mass of people decided to stop talking about the limited success of U.S. distance running since the mid-80s and decided to do something about it by, in short, creating better training environments. Four years later in Athens, the Olympic Marathon medals won by Keflezighi and Kastor showed the value of group dynamics and training and that American distance runners could return to the highest podium.
The lion's share of the credit for this resurgence goes to the athletes and coaches who have been and are dedicated to improving the fortunes of U.S. distance running. In addition, Running USA, New York Road Runners, Nike, Hansons-Brooks, Atlanta Track Club, the Town of Mammoth Lakes, Twin Cities Marathon, Chevron Houston Marathon and others have stepped up to help develop, support and promote more U.S. athletes. And together, the sport and its athletes are in a better place than 5 years ago.
Along with the veterans such as Keflezighi, Kastor, Goucher, Culpepper, Jen Rhines, Abdi Abdirahman, Carrie Tollefson and Khalid Khannouchi showing the way, there is a solid youth movement (under 25) with Webb, Ritzenhein, Ryan Hall, Ian Dobson, Galen Rupp, Shalane Flanagan, Lauren Fleshman and Sara Hall who collectively will inspire and lead the current generation as well as the next generation: the 54 million U.S. kids 18 and under (Echo Babies, the largest generation since the height of the Baby Boomers) in school today.
Yes, U.S. distance running has made noteworthy and laudable progress since 2000 and the future looks promising, but there is still more work to be done and more resources needed to produce more depth and top world class performances for Beijing 2008 and beyond, and April 2006 could prove to be a watershed moment for U.S. distance running.
For more information on Running USA, please visit RunningUSA.org
Powerhouse Mile Field at Pre Classic
(5-2-06) From Press Release - One of the strongest mile fields ever assembled in the
United States will take the track for the Bowerman Mile at the 32nd annual Prefontaine Classic on Sunday, May 28th.
Pre Classic favorite Alan Webb showed his strength at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational on Sunday (April 30th), setting a personal best for 10,000 meters in his first attempt at the distance. His 27:34.72 is the fastest debut ever by an American, replacing Steve Prefontaine's then-American Record of 27:43.6 from 1974. The 23-year-old Virginian will need every bit of that strength to meet the challenges of presented by this field:
New American 1500 Meter Recordholder Bernard Lagat, ranked No. 2 in the world last year by Track & Field News. Lagat is the Olympic silver medalist from the Athens Games.
Double World Champion Rachid Ramzi of Bahrain, ranked No. 3 in the world. Ramzi was untouchable in winning the Helsinki 800 and 1500 Meter titles last year.
Defending Bowerman Mile champion Alex Kipchirchir of Kenya, ranked No. 5 in the world. In March of this year, Kipchirchir won the Commonwealth Games 800 Meter gold medal.
All four of these headliners ran sub-3:50 miles, or the metric equivalent, in 2005.
Tickets for the 2006 Prefontaine Classic are available in person at the Casanova Center ticket office, by phone from 1-800-WEBFOOT, or online at www.goducks.com
copyright 2001-2006 Oregon Track Club. All rights reserved.
United States will take the track for the Bowerman Mile at the 32nd annual Prefontaine Classic on Sunday, May 28th.
Pre Classic favorite Alan Webb showed his strength at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational on Sunday (April 30th), setting a personal best for 10,000 meters in his first attempt at the distance. His 27:34.72 is the fastest debut ever by an American, replacing Steve Prefontaine's then-American Record of 27:43.6 from 1974. The 23-year-old Virginian will need every bit of that strength to meet the challenges of presented by this field:
New American 1500 Meter Recordholder Bernard Lagat, ranked No. 2 in the world last year by Track & Field News. Lagat is the Olympic silver medalist from the Athens Games.
Double World Champion Rachid Ramzi of Bahrain, ranked No. 3 in the world. Ramzi was untouchable in winning the Helsinki 800 and 1500 Meter titles last year.
Defending Bowerman Mile champion Alex Kipchirchir of Kenya, ranked No. 5 in the world. In March of this year, Kipchirchir won the Commonwealth Games 800 Meter gold medal.
All four of these headliners ran sub-3:50 miles, or the metric equivalent, in 2005.
Tickets for the 2006 Prefontaine Classic are available in person at the Casanova Center ticket office, by phone from 1-800-WEBFOOT, or online at www.goducks.com
copyright 2001-2006 Oregon Track Club. All rights reserved.
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