Running USA wire 53, June 28, 2009
McAdams, Rowbury Win USA Track Titles - Again
edit this articleBy: Parker Morse, Running USA wire
EUGENE, Ore. - (June 27, 2009) - Josh McAdams, a 2008 Olympian in the steeplechase and the 2006 national champion in that event, added a second national title to his resume Saturday afternoon at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field, while 2008 Olympic Trials champion Shannon Rowbury defended her title in the women's 1500 meters.
McAdams adds second steeplechase title
McAdams' Beijing teammate Billy Nelson took the early lead in the 3000 meter steeplechase, but the pace was easy for the opening laps as the field sized each other up. With U.S. record holder Daniel Lincoln injured and Olympic Trials champion Anthony Famiglietti having run the 5000m final the night before, there were few left in the field willing to set a quick pace early.
The field finally began to string out as Nelson ratcheted the pace down with four laps to go. Daniel Huling, part of Robert Gary's steeple group in Ohio, moved up to help Nelson with the pace, and with three laps remaining Huling took over the lead by himself, with McAdams and Thomas Kloos giving chase.
"It was pretty slow at the start," said Huling. "I had a plan to go with three laps to go and stay committed to the pace. I felt immediate separation when I took the lead, and Josh was quick to get up behind me. I could feel us pulling away, and I just tried to push as much as possible."
McAdams moved into the lead about 100 meters before taking the bell, as Kyle Alcorn was moving up to third. McAdams, who was a miler before taking up the steeplechase, ran away from Huling to take the victory in 8:29.91, the slowest winning time since 1998. Huling was second in 8:32.86, and Alcorn third in 8:34.65.
"I thought for sure it would go out faster," said McAdams. "It played into my hands. With three or four laps, I was chomping at the bit to get going. I've always liked to race from the back and close fast, but I thought today it was going to go out fast and I should get to the front."
"I made a Worlds team in '07 and the Olympic team last year, but I've never made it to the final. This year, I've been working on being ready for a race going out fast. I'm going over to Europe at least once before Berlin, to try to get in a fast heat either at Heusden or DN Galan. Hopefully I'll get in a fast race and see what I can do."
"Daniel Lincoln was a tremendous asset to American steeplechasing, he really raised the caliber of the competition. And I was ready for Fam to take it out fast, I was going to go with him this year."
McAdams and Huling both have "A" standards and Alcorn the "B", so they will make up the team for Berlin. Kyle Perry, like McAdams coached by BYU coach and Olympian Ed Eyestone, will be the alternate, having placed fourth.
Rowbury defends women's 1500m crown
The women's 1500 meter final was shaping up similarly to the steeplechase, as Amy Mortimer and Heidi Dahl were the pacesetters at the front of a tight pack of twelve women. They passed 400 meters in a relaxed 1:07.7, but with 900 meters remaining Christin Wurth-Thomas, winner of the Reebok Grand Prix in New York earlier this season, burst from the pack and pulled away from the pack. The 800m split (2:14.5) belied the three-second lead Wurth-Thomas had opened on the rest of the field, a gap which kept growing nearly to the bell.
Wurth-Thomas reached 3 laps in 3:16.9, a 62-second third lap, but in her wake first Erin Donohue, then Anna Willard and Rowbury had broken clear of the pack and were giving chase. It was Rowbury who had the greatest speed of the three, and the Duke grad overtook the first two and set out after Wurth-Thomas on the backstretch.
Rowbury drew even with Wurth-Thomas as they came in to the homestretch, and by then her stride was already longer and quicker than the tiring Wurth-Thomas. She pulled clear to win in 4:05.07 to Wurth-Thomas's 4:06.00. Willard was right behind in 4:07.70, with Donohue fourth in 4:08.96.
"I think they said it was 2:02 for the last 800, and 60 seconds for the last lap," said Rowbury. "It's one thing to do that in practice and another thing for it to actually happen. I was really happy with the result. It's a little different with Christin to go after; she had a pretty big gap and I wasn't sure I could close it. I thought someone would follow her, but nobody did, so with 400 to go I said, OK, I guess I'd better be the one. I just tried not to panic, tried not to over-react."
"We've been planning on peaking at the end of August all along, but after Pre I got a little nervous. I'm definitely hoping to go after a medal in Berlin."
"The tougher the competition I have at home, the tougher I'm going to be for international competition."
While Rowbury and Wurth-Thomas plan to run in Berlin, Willard is a question mark. She's one of the favorites for the women's steeplechase on Sunday, and may forgo a spot in the 1500m in favor of the barriers. "My coach [Terrence Mahon] and I will have to decide that," said Willard after the steeplechase.
USA 1500m Championship - Saturday, June 27, 2009
WOMEN
1) Shannon Rowbury (CA), 4:05.07
2) Christin Wurth-Thomas (AR), 4:06.00
3) Anna Willard (CA), 4:07.70
4) Erin Donohue (NJ), 4:08.96
5) Treniere Clement (TN), 4:09.10
USA 3000m Steeplechase Championship - Saturday, June 27, 2009
MEN
1) Josh McAdams (UT), 8:29.91
2) Daniel Huling (OH), 8:32.86
3) Kyle Alcorn (AZ), 8:34.65
4) Kyle Perry (UT), 8:36.65
5) Ben Bruce (OR), 8:36.76
Complete results and more at: www.usatf.org/events/2009/USAOutdoorTFChampionships
Lomong, Barringer Win USA Outdoor Track Titles
edit this articleBy: USATF
EUGENE, Ore. - (June 28, 2009) - On Sunday afternoon at famed Hayward Field, 2008 Olympic Trials third place finisher and 2007 NCAA champion Lopez Lomong won his first USA Outdoor title in holding off former University of Texas star Leonel Manzano in an exciting Nike Men's 1500m final.
Lomong had the lead coming off the final turn and Manzano gave chase through to the finish. Although Manzano gained ground on his 2008 Olympic teammate, Lomong held on to win in 3:41.68, with Manzano finishing national runner-up in 3:41.82. 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships fourth place finisher Dorain Ulrey was third in 3:42.84, with 2008 NCAA Outdoor Champs runner-up Steven Pifer - who pushed the pace with 500 meters remaining - fourth (3:44.21).
U.S. record holder Jenny Barringer, who won the 1500m and 3000m steeplechase at the 2009 NCAA Championships, took control of the women's 3000m steeplechase final early on and cruised to her second U.S. title in this event with her time of 9 minutes 29.38 seconds.
2008 Olympic Trials champion and former U.S. record holder Anna Willard was the runner-up in 9:35.01, with Bridget Franek posting a personal record time of 9:36.74 in finishing third in the race. 2008 Olympic Trials finalist and 2007 USA Championships runner-up Lindsey Anderson finished fourth in 9:44.42.
USA 1500m Championship - Sunday, June 28, 2009
MEN
1) Lopez Lomong (AZ), 3:41.68
2) Leonel Manzano (TX), 3:41.82
3) Dorian Ulrey (AR), 3:42.84
4) Stephen Pifer (OR), 3:44.21
5) William Leer (OR), 3:44.28
USA 3000m Steeplechase Championship - Sunday, June 28, 2009
WOMEN
1) Jenny Barringer (CO), 9:29.38
2) Anna Willard (CA), 9:35.01
3) Bridget Franek (PA), 9:36.74
4) Lindsey Anderson (UT), 9:44.42
5) Marie Lawrence (WA), 9:48.27
Complete results at: www.usatf.org/events/2009/USAOutdoorTFChampionships
Gray, Lundy Capture USA Mountain Running Titles
edit this articleBy: Nancy Hobbs
Team USA takes NACAC Mountain Running Championships
NORTH CONWAY, N.H. - (June 28, 2009) - On a humid, overcast morning in the New England hamlet of North Conway, N.H., Washingtonian Joseph Gray, 24, Lakewood, and Californian Christine Lundy, 38, Sausalito outpaced one of the deepest U.S. mountain running fields in recent memory to become the 2009 USA Mountain Running champions at the 22nd Cranmore Hill Climb on Sunday. The pair also led Team USA to gold medal podium spots in the men's and women's division of the North American Central American Caribbean Mountain Running Championships.
The race featured two 5.5 kilometer loops and 2,400 feet of vertical gain that included a mixture of steep climbing, single track terrain, super fast descents, and flat sections across open meadows. Spectators at the base of the mountain could watch the runners as they climbed in the distance and then cheered runners on as they passed the start / finish area for the second and final loop.
A former collegiate steeplechaser, Gray, in his third season mountain racing, was with a lead pack of seven within the first kilometer which included Simon Gutierrez, 43, CO; Zac Freudenberg (MO); Eric Blake (CT), Matt Byrne (PA) and Shiloh Mielke (NC). The group stayed together up the first pitch, but at the top of the climb Gray took off. Freudenberg and Gutierrez were in second and third respectively, followed closely by Rickey Gates (CO), Byrne and Blake. Mielke didn't stick with the group on the first downhill.
After the first loop, it was Gray leading by about 40 seconds posting a 28 minute loop with Freudenberg in second, Gutierrez in third, "I was feeling confident, like I could hold third," said Gutierrez in a post-race interview, "Even going up the second climb I felt good. Then Rickey and Matt caught me about 1 kilometer into the second climb. They started pushing it. Joe was gone. I could see Rickey and Matt until the last 200 meters of the climb.
"After that I survived to get down. My legs were shot, Eric passed me and I caught up to him and we ran together for the last 2 kilometers. Shiloh blasted by us with about ½ mile to go," said Gutierrez who in a sprint-to-the-finish with Blake fell down just a few feet from the line to finish seventh.
Gray kept a solid, steady and rather blistering pace to finish in 48 minutes, 37 seconds followed by Freudenberg (49:48), Byrne (49:57), Gates (50:04), Meilke (51:38), Blake (51:50) and Gutierrez (51:54). Aaron Saft, Kevin Tilton and John Tribbia rounded out the top ten.
With his win, Gray made his second consecutive Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team. Freudenberg and Byrne also were named to the team. All three were members of last year's bronze medal winning team at the World Mountain Running Championships in Switzerland.
Lundy, with her win, becomes a four-time Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team member earning the sole team spot at Cranmore for the women. Lundy, who made her first U.S. mountain team in 2005, is the only two-time team gold medalist as a member of both the 2006 and 2007 U.S. teams at Worlds. She raced to victory posting a time of 57:16, besting her nearest competitor, Brandy Erholtz (CO), by approximately 35 seconds, and was followed by Laura Haefeli, 41, CO, in 58:30. Kasie Enman, Gina Lucrezi, Megan Lund, Abby Larson, Amber Moran, Trish Steidl and Christa Benton rounded out the top 10.
USA Masters champion Haefeli, when interviewed about her race said, "I felt good. I was psyched that we (Team USA in the NACAC competition - Lundy, Haefeli, Enman and Erholtz) were all running together. The start was fast. Brandy, Chris and Kasie were in front of me, but we were all really close. Abby was close behind. Abby passed me on one of the steeper sections and I was fifth to the top after the first climb. On the first downhill, I knew Abby was running really hard and I passed her on the rocky section. I figured if I could get enough distance on her on the downhill I could hold her off on the uphill. I was hoping that anyone behind me on the first loop wouldn't catch me.
"I was gaining on Kasie, and I thought I was even gaining on Chris. It was definitely tougher on the second time around. I caught Kasie just before the steep climb and started to put some distance right after the climb and increased my lead. Once I crested the top, I was gone. I knew from the first lap I was running well on the downhill and didn't think anyone would catch me on the downs. By the time I crested, I didn't see Brandy or Chris. At the last part of the downhill I saw Brandy, but didn't see Chris. I wanted to minimize the gap from second place."
In the NACAC competition the top two runners for each country scored. Lundy and Erholtz scored for Team USA to earn the gold medal with Canada in silver medal position. On the men's side, Gray and Gates scored for Team USA which included Blake and Gutierrez. Final results were not available at press time for the men's NACAC competition. The top NACAC teams each won $200.
The Cranmore Hill Climb included Open runners as well as USATF members vying for national championship honors in their respective five year age groups starting at 40-years-old for Masters runners. USATF results will be posted at: www.USATF.org
"We were really excited to have such high caliber runners come to the Mount Washington Valley and the race was a great success. We had 250 registrants and nearly 40 finishers more than our previous high. I would say this is due to the national championships which attracted runners from 22 states. The White Mountain Milers are planning to submit a bid to host the Championships again in 2011," said event director Paul Kirsch.
22nd Cranmore Hill Climb: USA Mountain Running Championships
North Conway, NH, Sunday, June 28, 2009
11K
MEN
1) Joseph Gray (WA), 48:37, $200
2) Zac Freudenberg (MO), 49:48, $150
3) Matt Byrne (PA), 49:57, $100
7) Simon Gutierrez, 43, CO, 51:54, $50
WOMEN
1) Christine Lundy (CA), 57:16, $200
2) Brandy Erholtz (CO), 57:51, $150
3) Laura Haefeli, 41, 58:30, $150
More results at: www.whitemountainmilers.com/cranmore/index.html
ING New York City Marathon to Stage 2009 USA Men's Championship
edit this article
Olympian Brian Sell enters; special USA Championship-only $150,000 prize purse offered by host New York Road Runners
NEW YORK - (June 25, 2009) - New York Road Runners will host the 2009 USA Men's Marathon Championship in conjunction with the ING New York City Marathon 2009 on Sunday, November 1, and 2008 Olympian Brian Sell is the first leading contender to enter the field, it was announced by NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.
NYRR will offer a total prize purse of $150,000 for the USA Men's Marathon Championship, including $40,000 for the winner. The prize money will be cumulative with that earned in the ING New York City Marathon.
"It is extra special for us to have the men's championship back here in New York as we celebrate the 40th running of the New York City Marathon," Wittenberg said. "Brian is a great first headliner to the strong field we expect to have on November 1."
Sell, 31, of Rochester Hills, MI, had his career's finest performance in New York's Central Park at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon, where he finished third in 2 hours, 11 minutes, 40 seconds to qualify for the Olympic Games in Beijing. Sell went on to finish 22nd in the Olympic Marathon in a time of 2:16:07. The second American to finish the Boston Marathon earlier this year, Sell will be making his ING New York City Marathon debut.
"I felt like lightning in a bottle in the Olympic Trials in New York and I'd like to do it again," Sell said. "I have had good races in New York. From the 8K to the Olympic Trials, it's always been a good spot for me, so I hopefully I can have another strong race in 2009."
Sell has been one of America's top marathoners since his attention-grabbing run from the front at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Birmingham, AL. The Hansons-Brooks athlete was ninth at the 2005 IAAF World Marathon Championships, and fourth at the 2006 Boston Marathon.
"New York Road Runners annually puts on one of the world's classic marathons, and they organized one of the greatest ever Olympic Team Trials in 2007," said Doug Logan, the CEO of USA Track & Field. "We look forward to many of our top athletes returning to New York, and to the ING New York City Marathon, to compete for a national title."
New York Road Runners previously hosted the USA Men's and Women's Marathon Championships in 2001 and the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon in November 2007.
For more information, visit: www.INGnycmarathon.org