Running USA wire 66, August 16, 2009

Race champions take control early and don't let up; Ryan Hall third

NEW YORK - (August 16, 2009) - The winners of Sunday's 4th NYC Half-Marathon are growing accustomed to breaking the tape in New York's most coveted races. Three-time ING New York City Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain and NYC Half defending champion Tadese Tola of Ethiopia triumphed again on the streets of NYC.

Despite warm, humid conditions, the professional men and women took off quickly as the horn sounded at 7:00am in Central Park. Radcliffe (photo, left), who's run history's fastest-ever half-marathon (1:05:40) but had never raced the distance in the United States, led Ethiopia's Mamitu Daska, while defending race champion Catherine Ndereba of Kenya kept close company.

As the women left the park in the eighth mile, Radcliffe, 35, made a break and never looked back. She hadn't raced since her ING New York City Marathon victory last November, and the British Olympian entered the NYC Half just this week as a test of her fitness and recovery from bunion surgery in March. She'll decide in the next few days whether she will run the IAAF World Championships Marathon in Berlin on Sunday, August 23.

"I needed to blow out some racing cobwebs," said Radcliffe. "I'm the first to admit that this is an unorthodox way to test myself for a marathon - running a half-marathon a week out."

Radcliffe eased up in the final miles and finished in 1 hour, 9 minutes, 45 seconds, just two seconds short of Ndereba's course record. Daska was runner-up in 1:11:04 and Ndereba took third (1:11:56).

Tola's initial fast start was matched by four-time Olympian Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa. "We knew he was going to push us, and I took the risk, but he didn't want my company," said Ramaala.

By mile nine, Tola, 21, was alone on the West Side Highway. "It's very hard to run by yourself," Tola said, comparing this year's race last year's close finish with Kenya's Patrick Makau. This year, despite leg cramping after 15K, he held on to finish in 1:01:06, just eight seconds shy of his 2008 time but far from Haile Gebrselassie's 2007 record of 59:24.

Morocco's Ridouane Harroufi took second in 1:02:32, and U.S. Olympian and half-marathon record holder Ryan Hall followed closely in 1:02:35, good for third.

"I have a good amount of time to prepare for New York City," said Hall, referring to his plans to run the ING New York City Marathon 2009. "I should be able to run this pace twice over in November."

Three women with New York ties placed in the top 10: Bizunesh Deba of Westchester Track Club (WTC, fifth, 1:13:17), Ilsa Paulson of WTC (sixth, 1:13:20) and New York native Lindsey Scherf (ninth, 1:14:56). Local men Stephen Chemlany of WTC (seventh, 1:04:10), Ketema Nigusse of West Side Runners (eighth, 1:04:13) and Worku Beyi of WTC (ninth, 1:04:28) also performed well.

"I expected a top finish," said Chemlany, "and it was good to have competition with my fellow locals."

A total of 10,171 people finished the race. For many, the warm conditions were a challenge, but they responded with typical New York grit and determination.

"All the training runs in the park really made a difference," said Melissa Bergman, a Team for Kids runner who finished in 2:19:14.

Another NYC finisher, Michael Anderson, mopped his dripping brow and smiled after his 1:38:53 finish. "It was tough," he said, "but no matter how bad you feel, nothing beats running through Times Square."

4th NYC Half-Marathon
New York, NY, Sunday, August 16, 2009

MEN
1) Tadese Tola (ETH), 1:01:06, $10,000
2) Ridouane Harroufi (MAR), 1:02:32, $7500
3) Ryan Hall (USA / CA), 1:02:35, $5000
4) Abdi Abdirahman (USA / AZ), 1:02:51, $3500
5) Hendrick Ramaala (RSA), 1:04:02, $2000
6) Abderrahime Bouramdane (MAR), 1:04:08, $1500
7) Stephen Chemlany (KEN), 1:04:10, $1000
8) Ketema Nigusse (ETH), 1:04:13, $750
9) Worku Beyi (ETH), 1:04:28, $500
10) Hosea Rotich (KEN), 1:04:59, $250

WOMEN
1) Paula Radcliffe (GBR), 1:09:45, $10,000
2) Mamitu Daska (ETH), 1:11:04, $7500
3) Catherine Ndereba (KEN), 1:11:56, $5000
4) Nadia Ejjafini (BRN), 1:12:47, $3500
5) Buzunesh Deba (ETH), 1:13:17, $2000
6) Ilsa Paulson (USA / NY), 1:13:20, $1500
7) Deena Kastor (USA / CA), 1:13:47, $1000
8) Aniko Kalovics (HUN), 1:14:51, $750
9) Lindsey Scherf (USA / NY), 1:14:56, $500
10) Sheri Piers (USA / ME), 1:16:16, $250

Full results at: www.NYRR.org

Kenyan's kick yields world title; Yoder Begley 6th in a PR

BERLIN - (August 15, 2009) - Linet Masai of Kenya won the women's 10,000 meter final in 30:51.24 on Saturday evening at the 12th IAAF World Track & Field Championships, becoming the first non-Ethiopian winner of that event at a global championship since 1997 and the first Kenyan female medalist since Tegla Loroupe in 1999.

Masai, 19, had foreshadowed her victory with a 5000m triumph over defending World and Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba this May in New York. With Dibaba not starting here in Berlin due to an injury, a new world champion was inevitable, but Ethiopia's Meseret Defar, herself the defending 5000m champion, looked ready to take over Dibaba's crown.

The early pace was pedestrian (for elites), however, as Mariya Konovalova of Russia was pushed to the front and nobody else appeared willing to be the sacrifice in the front.

After 7000m of solid 31:30-pace, however, Masai and her teammate Grace Momanyi burst to the front, and Defar, countrywomen Meselech Melkamu and Wude Ayalew followed. Masai and Momanyi pulled the pack of five Africans away from the rest of the race, cutting out anyone else who might contend for medals, and then turned to the problem of the Ethiopians.

Defar finally made her move, normally a rapier-sharp sprint for the finish that leaves all others behind, with 300 meters remaining. New to the 25-lap distance, however, Defar's sprint was far from sharp, and despite close passes of some lapped runners Defar was unable to shake the Kenyan shadow on her shoulder. The three Ethiopians finally looked to be pulling clear on the homestretch, but Masai swung wide into lane four and first ran down Ayalew, then an abruptly struggling Defar, and finally Melkamu at the line for her victory. Ayalew earned the bronze medal, while Defar faded to fifth.

"I'm so grateful for the win," said Masai who was fourth in the Beijing Olympics 10,000. "I didn't give up."

"I was expecting [Defar] to win," said Melkamu. "I never saw the Kenyan."

Behind the African pack, American and 2009 national champion Amy Yoder Begley produced her second championship PR this season when the 2008 Olympian ran 31:13.78 to finish 6th. The Arkansas grad is now the 4th fastest American woman at the distance.

Beijing Olympic bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan, who had joined Begley in the chase pack when the Kenyans broke away, wound up 14th in 31:32.19. Katie McGregor was among the first runners dropped by the pack, and finished 17th in 32:18.49.

Earlier in the day, all four American 1500m men (including defending 1500m / 5000m champion Bernard Lagat) advanced to the semifinals in their event, each advancing from a different heat. Of the three women in the 3000m steeplechase, only U.S. record holder Jenny Barringer advanced out of the rounds, taking third in her heat with a 9:26.81.

Saturday was the first day of competition at the 12th IAAF World Championships, held at Berlin's Olympiastadion, site of the 1936 Olympics. The World Championships will continue through Sunday, August 23rd.

IAAF Track & Field World Championships: Women's 10,000 Meters
Berlin, GER, Saturday August 15, 2009

1) Linet Masai (KEN), 30:51.24, Gold
2) Meselech Melkamu (ETH), 30:51.34, Silver
3) Wude Ayalew (ETH), 30:51.95, Bronze
4) Grace Momanyi (KEN), 30:52.25
5) Meseret Defar (ETH), 30:52.37
6) Amy Yoder Begley (USA), 31:13.78
7) Yurika Nakamura (JPN), 31:14.39
8) Kim Smith (NZL), 31:21.42
9) Kayoko Fukushi (JPN), 31:23.49
10) Inês Monteiro (POR), 31:25.67
Other U.S.
14) Shalane Flanagan (USA), 31:32.19
17) Katie McGregor (USA), 32:18.49

WC results, photos, schedule and more at: http://berlin.iaaf.org/index.html

QUANTICO, Va. - (August 11, 2009) - The Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) has a launched a new campaign recognizing the event's environmentally-friendly initiatives. Working with Holliston, MA-based Athletes for A Fit Planet, the MCM is seeking silver-level certification from the Council for Responsible Sport in an effort to create a more eco-conscious event.

"The MCM has increasingly focused on green initiatives for the last several years, starting with a paperless registration process for all events," said Rick Nealis, Director. "This year, the MCM is expanding these efforts."

Event sponsors are contributing to the efforts as well. Aquafina is providing Eco-fina bottles at the finish line that are the lightest weight and most environmentally-friendly bottles on the market. Healthy Kids Fun Run participants will receive seed paper race bibs made from post-consumer waste and wildflower seeds that can be planted after the run. The MCM race headquarters hotel, the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capital Hill, is one of only two "Green Seal Approved" hotels in Washington, DC with a host of programs to minimize waste and maximize efficiency.

Additionally, the MCM is working with Arlington County and Aquafina to further develop the recycling programs already in place. This includes the use of Aquafina's recycling kiosks throughout the Finish Festival in Rosslyn and Arlington County's collection of cardboard and plastic recyclable materials at the race finish as well as at all Arlington-based water points.

The MCM - slated for Sunday, October 25, 2009 - has launched a new Going Green webpage on www.MarineMarathon.com to educate and inspire runners. In a call to action, runners have been asked to take public transportation, like Metro, during race weekend as well as to participate in two new programs. Trash Runs encourages runners to bring a bag or container with them on a training run to pick up trash along their route and then share photos with the MCM. The MCM Shoe-A-Thon, gives runners the opportunity to donate their gently used running shoes at all MCM-organized events to be given to the Arlington Street People's Assistance Network (A-SPAN), which supports people who are homeless, living on the streets or facing homelessness.

Voted "Best Marathon for Families", the Marine Corps Marathon continues a combined tradition of dedication, sportsmanship and patriotism. Runners from all walks of life have participated in the world's largest marathon to not offer prize money, deservingly earning the nickname "The People's Marathon."