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(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Published with permission. (30-May) -- When she was a student at Churchville-Chili Central High School in Upstate New York, Anna Kostarellis didn't want to be a runner.  Drawn to the soccer pitch instead, running held little attraction for her. "The running for itself was actually looked down upon, I'd say," Kostarellis told Race Results Weekly in a telephone interview yesterday from O'Hare Airport in Chicago where she was changing planes.  "I had a pretty negative idea of cross country runners.  It was sort of like those were the only people who couldn't make another sport.  That was the attitude around running in my high school." Little did she know that a missed soccer team tryout would lead to a surprising, six-year collegiate running career and eventually a pro contract with Asics.  The now 25-year-old will be taking on a classic road running double for women, competing in tomorrow's Delightful Run for Women 5K in Albany, N.Y. (formerly called the Freihofer's Run for Women), then the Mastercard New York Mini 10K in New York City a week later. "I just accidentally happened to miss tryouts for soccer that year and the only sport that took applicants any time of year was cross country," Kostarellis continued.  "I had just basically done a few local 5K's, and was given the opportunity to join the team for the rest of the season." While she discovered her talent for running, she didn't love it. "This is not the most fun I've had in sports," Kostarellis said. As a senior in 2017, she took third in the mile at the New Balance Nationals Indoors in a personal best 4:50.95, and began her collegiate career at Xavier University of Ohio in Cincinnati in the fall.  She competed well, finishing second at the Big East Cross Country Championships, 11th at the Great Lakes Regionals, and 66th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. But like thousands of other student-athletes, Kostarellis's collegiate career was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  That took her on a journey from Xavier to both the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque then eventually Baylor University in Waco, Texas.  The NCAA allowed student-athletes affected by the pandemic to actively compete over a stretch of six years. "COVID happened, then the opportunity to get another year of eligibility prompted me to think that now I could... potentially get a masters degree," she said.  "That was part of my reasoning to move to New Mexico and get another degree." As a Lobo she finished 10th in the Mountain West Cross Country Championships and 144th in the special March, 2021 edition of the 2020 NCAA Cross Country Championships.  Kostarellis loved the trails and mountains of New Mexico (she resides in Albuquerque now), but overall things were not going well for her at UNM. "UNM was definitely the most adversity I've faced in running and culture behind running," Kostarellis explained.  She continued: "I don't think that any of the results (of her training) showed in New Mexico."  She continued: "I think a lot of lessons were learned." In Albuquerque Kostarellis ran much higher mileage than she had before and, of course, she was doing all of her training at altitude.  Her body pushed back. "I was running about 30 miles a week more than I ever had before, and I was doing longer workouts than I had ever done before, and I wasn't given much of a grace period to adapt to that," she said.  "I found myself pretty over-trained.  She continued: "I basically walked away injured and pretty burned out." Kostarellis took a step back from running and left collegiate athletics in 2022 after getting her MBA from New Mexico.  "I went back to New York and basically started running for fun," she said.  "For that whole spring and fall I was just training myself." But she had one year of NCAA eligibility left, and decided to go back to college so she could compete again.  She wanted to go to a Christian school and narrowed it down to Liberty University in Virginia and Baylor.  She decided on Baylor ("I fell in love with the place," she said), a school better known for developing long sprinters, and everything clicked.  She ran personal bests and school records of 15:39.16 for 5000m and 32:10.96 for 10,000m.  Her mark in the longer race qualified her for the 2024 USA Olympic Team Trials, but she was unable to compete after falling on a training run and banging her knee. "That was really unfortunate," Kostarellis said.  She continued: "I tripped on a root and hit my knee on a rock.  It was not a really long injury at all, maybe a week and a half.  But the timing when it happened was, unfortunately, at the wrong place and the wrong time." But better times were ahead for Kostarellis, who was learning to love longer distances.  She got her first pro win at the 2024 Buffalo Subaru 4-Mile Chase, took seventh at the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, N.Y., finished 11th at the Falmouth Road Race, and ninth at the USATF 10K Championships at the Great Cow Harbor 10-K in Northport, N.Y. Now coached by Ryan Bolton (who coached Ryan Hall), Kostarellis has developed much greater strength and endurance.  She ran two solid half-marathons this year, a 1:11:22 personal best at the Aramco Houston Half-Marathon in January and a 1:11:58 at the hilly USATF Half-Marathon Championships in Atlanta in March.  With that new-found strength, she's excited to race "over-speed" at the Delightful Run on Saturday.  She'll need to run in the 15:30 to 15:45 range to be competitive for the win. "I'm passionate about the long distances, and I really do love getting to race the halfs," she said.  She continued: "I feel like I'm in a good place with my fitness, so it's more like learning to shift gears for the 5K and 10K distances which I have raced before.  I'm looking forward to testing myself." In Albany, Kostarellis's key rivals should be Jess McGorty and Molly Born of the North Carolina-based Puma Elite Running team coached by Alistair and Amy Cragg, and Amy Davis-Green of the Hansons Brooks Original Distance Project in Michigan coached by Keith and Kevin Hanson (Davis-Green finished second last year).  Kostarellis is very familiar with McGorty who, as Jess Lawson, competed against her in high school. "It's great to see that even at such a young age we had each other to push each other," she said of McGorty.  She added: "This shows the depth of the girls in New York which is pretty amazing." But running well at the Delightful Run is only half of Kostarellis's upcoming challenge.  The Mastercard Mini 10K has a world-class field where she is only ranked 28th based on personal best.  She's excited for that kind of competition, she said, and has visualized the race venues to help her get ready.  She also knows she has to compete against the best women in order to improve. "They both go through beautiful parks," Kostarellis said of Washington Park in Albany and Central Park in New York City.  She continued: "In New York City there are high stakes and the field is very, very competitive.  When you turn pro you learn how to try to realize that you still belong in the field, even if some of them are way ahead of you, and just learn how to take things to the next level." The Delightful Run for Women will be held for the 46th time as an in-person race (there was also a virtual version in 2020), and last year's race had 2090 finishers.  The event record is 15:11.1 by Emily Chebet of Kenya in 2010 (on a different, but similar course).  Open prize money will be paid 10-deep from $3000 for the winner down to $350 for 10th place.  The masters winner will receive $1000. VIDEO STILL: Anna Kostarellis modeling her Asics kit on her Instagram page @annakostarellis  

Running USA Executive Director Jay Holder sat down with Nathan Nicholas of Nicholas Hill Group to address updates and improvements to the Running USA insurance program, a foundational member benefit. With market-driven changes taking place, this discussion shed light on what members need to know moving forward. You can view the entire conversation in the video above, and highlights are summarized below. Why the Change in Insurance Carriers? Nicholas Hill Group, a longtime insurance partner for Running USA, recently transitioned the program to a new carrier after Everest Insurance exited the market at the end of 2024. This unexpected development, announced around the holiday season, required a swift response. “We didn’t see it coming,” Nicholas explained. “ We had to pivot quickly and find a new home that aligned with our priorities—stability, simplicity, and affordability.” Despite the challenges, Nicholas Hill Group secured a new carrier that maintains the program’s core benefits while enhancing its accessibility and operational efficiency. What's Staying the Same—and What’s Changing? Same: Rates per participant: The per-participant fee structure remains unchanged, offering continuity in pricing. Simple online platform: Members can still complete the entire process—quote, purchase, certificate issuance—in minutes. Coverage scope: From small charity walks to large ultramarathons, all events continue to be covered under the policy. Changes: Minimum Premium and Additional Insured Fees: These upfront costs have increased slightly. Events with fewer than 100 participants may see higher base costs due to the new carrier’s state-filed rates. Policy Length Limitation: Organizers can currently only insure events up to April 1, 2026. This is a temporary structural constraint based on the one-year term of the master policy and will be extended as the program renews. Broader availability of optional coverages: Enhancements like liquor liability (for events where alcohol is sold or served by the organizer) are now available in more jurisdictions than before. Optional Enhancements and Built-In Protections Nicholas highlighted several optional add-ons that members can use to tailor coverage: Liquor Liability Insurance: Now available in more locations, this add-on is essential if your event includes alcohol sales or direct service. Non-Owned Auto Coverage: For events involving volunteer or rented vehicle use. Participant Accident Coverage: Included automatically, this helps with medical expenses if someone is injured at the event. Event cancellation coverage—still available—remains a separate offering. Due to increasing weather-related disruptions, it’s more relevant than ever. Nicholas strongly recommended organizers consider it and noted that Running USA has resources to help members evaluate this option. The Importance of Critical Mass Why should more Running USA members use this insurance platform? Nicholas explained: “The more members participate, the more leverage we all have to negotiate better rates and enhanced coverage.” With increased participation comes increased bargaining power—essential for influencing future policy changes, such as addressing coverage gaps for common issues like service animals at races. "This is your program," he emphasized. "It belongs to Running USA members. The more people who use it and share their experiences, the better we can make it." How to Sign Up or Learn More The good news is that the Running USA insurance program has emerged from transition stronger and more capable than ever. With stable pricing, familiar processes, and added flexibility, the program remains a cornerstone benefit for event organizers across the country. To learn more or secure coverage for your events, visit this webpage. For additional questions, contact membership@runningusa.org.  

(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Published with permission. (29-May) -- Organizers of the 53rd edition of the Mastercard New York Mini 10-K on Saturday, June 7, in New York City have released their elite field, and it's truly stellar.  New York Road Runners officials said yesterday that the Mini --the world's first-ever road race for women, founded in 1972-- would boast 17 Olympians and Paralympians, Olympic and World Championship medalists, Abbott World Marathon Majors champions, and arguably the best field of American distance women assembled outside of a national track championships.  The race is also sold out with over 10,000 entries. "I always look forward to the Mastercard New York Mini 10K, and I'm excited to race it for the fourth year in a row," said two-time USA Olympian Emily Sisson, who just set a 10K personal best of 31:03 in Manchester, England, last Sunday.  "It's a special chance to reconnect with my Olympic teammates, compete with some of the top women athletes, and run alongside 10,000 inspiring women brought together by a shared love of the sport." At the front of the race, 2024 Kenyan Olympic teammates Hellen Obiri and Sharon Lokedi will renew their road racing rivalry.  At the Paris Olympics last August Obiri finished one place ahead of Lokedi, taking the bronze medal with Lokedi just four seconds behind.  But at this year's Boston Marathon it was Lokedi who finished ahead of Obiri, winning her first Boston Marathon and her second Abbott World Marathon Majors event.  She was the runner-up to 2024 Mini champion, Senbere Teferi of Ethiopia, who will not be defending her title this year. "New York City has been a special place for me ever since I won the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon in my debut," Lokedi said through a media release.  "I'm excited to be back competing in Central Park after winning my first United Airlines NYC Half in March and the Boston Marathon (in April) to continue the momentum as I take on my third Mastercard New York Mini 10K." Three other athletes from Africa --Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia, and Grace Nawowuna and Viola Cheptoo of Kenya-- also hope to add their names to the Mini's prestigious winners' list.  Gebreslase was the 2022 world marathon champion in Eugene, Ore., and won the silver medal at the 2023 edition of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in 2023.  Nawowuna, who is only 21, was fourth at the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships and has a fast 30:27 10-K personal best.  Cheptoo, a younger sister of five-time world indoor/outdoor track champion Bernard Lagat, was the runner-up at the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon.  She is coming back from a hip injury. The strength of the American field is noteworthy.  With the USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships scheduled to begin in late July instead of the usual late June, USA athletes have a clear window to compete at the Mini and have plenty of time to recover for the track championships.  That allowed many of the very best 10K women --Weini Kelati, Taylor Roe, Sisson, Amanda Vestri, Emma Grace Hurley, Emily Durgin, Emily Infeld, Annie Frisbie, Dakotah Popehn, and Erika Kemp-- to all compete at the race. Kelati, the 2024 USA Olympic Trials 10,000m champion, has never competed at the Mini.  She has a fast 10K personal best of 30:50 set en route to her national half-marathon record of 1:06:09 at the Aramco Houston Half-Marathon last January.  Roe --who is the USATF 10K record holder with a 30:56 personal best set en route to her national 10-mile record and world best of 49:53 at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile last month-- is also a Mini rookie.  Vestri had a breakthrough performance at last year's Mini, finishing fourth in a personal best 31:17, and Hurley was the runner-up to Roe at the 2025 USATF Half-Marathon Championships in Atlanta.  She just ran a personal best of 31:00 in Tokyo on May 3. Susannah Scaroni hopes to win the professional wheelchair division of the Mini for the sixth time.  The four-time Paralympian and recent Boston Marathon champion broke her own event record in the wheelchair division the last time she competed in 2023, and has won all five editions of the professional wheelchair division since it was added to the Mini in 2018. "I'm thrilled to return to the Mastercard New York Mini 10K and defend my title for the sixth time," Scaroni said through a statement. "It's always such an empowering race that brings together world-class athletes, women of all ages, and girls representing the future of the sport participating in the (companion) Girls Run." Some of the best women in the history of distance running have been Mini champions including Norway's Grete Waitz (five wins between 1979 and 1984), Kenya's Tegla Loroupe (five wins between 1993 and 2000), the Netherlands' Lornah Kiplagat (four wins between 2003 and 2007), Britain's Paula Radcliffe (2001), and Kenya's Mary Keitany (three wins from 2015 to 2018).  The last American athlete to win the Mini was Sara Hall in 2021. The 2024 Mini, which was held in sunny and warm conditions, had a race-record 9,688 finishers. ENTRY LIST - ELITE RUNNER DIVISION Hellen Obiri (KEN), Boulder, Colo., 30:15 (Manchester, 2022) Grace Nawowuna (KEN), Iten, Kenya, 30:27 (Lille, 2024) Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 30:32 (Manchester, 2024) Weini Kelati (USA), Flagstaff, Ariz., 30:50+ (Houston, 2025) Sharon Lokedi (KEN, Flagstaff, Ariz., 30:52 (Mini, 2022) Viola Cheptoo (KEN), Iten, Kenya, 30:55 (Phoenix, 2019) Taylor Roe (USA), Raleigh, N.C., 30:56+ NR (Washington, D.C., 2025) Emma Grace Hurley (USA), Indianapolis, Ind., 31:00 (Tokyo, 2025) Emily Sisson (USA), Providence, R.I., 31:03 (Manchester, 2025) Laura Galvan (MEX), Guanajuato, Mexico, 31:14 (Mini, 2023) Amanda Vestri (USA), Boone, N.C., 31:17 (Mini, 2024) Emily Durgin (USA), Flagstaff, Ariz., 31:35 (Mini, 2023) Juliette Thomas (BEL), Brussels, Belgium, 31:41 (Valenciennes, 2025) Emily Infeld (USA), Portland, Ore., 31:47 (Boston, 2013) Annie Frisbie (USA), Hopkins, Minn., 31:49 (Mini, 2024) Dakotah Popehn (USA), Burnsville, Minn., 31:58 (Mini, 2024) Florencia Borelli (ARG), Buenos Aires, Argentina, 31:59 (Miramar, Fla., 2023) Fionnuala McCormack (40+/IRL), Dublin, Ireland, 32:08 (Meath, Ireland, 2022) Erika Kemp (USA), Providence, R.I., 32:14 (Boston, 2022) Stephanie Bruce (40+/USA), Flagstaff, Ariz., 32:21 (Atlanta, 2018) Susanna Sullivan (USA), Reston, Va., 32:24+ (Houston, 2025) Emily Venters (USA), Salt Lake City, Utah, 32:31 (Boston, 2023) Tristin Colley (USA), Boone, N.C., 32:34 (New York, 2023) Yuka Ando (JPN), Tokyo, 32:37 (Okayama, 2012) Kim Conley (USA), Flagstaff, Ariz., 32:38 (Boston, 2015) Dani Polerecky (USA), Flagstaff, Ariz., 32:57 (Mesa, Ariz., 2024) Rose Harvey (GBR), London, England, 32:59 (Manchester, 2024) Annamaria Kostarellis (USA), Albuquerque, N.M., 33:09 (Northport, N.Y., 2024) Jackie Gaughan (USA), Boston, Mass., 33:19 (Cape Elizabeth, Maine, 2024) Megan Hasz (USA), Dorchester, Mass., 33:22 (Boston, 2024) Mica Rivera Wood (PER), Logan, Utah, 33:33+ (Houston, 2025) Gabi Rooker (USA), Minneapolis, Minn., 33:33+ (Atlanta, 2025) Anna Oeser (USA), Brookline, Mass., 33:43 (Boston, 2023) Alexandra Lucki (CAN), Boston, Mass., 33:57 (Toronto, 2021) Khia Kurtenbach (USA), New York, N.Y., 34:18 (New York, 2025) Sara Vaughn (USA), Boulder, Colo., 34:38 (Boston, 2022) Aileen Barry (40+/USA), Manhasset, N.Y., 35:04 (New York, 2009) Alyssa Salese (USA), Huntington, N.Y., 35:26 (Mini, 2022) Alexandra Conway (USA), New York, N.Y., 36:07 (Flushing, N.Y., 2023) Abigail Shoemaker (USA), New York, N.Y., 37:36 (New York, 2022) Katarina Mayer (CAN), New York, N.Y., 38:04 (New York, 2025) Kathryn Fluehr (USA), Boulder, Colo., Debut Bailey Hertenstein (USA), Boulder, Colo., Debut Kidan Kidane (USA), New York, N.Y., Debut Felicia Pasadyn (USA), New York, N.Y., Debut ____________ +Time achieved en route to a longer distance     ENTRY LIST - ELITE WHEELCHAIR DIVISION - Susannah Scaroni (USA), Champaign, Ill., 21:06 (Mini, 2023) Tatyana McFadden (USA), Baltimore, 23:14 (Atlanta, 2016) Hannah Dederick (USA), Champaign, Ill., 25:28 (Mini, 2022) Michelle Wheeler (USA), Dallas, 26:04 (Mini, 2023) Hoda Elshorbagy (EGY), Champaign, Ill., 26:52 (Boston, 2024) Chelsea Stein (USA), Spring, Texas, 28:24 (Atlanta, 2024) Linden Williamson (USA), Boerne, Texas, 30:27 (Atlanta, 2024) April Coughlin (USA), New York, 38:16 (Mini, 2024) Rachel Cleaver (USA), Beloit, Texas, Debut PHOTO: The lead pack at the two-mile mark of the 2024 Mastercard New York Mini 10-K (left to right), Jess McClain, Dakotah Popehn, Emily Durgin (partially obscured), Sharon Lokedi, Emma Grace Hurley, Annie Frisbie (mostly obscured), Senbere Teferi, Sheila Chepkirui, and Sara Hall (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)

(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Published with permission. OTTAWA (25-May) -- After several days of rainy and unseasonably cold weather, the sun finally came out here in the Canadian capital and it shone brightest on Albert Korir and Mercy Chelangat.  The two Kenyans won the 51st edition of the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon by comfortable margins.  For Korir, who clocked 2:08:22, this was his second victory here (he also won in 2019).  For Chelangat, who was timed in 2:23:33, today's race was her first-ever marathon.  Both winners earned CAD 20,000 in prize money (=USD 14,560). KORIR GOES IT ALONE The men's race began with a tightly-bunched pack following two pacemakers through 5K in 15:06 and 10K in 30:08, on pace to run in the 2:06's.  Korir was right in front of the pack along with Canadian Rory Linkletter, American C.J. Albertson, and Ethiopians Demeke Tesfaye and Belay Tilahun.  Everybody looked comfortable. But Korir --who had originally planned to run the Boston Marathon last month, but had to withdraw due to an ankle injury-- was itching to run faster. "I was feeling good so I was seeing the pacer was, like, slow," Korir told Race Results Weekly.  "I had to push and I had it on my mind that I had to win this one." The pack held together on the climb up Alexandra Bridge where the runners move from Ontario to Quebec, but soon after Korir decided to make his move.  He ran 2:56 for the 20th kilometer, dropped his pacer, and opened up a gap on the rest of the field.  By the time he hit halfway (1:03:12) he had an 18-second lead on Linkletter and Albertson.  The two Ethiopians had fallen even further behind. From there, Korir ran alone.  Wearing bright red adidas kit, he clicked off the kilometers and repeatedly looked at his watch and shot glances behind him to see if anyone was catching up. "I was trying to keep the distance, and I was also trying to track them not to close the gap," Korir explained. Korir's lead inched-up to 22 seconds by 30K, and 28 seconds by 35K.  He seemed to have the win in his pocket, but Linkletter felt he had enough energy left to try to close the gap.  The Canadian Olympian picked up his pace. "Honestly, I didn't feel that good the first 30K," Linkletter told reporters.  "Like, it was fine, but I wasn't full of confidence that I was going to make the distance."  He continued: "Like, at some point I've got to see if I can close this gap a little.  With 5-K to go I was like, let's run 1-K hard and see how much I can close it down.  I was closing it, but not enough, not fast enough." Linkletter's move brought him within nine seconds of Korir by the finish, and his time of 2:08:31 was the fastest ever recorded by a Canadian on Canadian soil.  It also put him 24 seconds ahead of Albertson who clocked 2:08:55, the second fastest time of his career.  The American was surprised that he survived in the second half after running 1:03:20 in the first.  Both he and Linkletter had run the Boston Marathon five weeks ago. "I ran pretty fast," Albertson told Race Results Weekly.  "I think Brooks is making some good shoes because I don't know how I ran that fast with my training, but it was nice." CHELANGAT RUNS HER OWN RACE Chelangat, and her HOKA Northern Arizona Elite coach Jack Mullaney, had a plan for today's race.  She was supposed to follow the male pacers in the first half and not think about much else.  But that plan fell apart when the pacers were moving too quickly, about 10 seconds per mile too fast, and she decided to drop back.  Watching the race broadcast it was easy to think that she had been dropped, but she had made a decision. "I was just like, I'm going to run my own race," Chelangat told Race Results Weekly.  "We were kind of going so fast, like faster than the (planned) pace at the beginning.  It was like 5:20's, low, like every time, every mile.  So, they were kind of going fast, so I was not sure how I'm going to feel at the end because that's not how you want to start your first marathon." Chelangat ran 1:10:59 for her first half, and split 1:51:36 at 30K.  That put her 14 seconds behind Ethiopians Meseret Gebre and Fantu Shugi.  Chelangat was feeling good, but she was dealing with another challenge.  She was having trouble opening the drinking tips of her bottles.  She ended up unscrewing the tops and drinking from the wide opening, instead. "I had to open the water thing and like chug it," she said, pointing to the dried sheen of energy drink that had spilled on her legs. In the 34th kilometer she caught up to Gebre who had previously dropped Shugi (she would later drop out).  The pair briefly ran together before Chelangat began to pull away escorted by male pacers Andrew Alexander and Sammy Kirongo.  From there she expanded her lead with every kilometer, eventually finishing almost five minutes ahead of her nearest rival, Visiline Jepkesho of Kenya, who ran 2:28:09.  Gebre had a very tough second half and finished third in 2:30:46 (she ran halves of 1:10:57 and 1:19:49). After hugging his star athlete, Coach Mullaney spoke to Race Results Weekly.  "I don't know if I have the words right now," said Mullaney, who was clearly emotional.  "I'm just so happy for her because she made a conscious decision two months ago that she was going to embrace everything that it meant to be a marathoner, and just own the 24/7 process."  He added: "She was smart.  She worked hard, she showed some true grit, and I'm just so proud of her." Chelangat's time was the fastest-ever by a HOKA Northern Arizona Elite woman, eclipsing the 2:24:28 Kellyn Taylor ran at Grandma's Marathon in 2018.  Chelangat already had the club record for the half-marathon of 1:08:57. Paige Wood, Chelangat's teammate, also ran in today's marathon as a pacemaker.  She ran with the lead group for about 26 kilometers before dropping out.  She plans to run Grandma's Marathon in Duluth in June. PHOTO: Albert Korir of Kenya celebrates after winning the 2025 Tartan Ottawa International Marathon (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)

(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Published with permission. OTTAWA (23-May) -- Mercy Chelangat, the 2022 NCAA 10,000m champion for the University of Alabama, is finally ready to step up to the marathon.  The 27 year-old Kenyan, part of the Hoka Northern Arizona Elite team in Flagstaff, Ariz., will run the 42.195-kilometer distance for the first time here on Sunday at the 51st Tartan Ottawa International Marathon, and she's excited that she chose the Canadian capital to make her marathon debut. "We had like a couple of options, and we liked this one because it's closer; I didn't have to travel really far," she told Race Results Weekly in an interview this morning.  She continued: "I don't really like a lot of pressure, so I really didn't want to put myself in a (World Marathon) Major and have that kind of pressure put on me.  So, we just decided to do this one." Still, Chelangat will be running with some fast women, including Kenyans Visiline Jepkesho (2:21:37 personal best) and Philes Ongori (2:23:32), and Ethiopians Meseret Gebre (2:23:11) and Bontu Bekele Gada (2:23:39).  She said that she has a simple race plan. "Just try to hang if my legs will allow me," Chelangat said with a laugh.  "I will try to hang as much as possible because we have some pacers who are going to help us, so I'm just hoping to hang with them as much as I can." To get ready for Sunday's race, Chelangat returned to her native Kenya in February and March and began to lay down her base.  Before this training block, she had never run 100 miles a week.  But, after informally joining-up with some training groups in Kenya that kind of mileage became the norm, according to her coach Jack Mullaney. "Right after the Houston Half in January she went back home to Kenya," Mullaney said in an interview.  "For about six weeks she started hopping in with a few marathon groups over there.  I think she really understood what it meant to be a marathoner when she did that.  She was over there training and I happened to text her and I said, 'Mercy, that was a hundred-mile week this week.'  She goes, 'Oh, it was?'" Mullaney explained that except for her long run and rest days, she was basically doubling 10K every day. "Seeing the level of what it takes to be an elite marathoner was really pivotal for her to take that next step in training," Mullaney said.  She's now put in eight 100-mile weeks in the lead-up to this before she started tapering." After returning from Kenya, Chelangat did one race as a fitness test.  Still deep into her marathon miles, she ran a solo 1:10:32 at the OneAmerica Mini-Marathon, a half-marathon in Indianapolis on May 3.  She ran the first eight miles conservatively, then cut down to a 5:10 per mile pace by the finish.  She clocked 1:10:32 and felt very comfortable. But, all of the accumulated miles had left her fatigued and needing a lot more food. "Really tired," she said when asked how her body had responded to marathon training.  She continued: "I'm really hungry in the mornings now; I eat a really good breakfast. I make sure I'm eating through the day, for sure." Chelangat and Mullaney are clearly on the same page as far as the goal pace for Sunday.  Both said that 5 minutes and 30 seconds per mile (or a little faster) through 30-K would be great.  That should give her enough remaining energy to drop down a little for the last 12 kilometers and shoot for a 2:23 finish.  The women's course record here is 2:22:17 by Gelete Burka of Ethiopia in 2018. "She can really turn her brain off for the first half to 30-K of this thing and just tuck in behind the pacers," Mullaney said.  He continued: "We feel like 5:25 to 5:30 (pace) is a pretty good range for her on Sunday." But like every first-time marathoner, Chelangat sees getting to the finish line as her primary goal. "Finishing is going to be a success for me, because this is a new distance for sure," said Chelangat.  "So, I don't know how my body and my legs will respond.  Now I've done my part of training, I've done everything I could, but we don't know.  Getting to the finish line will be success for me, for sure." PHOTO: Mercy Chelangat of Hoka NAZ Elite at the pre-race press conference for the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)