Fifty-Two Years Later, the Mini Remains Mighty

(c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

NEW YORK (07-Jun) — Through 10 different presidential administrations, six generations of the Corvette, and –more recently– 23 editions of the iPhone, the Mastercard New York Mini 10K has endured as the most important all-women’s road race in the world.  Held 51 times since the event’s inception in 1972 when just 72 women participated, the Mini’s various finish lines in Central Park have seen about 235,000 women complete the race, from casual walkers to Olympic and World champions like Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain, Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands, Linet Masai of Kenya, and Grete Waitz of Norway.

“The race became an emblem of women’s equality, and feistiness, and freedom,” race co-founder Kathrine Switzer told CBS News in 2022.  “And now we have our very own race.”

For New York Road Runners, the event’s founders and organizers who will stage the 52nd edition tomorrow, the Mini is part of their DNA.  It was the world’s first road race for women, run just three weeks before the landmark Title IX legislation became law which protected “people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance,” according to the Federal Department of Education.  The Mini started a movement in women’s running which ultimately led to the inclusion of the women’s marathon in the 1984 Olympics.

“Fifty-two years later the organization is still running the Mini 10K, now the Mastercard 10K,” said Christine Burke, NYRR’s senior vice-president.  “It’s a real moment for women runners to feel that sense of togetherness and empowerment.  We have continued to run it with professional women leading the way.  Tomorrow, there will be 9,000 women behind those professionals.”

Burke, and her professional athletes chief Sam Grotewold, have continued to emphasize that the Mini is a high-level athletics competition, not just a mass-participation event.  The elite field has a total of 39 athletes including four past champions, five Paris 2024 Olympians, and seven of the top 10 finishers from the 2024 USA Olympic Team Trials Women’s Marathon.  Thirteen women have previously run sub-32:00 in a road 10K.

“New York Road Runners really believes in women,” explained Burke, who pointed out that half of the not-for-profit’s senior executive team are women.  She continued: “It is an investment that pays dividends over time.  We still have professional runners who ran with us back in the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s coming back to be part of our race weekend, whether that’s at the marathon or here at the Mini.”

Grotewold, who recruits and manages elite athletes for all of NYRR’s events, signed the entire USA Olympic Marathon squad of Fiona O’Keeffe, Emily Sisson and Dakotah Lindwurm for the Mini, although O’Keeffe said today that she won’t start due to a tight calf (see below).  The last time the entire Olympic Marathon squad were contracted for the Mini was in 2008 when Deena Kastor, Magdalena Lewy-Boulet and Blake Russell ran the race.

Sisson has run the Mini twice before, taking fourth in 2023 in 31:16 and seventh in 2022 in 31:29.  The Tokyo 2020 Olympian in the 10,000m loves the race, but this year it feels different because it comes in the middle of a marathon build-up.  She’s looking forward to the jolt that racing normally gives her.

“This is my first time going in during marathon training,” Sisson told Race Results Weekly.  “Usually I race 10K’s all the time during marathon training and don’t really think much of it.  I usually like racing in builds; it’s a fun way to break things up.  And, often when I go into a race feeling flat I come out of that race feeling a lot better in training.”

Sisson said that she felt like her current fitness was similar to last year, despite all of the hilly miles she’s been putting in getting ready for the Olympics.

“I still think I can hold my own tomorrow,” she said.  “I’m excited to race everyone.”

Lindwurm, who took third place at the USA Olympic Trials Women’s Marathon, has never run the Mini before.  A true marathon specialist, she rarely races at 10K.

“It’s pretty intimidating for me,” said a smiling Lindwurm.  “I really don’t race 10K’s very often.  I think that I’ve raced, like, two in my professional career.  So, it’s a short sprint for me, really.  I’m just trying to stay strong and race the hills.  I’m not really worried about the field.”

O’Keeffe, the Marathon Trials winner, was excited to race here tomorrow but decided to scratch to protect her training for Paris.

“It’s really exciting just to be here supporting the event and women’s running,” said O’Keeffe.  She continued: “Actually, I’m not going to line up tomorrow.  I  have a tight right calf coming off of a big long run workout last weekend.  So, I don’t want to take any risks.  I’m bummed to miss the race.  It’s such a strong field; I was really excited about it.  But, just trying to make smart calls knowing that it’s a long build to Paris.”

The race’s reigning champion, Senbere Teferi, hopes to defend her title.  Last year she won the final sprint over reigning Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya (the pair clocked 30:12 and 30:19, respectively).  Teferi’s mark was an event record.

“Until the very end I was trusting in God that I could win, that I could beat her,” Teferi told Race Results Weekly last year.  “I knew that Hellen had a stronger kick than me.  We were both kind of tired and had been competitive throughout.  But as we approached the end I was just thinking, if she comes let her come.  I just have to go for it.”

Teferi’s strongest competition this year is likely to come from two Kenyans, Sheila Chepkirui and Sharon Lokedi.  Chepkirui has a sizzling personal best of 29:46, and Lokedi was the runner-up at this year’s Boston Marathon.  Also with their eyes on the podium are Mexico’s Laura Galvan, third at last year’s Mini in 31:14, and former USA marathon record holder Keira D’Amato, who was fifth here last year in 31:23.

The sentimental favorite for the podium is Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat.  Kiplagat, 44, won the race 12 years ago and has been in great form this year.  She finished third at last April’s Boston Marathon in 2:23:31 and, since turning 40 in 2019, has a 10K best of 32:09.  She finished ninth here last year in 32:17.

The Mini will be broadcast LIVE and free, both on the web and over-the-air television.  Watch instructions are here.

The pro race begins at 8:00 a.m. EDT, while the coverage show starts an hour earlier at 7:00 a.m.

PHOTO: Reigning Mastercard New York Mini 10K champion and course record holder Senbere Teferi of Ethiopia (Photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)