NE Runner dev site
BOSTON – Molly Huddle (Providence, R.I.) unleashed a powerful
kick to win the open race and the USA Women’s 10 km Championship Monday
at the Tufts Health Plan 10 K for Women in Boston. Huddle edged out
Aziza Aliyu of Ethiopia by less than one second, running 32:52 to win
her first U.S. road crown and the Title as well.
More than 7,000 women took to the streets of Boston for the 32nd edition of the traditional Columbus Day event, which hosted the championship for the 14th time.
Passing
the first mile in 5:15, Huddle was positioned in the front of a pack
that included her Providence-based training partner Amy Rudolph, 2008 USA 5 km runner-up Renee Metivier-Baille (Flagstaff, Ariz.), Rebecca Donaghue (State College, Pa.), and 2008 Olympic steeplechaser Lindsey Anderson (Ogden, Utah).
Running
along Memorial Drive in Cambridge, near the 2-mile mark, Rudolph began
to edge to the front of the pack, and just before a turn-around
approaching 4 miles, she had opened a 10 meter gap on Huddle, Aliyu and
Tebya Naser (ETH).
As Rudolph continued to press
the pace, the chase pack began to cut into her lead and at four miles
had reeled her back in. After four miles, crossing the Massachusetts
Avenue Bridge back into Boston, Huddle had moved to the lead but was
followed closely by Aliyu, Naser and Rudolph.
Going
into the final mile, the pack stayed in tight formation but Naser and
Rudolph began to fall off the pace as Huddle and Aliyu began the race
to the finish. Making the final turn onto Charles Street, the pair
began to kick to the finish with Huddle finally gaining the advantage
in the final 100 meters. Naser eventually pulled away from Rudolph to
take third overall in 32:55.
Rudolph’s
fourth-place finish in 33:05 also earned her second in the championship
division as Baillie claimed third over Donaghue in 33:13 to 33:14.
Anderson rounded out the top-five Americans in 33:34.
The
championship also concluded the 2008 edition of the women’s USA Running
Circuit (USARC) which saw 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) capture her second consecutive circuit title 45 points. Katie McGregor
(St. Louis Park, Minn.) finished second in the standings with 36 points
and Huddle’s 10 km victory moved her into third with 32 points.
The
USARC is a USA Track & Field road series, featuring USA
Championships from 5 km to the marathon and attracts the best U.S.
distance runners.
The first ten U.S. runners
earn points at each USARC race (15 for first, 12 for second, 10 for
third, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1), with a final $12,500 grand prix purse
($6,000, $4,000, and $2,500) for the top three men and women point
scorers overall. The USARC points at the USA Marathon Championships
will be doubled.
The mission of the USA Running
Circuit is to showcase, support, and promote U.S. runners. Since its
inception in 1995, the USARC and its races have provided over $4
million dollars to U.S. distance runners.
For more information on the 2008 USARC visit www.usatf.org.
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