Registration for 2013 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon 90% Complete

Registration for the 2013 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon is nearing completion with 90% of the 12,200 runner field already registered for the event. Twin Cities In Motion officials expect the 32nd annual event, scheduled for October 6, to close before the end of the month. More.

Strong Field Set For B.A.A. 10K

This Sunday, some of the best runners in the world will convene there to compete in the Boston Athletic Association’s 10K race. Among the typical group of elite East Africans are a few top-notch Americans, including Aaron Braun, who is in first place on the men’s B.A.A. Distance Medley leaderboard. More.

Excitement as Grafham Water Marathon draws near

The training clock is ticking as runners prepare for the eagerly awaited return of the Grafham Water Marathon and Half Marathon. The event, which is due to take place on Sunday 15th September at the beautiful location of Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire, received massive interest in its second year. More.

Nadia Ruiz Finishes 100th Marathon, Breaks Record

At 28 years old, Ruiz ran the San Francisco Marathon on Sunday in 4:56:17. She’s now finished 100 marathons, the youngest female to ever accomplish the feat. More.

Amateur American Athlete Aims to be the First to Run Route of the Tour de France Course

Romano started her journey in Nice on Saturday, May 18, and plans to finish in Paris on Sunday, July 21, running approximately 30 miles per day. Once completed, she’ll be the first person to ever run the route of the Tour de France. More.

Austin Marathon And Half Marathon Earns Certification

Executive Director Keith Peters announced that the 2013 Austin Marathon and Half Marathon have been awarded Silver Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport, earning 43 of the 45 certification credits they pursued. Conley Sports, the events’ producers, have been longtime proponents of sustainable sport, having originally become certified by the Council in 2009, and upgrading to Silver Certification in 2011.

Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Nearly Full 

Marine Corps Marathon Opens Transfer Program

Crim Announces Sponsorship and New Course

Regnar Relay Earns State Designation

Ragnar Relay is now an unofficial, official holiday in the state of Utah.Ten years after its humble beginnings in 2004 with some 260 runners and a handful of volunteers that created the 200ish mile overnight relay from Logan to Park City, the State of Utah has declared the fourth Saturday in June as Utah Ragnar Day. This year, that will be June 22, 2013.

Old Glory Coast to Coast Relay Announced

RDB Running will stage the inaugural Old Glory Coast to Coast Relay beginning in September of 2014, to raise funds for and awareness about the organization and the Veterans it supports. The Olympic torch-style relay will feature an American flag that will be carried by each participant along the course from the Veterans Administration hospital in Palo Alto, CA, to Bethesda Naval/Walter Reed Hospital, just outside of Washington, DC.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago 5K Mini Marathon returns for its second year running!

The 5K and Half Marathon share a start line and both begin at 6:30 AM with a wave start. The 5K will not be timed, though there will be timing clocks at the start line, 1/2 way point, and finish line. More.

Kenyan wins Manitoba Marathon

Kenya’s Evans Maiko sped to victory in the Manitoba Marathon, his first full marathon. Maiko’s time was 2:28:17. Winnipeg’s Gina Tranquada won the women’s full race. More.

Frenchman Lhuissier wins SF Marathon; Bretan sets women’s record

The 35-year-old from France won the race with a time of 2:25.13 and finished nearly five minutes ahead of second-place finisher Ismail Ssenyange. The top women’s finisher was Anna Bretan, 28, who set an unofficial women’s record with a time of 2:42:25 and finished ninth overall. More.

HealthPlus Named First Ever Title Sponsor of Crim Festival of Races

The Crim Fitness Foundation announced a strengthened partnership with HealthPlus, the first ever title sponsor of the 2013 and 2014 HealthPlus Crim Festival of Races, as well as a re-designed route for the famous Crim 10-Mile course, its 5K course, and a new date and course for the Michigan Mile. More.

New Course Record at Victoria Triathlon

Elliot Holtham of Vancouver set a new course record of 3:48:41, besting the second-place finisher by a full 10 minutes. The next stop for the Series is the inaugural Subaru Saskatoon Triathlon on June 30th. More.

Triathlon England — National Championships Sell Out At Dambuster!

The Dambuster Triathlon, the second of seven events that make up the new look 2013 Triathlon England — National Championships, has now sold out. The event which basks in the scenic surrounds of Rutland Water Nature Trust, Leicestershire is taking place on 22 June and has always been a popular event. More.

FLINT, Mich. – The Crim Fitness Foundation announced a strengthened partnership with HealthPlus, the first ever title sponsor of the 2013 and 2014 HealthPlus Crim Festival of Races, as well as a re-designed route for the famous Crim 10-Mile course, its 5K course, and a new date and course for the Michigan Mile.

Throughout HealthPlus’s longtime partnership with the Crim, the two organizations have shared a mutual dedication to improve the health of the greater Flint community and promote active, healthy lifestyles. This year, HealthPlus has significantly increased their commitment to that mission and to the Crim, and have become the first ever title sponsor of the HealthPlus Crim Festival of Races, for both 2013 and 2014.

“Our partnership with HealthPlus is a natural fit for both organizations,” said Andrew Younger, Crim race director. “They have stepped up for the Crim and for Flint in a big way, allowing us to not only create an amazing race experience for all participants, but also to execute our mission to cultivate fitness as a community and family value in Flint, Genesee County, and beyond.”

Changes to miles one and two of the Crim 10-mile course were also announced.  The new route, which is certified by USA Track & Field and the Road Runners Club of America, will allow the race to accommodate greater numbers of runners and walkers while preserving the most beloved parts of the course. The new route avoids cutting down First Street, which up until now has divided the space in half between the Start and Finish lines. The new route, which is available for download at the crim.org website, highlights new and exciting parts of Downtown Flint and will allow for improved access to the growing Downtown Flint area during the Festival. The latter half of the Crim 5K route has also been changed slightly for the same reasons.

“The Crim has changed many times over its history,” said Bobby Crim, former Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives and founder of the Crim. “As the race continues to grow in popularity, parts of it must evolve to ensure that the experience inspires all participants, volunteers and spectators to not only come back next year, but to remain active all year long.”

In addition to the new routes, the Crim is excited to announce that for the first time, the Michigan Mile, the Crim’s one-mile race, will take place the evening of Friday, August 23, following the Lois Craig Invitational of the Michigan Special Olympics. This change will make it easier for more runners and walkers to participate in this increasingly popular event that features the only “Block M” medal for race finishers. The race welcomes athletes of varying fitness levels, from competitive high school and collegiate track athletes to those just starting to run or walk.

”Moving the Michigan Mile to Friday gives more people the opportunity to participate in this popular distance,” said Judge Bob Ransom, Crim Race Committee Chair. “Whether runners and walkers use the event to warm up before Saturday’s big races,  or to test how fast they can sprint a single mile, or even if they are beginning their journey toward an active lifestyle with a single mile, they’ll be able to participate in this showcase Crim event on Friday evening, August 23rd, at 7:30.”

A brand-new Professional Mile will also take place on Friday, August 23, right before the Michigan Mile. This race will be Michigan’s premier invitation-only one-mile race for elite runners with a total prize purse of $10,000. The Michigan Mile is also the 13th stop on the nationwide inaugural Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013.

One thing that remains unchanged about the HealthPlus Crim Festival of Races is its objective and ability to inspire runners, walkers, wheelers, volunteers, and spectators to live active lifestyles throughout the year.

The Crim Fitness Foundation, located in Flint, Michigan is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to improving community health in Flint and beyond through best practice nutrition and physical activity programming and advocacy.  Through its annual HealthPlus Crim Festival of Races, its CrimFit adult and youth training programs, and its Active Living events and advocacy efforts, the Crim promotes well-being through active, healthy, and mindful lifestyles.

For more info, visit www.crim.org

(c) 2013 RunningUSA, all rights reserved, used with permission

PORTLAND, Ore. – Executive Director Keith Peters announced that the 2013 Austin Marathon and Half Marathon have been awarded Silver Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport, earning 43 of the 45 certification credits they pursued. Conley Sports, the events’ producers, have been longtime proponents of sustainable sport, having originally become certified by the Council in 2009, and upgrading to Silver Certification in 2011.

“The Austin Marathon and Half Marathon have long been recognized as industry-leaders in terms of sustainable race production practices,” said Peters. “Back in November 2008, Runner’s World called them the ‘Greenest Race in North America,’ and they’ve built on that platform ever since. The team at Conley Sports clearly has a set of core values they follow that result in both consistency and innovation when it comes to their efforts to reduce the environmental footprint and increase the social impact of their events.”

“When I began at Conley Sports, one of my first questions was ‘How do we feel about recycling?’ said Michelle Sandquist, Conley Sports General Manager. “We’ve come a long way since then, and we’re proud to be continually upping our green game and enhancing the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon’s positive impact on our community. Being recognized with a Silver Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport is a huge honor.”

Among the many accomplishments of the 2013 Austin Marathon and Half Marathon, the following are most remarkable:

• Over the course of the year, four “Run, Recycle, Refuel” trash collection runs were held, bringing local runners together for an evening of community service through running, literally, to clean up portions of the marathon course.
• The events 26 for 26 charity fundraising effort resulted in $344,655 being raised for local non-profit organizations.
• A “Responsible Runner Pledge” was added to the race registration process, asking runners to pledge to support waste collection efforts, minimize transportation impacts and use reusable water bottles whenever possible.

In addition, Conley Sports recently emptied their race warehouse of leftover single-serve water bottles, donating them to hurricane relief efforts in Moore, Oklahoma.

About the Council for Responsible Sport:

Our vision is a world where responsibly produced sports events are the norm.

Our mission is to provide objective, independent verification of the socially and environmentally responsible work event organizers are doing, and to actively support event organizers who strive to make a difference in their communities.

Our Certification program provides a comprehensive method for event directors to incorporate environmental and socially responsible initiatives into their events, while informing stakeholders about events that adhere to a rigorous set of standards. Certified events range in size from ParalympicsGB Training Camps held at the University of Bath in the UK, with some 150 athletes participating, to the AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Georgia, with 55,077 timed finishers. To date, 54 different events have achieved certification from the Council for Responsible Sport, serving over 7555,000 athletes in the process.

The current version of the Council’s Certification standards was developed by an outside working group of 18 sustainability experts and reviewed by a wide range of stakeholders. Certification is modeled after the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Green Building Rating System, which certifies buildings and materials according to resource conservation and energy efficiency criteria.

Find out more about the Council for Responsible Sport at www.CouncilforResponsibleSport.org

The Austin Marathon and Half Marathon is one of the largest combined marathon and half marathons in the United States. It has hosted runners from all 50 states and more than 30 countries around the world. The race began as the Motorola Marathon in 1992 with 605 marathon runners and in 2013, hosted more than 15,000 runners in the marathon and half marathon categories. The Austin Marathon and Half Marathon has a Silver Certification for sustainability efforts from the Council for Responsible Sport and continues to be among the most environmentally friendly public event in the country. In its 22-year history, the race has helped nonprofits raise more than $5 million to support their causes. The 2014 race will take place on Sunday, February 16. For more information visit www.youraustinmarathon.com

(c) 2013 RunningUSA, all rights reserved, used with permission

KAYSVILLE, Utah – Take notice, folks. Ragnar Relay is now an unofficial, official holiday in the state of Utah.

Ten years after its humble beginnings in 2004 with some 260 runners and a handful of volunteers that created the 200ish mile overnight relay from Logan to Park City, today the State of Utah has declared the fourth Saturday in June as Utah Ragnar Day. This year, that will be Saturday, June 22, 2013.

The declaration comes on the heels of the race’s 10^th anniversary, which for the first time will add a third day to the overnight team relay event. Ragnar officials expanded the event from 12,000 participants in 2012 to 17,500 in 2013, with teams this year starting on both a Thursday – Friday run along with the traditional Friday-Saturday experience.

The official declaration will be presented at a Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back Kick Off Celebration on Wednesday, June 19th at SCHEELS in Sandy, Utah.  Utah Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell is expected to present the formal declaration, designated by Governor Gary R. Herbert, at a press event.

“For the past ten years, Ragnar Relay Series has brought hundreds of thousands of people to Utah to experience the beauty of our state, contribute to our economy, and create positive impact in our communities,” said Governor Gary R. Herbert. “This declaration is a testament to the founders and organizers of Ragnar Relays for their vision and commitment to bring such memorable events to Utah.”

The declaration notes that over the past ten years, more than 200,000 people have participated in Ragnar events around the world, and today the largest overnight running relay series hosts 21 races across North America. The series not only contributes to the wellness of communities, but also to the welfare of communities through The Ragnar Relay Extra Mile Program. Introduced in 2012, the program contributed more than $130,000 in financial and in-kind donation to community organizations across Utah.

“When we set out ten years ago to share the beauty of the Wasatch Back communities with runners through Ragnar, we only dreamed of the day when 17,500 runners from around the globe would travel to Logan for the race,” said Tanner Bell, co-founder of Ragnar Relay Series. “To have our race continue to grow across North America, to hear so many unforgettable, life changing stories of from participants, to see our team continue to grow and believe in what we’re trying to do, it’s a dream come true. And now to have Governor Herbert designate the last Saturday in June as Utah Ragnar Day is just awesome. We’re all just so humbled.”

The 10^th Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back will take place June 20-21 and June 21-22 from Logan to Park City. The event is expected to bring 17,500 runners, more than 2,800 vans and buses, and several million dollars of economic impact to the state of Utah the last weekend in June.

In addition, through the race, Ragnar and its great community partners including SCHEELS, will contribute nearly $150,000 in donations and in-kind services to nonprofit organizations and community facilities throughout the course.

For more information about the 10^th Annual Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back Anniversary event visit: http://ragnarrelay.com/race/wasatchback

(c) 2013 RunningUSA, all rights reserved, used with permission

BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced that 2013 Boston Marathon^® men’s champion Lelisa Desisa, of Ethiopia, will compete in the 2013 B.A.A. 10K on Sunday, June 23. Desisa will compete among Olympic and World Championship finalists, national record holders, and the defending champions of the B.A.A. Distance Medley. The B.A.A. 10K is the second race of the 2013 B.A.A. Distance Medley, a three-race series which awards $100,000 USD to the male and female with the fastest cumulative time from the three races. In addition, the B.A.A. 10K offers a combined prize purse of nearly $30,000 USD.

For each of the first two years of the B.A.A. 10K, the men’s race produced the world’s leading time to date for that year.

Challenging Desisa in the 2013 B.A.A. 10K will be a talented, international field including 2012 B.A.A. Distance Medley champion Allan Kiprono (KEN); 2012 B.A.A. Distance Medley runner-up and 2013 Bellin Run (Green Bay, WI) champion Lani Rutto (KEN); and three-time Olympian Alistair Cragg (IRL). Also expected to be among the leaders are 2013 Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run (Washington, D.C.) champion Daniel Salel (KEN); six-time NCAA All-American Stephen Sambu (KEN); 2012 Paris Marathon runner-up Raji Assefa (ETH); and 2013 James Joyce Ramble (Dedham, Mass.) champion Amos Sang (KEN).

Following the 2013 B.A.A. 5K, American Aaron Braun (Ariz.) is in first place on the men’s B.A.A. Distance Medley Leader Board. The 2012 Manchester (CT) Road Race champion finished second in the B.A.A. 5K, running 13:40. Braun will be joined in the B.A.A. 10K by Jason Hartmann (Colo.), the fourth place finisher and top American in the 2012 and 2013 Boston Marathon, and Massachusetts natives Nate Jenkins and Mark Amirault.  

In the women’s race, 2012 B.A.A. Distance Medley champion Kim Smith (NZL) will defend her title after setting a course record of 31:36 in last year’s B.A.A. 10K. She won the 2013 B.A.A. 5K on April 14 and is currently in first place on the women’s B.A.A. Distance Medley Leader Board.

Smith, who resides in Providence, RI, will compete against 2011 champion and 2013 runner-up of the B.A.A. 5K Lineth Chepkurui (KEN), and 2013 Crescent City Classic (New Orleans, La.) champion Alice Kimutai (KEN). Rounding out the women’s elite field are 2008 Bolder Boulder (Boulder, Colo.) and Bellin Run champion Millicent Kuria (KEN); James Joyce Ramble champion Chemtai Rionotukei (KEN); Houston Half Marathon and New York Mini 10K champion Mamitu Daska (ETH); and 2012 B.A.A. Distance Medley runner-up Aheza Kiros (ETH).

MEN’S ELITE FIELD (as of June 13, 2013)

WOMEN’S ELITE FIELD (as of June 13, 2013)

 * 2013 B.A.A. Distance Medley participant

( ) Track Performance for 10,000 meters

PRIZE PURSE

The B.A.A. 10K begins on Sunday, June 23, 2013 at 8:00 a.m. ET near the Boston Public Garden. The 6.2-mile course is a scenic tour through Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Starting on Charles Street, the race winds down picturesque Commonwealth Avenue and Bay State Road as far west as Babcock Street near Boston University, before heading back on Commonwealth Avenue, around the Public Garden, and finishing on Charles Street. Registration for the B.A.A. 10K is closed. For more information about the B.A.A. 10K, please visit www.baa.org.

(c) 2013 RunningUSA, all rights reserved, used with permission

By Chris Lotsbom, Race Results Weekly

GREENSBORO, N.C., (16-Jun) — North Carolina’s Wesley Frazier made history on the final day of competition here at New Balance Nationals Outdoor, becoming the first girl ever to successfully complete the long distance triple, winning the mile, two mile, and 5000m in a span of less than 72 hours. Frazier established herself as one of the best prep athletes ever to compete in these championships.

For the 17-year-old from Raleigh, June 14 through 16 will go down as one of the most memorable weekends of her athletics career. After taking the 5000m and two mile titles on Friday and Saturday, respectively, the Duke-bound senior toed the line at Aggie Stadium for the final time as a high school athlete in the mile here today. She was determined to make her last hurrah a memorable one.

“I’m really happy about it, I couldn’t ask for a better end to my high school career,” she said following the win.

Through halfway in 2:22.15, Frazier sat meters behind New Jersey’s Josette Norris, who had attempted to run the wheels off of Frazier. Responding to Norris’s move with ease, Frazier ran within herself as she came up on the leader’s shoulder.

Just like she had in her previous two wins, Frazier decided her time to go was at the start of the bell lap. Immediately, she extended her stride and opened up a gap on the trailing Norris.

“I wasn’t sure –having already run so hard in the last two race– if I was going to be able to win this one,” said Frazier. “I just had to wait until the last lap and go.”

Down the homestretch, Frazier wouldn’t slow the pace despite knowing the victory was hers. Breaking the tape in 4:39.66, just tenths off of her personal best, Frazier became the first girl ever to win the mile, two mile, and 5000m at New Balance Nationals. The only other person to complete the high school trifecta was Lukas Verzbicas at the 2011 New Balance Nationals Indoor meeting.

Frazier’s initial reaction to the historic feat was how painful it was. For the first time all weekend, Frazier showed fatigue just after she broke the tape, going to her knees in complete exhaustion.

“I’m happy it’s over” she said with a laugh. “I’m pretty sore…I don’t know if I’d do it again.”

Making history roughly 70 miles from her hometown of Raleigh meant the world to Frazier, as many of her friends and family were in attendance. Receiving her All American crown and medal, Frazier got a standing ovation from the crowd.

After breaking 16:00 for 5000m on Friday evening, some track fans and media members began comparing Frazier to Mary Cain, the Alberto Salazar-coached athlete who has broken high school records from 800m to 5000m. Frazier rejected the comparison.

“She’s an incredible athlete, I have a lot of respect for her. That is saying a lot,” she said with a chuckle. “She definitely has higher credentials than I do right now. She’s better; I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily on her level. But I appreciate the comparison.”

What makes Frazier’s success even more remarkable is that she runs only about 40 miles a week. Including warm ups and cool downs, she estimated that she had covered between 15 and 20 miles in the last three days alone.

CROSSLEY, RED TIDE SET MEET RECORDS

In the boys 800m, North Carolina’s John Crossley set a meet record thanks to a patient strategy. Louisiana’s Blair Henderson took the pace out at a blistering clip from the gun, stringing the field out by 400m.

Sitting behind was Crossley, knowing the quick early pace would likely tire most of the field.

“Everybody took it out fast. I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “But I ran my race, I don’t worry about them.”

With less than 300 meters remaining, Crossley made his move, taking the lead with authority.

“I figured I’d had such a good season, I might as well leave it all out right here in my last race,” said Crossley, who would break the tape in 1:48.01, shaving .08 of a second off the previous meet record.

“It feels awesome. It’s an honor for me to be here and do the best I can do,” said Crossley, competing at his first New Balance National meet.

Another meet record fell in the boys 4xMile, as Red Tide TC of Michigan came through with a late charge. Thanks to a 4:13.40 anchor leg by Brian Kettle, the pride of Milford High School set a new meet record of 17:16.12.

“We knew we had a shot to do great things, we just didn’t know what those great things would be necessarily,” said Kettle. “It’s great to win and set a meet record.”

After strong opening legs by Kyle Monagle and Kevin Black, Cody Snavely received the baton in sixth, nine seconds out of first place. One by one, the senior worked to move up and get closer to Stillwater, who was pushing the pace up front.

“My whole goal was to just slowly reel them back in and catch up with people, using them to key off of and keep moving up so I could hand it off to Brian,” said Snavely.

When Brian Kettle was handed the baton, Stillwater TC was still ahead with Northport TC (NY) close behind. Lap by lap, Kettle began catching the front runners, using his miler speed to his advantage.

A fast 4:13.40 final leg complete with a killer kick helped Red Tide secure the national title. The meet record that came along with it was an added bonus.

“Time is not really something you’re always worried about. You just run hard and time takes care of itself,” said a smiling Kettle. Red Tide’s finishing time was the fastest prep time run since 1986. Stillwater TC hung on for second, with Northport TC coming in third.

Red Tide wasn’t the only Michigan team to shine in the 4xMile relay. Spirit of Pre (Saline, Mich.) won the girls title in 20:30.32. The quartet of Elianna Shwayder, Abby Rentschler, Alyssa Cummings, and Lauren Green improved upon their fourth place finish at New Balance Nationals Indoor three months ago.

SOUTHERLAND, WYNNE SWEEP TITLES

Reigning New Balance Nationals Indoor winners Sabrina Southerland and Henry Wynne won the girls 800m and boys mile, respectively. Both ran away from the fields in the final lap with little challenge.

Southerland, from New York, timed 2:06.26 for two laps. Though her time was slower than her Indoor performance, the senior was still happy.

Wynne, also a senior, took the mile lead before 400m and never looked back. As soon as the bell rang, Wynne dug down and found another gear, using it to power home in 4:07.84.

“I love these meets because of the crowds,” he said. “They definitely make me run faster.”

Distance medley relay titles were won by West Springfield TC (Virginia) on the girls side and Westerville TC (Ohio) on the boys.

Over 4,200 athletes from 47 states competed at New Balance Nationals

(c) 2013 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission

Registration opens for 2014 Ironman 70.3 St. George

General registration for the 2014 Ironman 70.3 St. George triathlon opened at noon Friday. The race will be held May 3, 2014. Registration and more information can be found on the event website. More.

Marathon organizer said he expects great event in September

The city’s only planned marathon race this year isn’t the Canton Marathon, it’s the Hall of Fame City Challenge. And despite a date switch (the event was moved from this weekend to Sept. 7-8) and slow runner registrations, race owner Steve Mears said he’s expecting a big turnout in the end. More.

Radcliffe Makes Top-10 in RRW Twitter 100

Marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain become the tenth track and field athlete to eclipse 100,000 followers and has now joined the ten most-followed athletes in the Race Results Weekly Twitter 100. More.

Triathlon: Allen, Erbenova win XTERRA Greece

Ben Allen (28, North Wollongong, Australia) and Helena Erbenova (34, Balatkova, Czech Republic) won the inaugural XTERRA Greece at Lake Plastira this afternoon. It is Allen’s sixth XTERRA World Tour win of the season (to go with a pair of runner-ups) and his first career win on the European Tour. It’s the first win of the year for Erbenova, who won four straight in Europe to end last season as the Tour champion. More.

Hundreds expected for Olney triathlon

The third annual RCRC White Squirrel Triathlon is set for Aug. 3 at Musgrove Park and Aquatic Center in Olney. According to a press release, 225 exercise fans participated in 2012. Everyone who completes the event will be recognized with a finisher’s medal and a “swag bag.” More.

By Chris Lotsbom, Race Results Weekly

GREENSBORO, NC, (15-June) — Hometown favorite Wesley Frazier continued her quest for the elusive distance triple crown here on the second day of New Balance Nationals Outdoor, while Virginia’s Sean McGorty dropped a strong field in the boys two-mile. Fast 2000m steeplechases and 4x800m relays made for an excellent day of distance competition at America’s high school athletics national championships.

As the gun sounded and 13 girls took off from the start of the two-mile, no single athlete wanted to do the leading duties. With typical front runner Erin Finn scratching from the event, it fell to Washington’s Katie Knight and New York’s Katie Lembo to pull the field along. Sitting an arm’s length behind was Frazier, Friday’s 5000m winner and meet record holder.

Things stayed relatively calm through the first mile, reached first by Lembo in 5:06.91. Behind remained the entire field, bunched up with athletes finding themselves in lanes two and three at points.

Frazier’s strategy of waiting and letting others do the work seemed to be playing into her hands, as New England Outdoor 3200m champion Hannah DeBalsi and Ohio’s Annie Heffernan took turns at the front. Still tucked in behind was Frazier.

“I don’t like to take the lead early in the race,” said Frazier moments after finishing.

With two laps to go, Frazier debated unleashing a long kick and moving to the front.

“I felt really strong about going into the last 800m. I thought it was a little too early to take the lead, so I wanted to hang on a little bit longer with the group and see on the last lap how much I could take off,” she said.

As the bell sounded with 400 meters remaining, Frazier unleashed a ferocious kick that timed 65.35 seconds for the final lap. Crossing the finish in 10:07.35, the 17-year-old now has won the first two legs of the distance triple crown: the 5000m, two-mile, and mile (to be held Sunday).

“It’s harder than I make it look,” said Frazier when responding to Race Results Weekly’s comment on how effortless she made the race look.

Frazier now turns her focus towards tomorrow’s mile, which takes place at 4:55 p.m.

“I’ll just see what I have left,” she said with a smile. Last year, Frazier placed second in the discipline.

Moments after Frazier walked off the track, it was the boys turn at two miles. Taking the lead from the gun was Virginia’s Sean McGorty, the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships runner-up. Lap-by-lap, the senior wore out the rest of the field, which included the likes of New Balance Nationals Indoor 5000m champion Elijah Armstrong, 4:01.71 miler Bernie Montoya, and Nike Cross Nationals winner Sam Wharton.

Timing 1:02.78 for the opening 440 yards, McGorty was set on keeping the pace honest from the beginning. Even before completing his second lap, McGorty had left most of the field behind, with only Connecticut’s James Randon and Montoya chasing within five meters.

“Coming in, you always look at the field and you have to know what types of runners your running against. I know especially Bernie has a great kick, he’s shown that at multiple races,” he said. “I wanted to come in here and run the way I do, sort of going out at a quick pace from the start and trying to hold on or pick it up if I feel good.”

Hitting the mile in 4:20.69, McGorty was confident in his positioning. Montoya had dropped back a step and wouldn’t play a factor the rest of the way. Randon would be the only strong challenger, staying within reach until 500m remained. From there, it was all McGorty.

“I tried to drop them all, just try to rely on my strengths and I was able to do that,” he said. “I wanted to finish as quickly as possible and enjoy, soak up the moment.”

McGorty’s final time was 8:45.61, just under seven seconds ahead of Randon. Montoya wound up third, with Mickey Burke and Wharton rounding out the top five.

In only his second steeplechase ever, Bailey Roth of Colorado won the boys 2000m steeplechase national title with a 5:49.24 mark, #5 all-time among prep athletes. Entered in the slower heat with a seed time of 6:18.25, Roth surprised everyone –even himself– by running faster than anyone in the seeded section.

“It is a huge surprise; I was not sure what I could run. I’m really happy I could come out here and do that,” said Roth. “I didn’t know what to expect. I had always wanted to try it.”

From 800m to 1200m, Roth opened up an immense gap of nearly ten seconds on the field, clearing each of the barriers with ease. Passing 1600m in 4:38.89, Roth was clearly going to be the winner of his heat. The only question remaining was if anyone in the faster section could better his 5:49.24 time. The answer was no.

“Coming in, I thought I could run faster than my seed,” said the honest Roth.

Ironically, Roth’s first steeplechase came by accident at last year’s Caribbean Scholastic Invitational. At the encouragement of officials, Roth entered the steeplechase on a whim and won in 6:18.25, despite having no proper training. Before Saturday’s race, Roth only did a little hurdle work as preparation.

“Getting off the barriers here was a totally different thing for me,” he said. After his win, Roth said he surely will consider running the event more often in the future.

New York’s Keelin Hollowood won her second straight national title in the girls 2000m steeplechase, prevailing in the seeded section. Interestingly, the seeded section was made up of all New Yorkers; the state is known for their steeplechase talent and have produced champions like meet record holder Mary Kate Anselmini and 2012 champion Brianna Nerud.

After finishing second at the New York State Championships just last week, Hollowood was extra motivated to do well here. Taking the lead early, Hollowood led over the first two water jumps before relinquishing the front duties to Valerie Palermo –the New York state champion.

“I just came here wanting to make my last high school race the best I could,” said Hollowood. “I kicked very strong and wanted to finish strong.”

For a quarter mile, it looked as if Palermo may run away with the title. But Hollowood never gave in, coming back at the bell to take the lead. Increasing her cushion, she won going away with a time of 6:43.96.

“Coming here and not defending my title played in my head a couple times and was definitely not something I wanted to do. I just came out here today and gave the best I could,” said Hollowood, who will attend Providence College next year and be coached by Ray Treacy. Palermo placed second in 6:47.62.

Team FitFast of New Jersey won the girls 4x800m in 9:01.12 after being behind in the first two legs. On the boys side, Raber TC of Indiana took the title, though it was third place finisher Staples TC that caught many fans’ attention. Anchor Henry Wynne moved up six positions with a fierce 1:48.93 split.

“I was just doing it for the team, moving on up. I’m just amazed,” he said still out of breath.

On the final day of New Balance Nationals tomorrow, the 800m, mile, 4xMile, and distance medley relay will be contested. Wynne is a favorite in the mile.

(c) 2013 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission