10-09-2006
Contact:
Jim Estes
LDR Programs Manager
USA Track & Field
317-713-4661
BOSTON, Mass. - Katie McGregor (Minneapolis, Minn.), successfully defended her USA Women's 10 km title today in Boston, winning the 30th annual Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women in 32:38.
As the field of over 6,000 women departed the Boston Common at high noon, McGregor was quick to take charge of the lead pack and confirm her plan to take home her second USA road title.
A lead pack of 12 women passed the first mile in 5:14 with McGregor in front, followed closely by two-time Olympian Amy Rudolph (Providence, R.I.), U.S. leading 10,000 meter runner Kara Goucher, Rose Kosgei of Kenya, Eloise Wellings of Austrailia and Samia Akbar (Hendon, Va.).
While the group made their way past M.I.T. , McGregor maintained control with steady 5:15 miles. Just after the turn-around at Boston University, Rudolph briefly lost contact with the leaders but managed to rejoin them by three miles and by four miles the pack was reduced to McGregor, Rudolph and Goucher.
As the trio made their way across the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge McGregor was still content to lead with Goucher, looking comfortable, on her shoulder. Rudolph appeared to be working hard to maintain contact but making the turn onto Commonwealth Avenue it was Goucher who suddenly began to falter.
By five miles with Goucher having fallen five seconds behind, McGregor made her move to lose Rudolph and quickly opened a 10-meter lead on her.
From there, McGregor was able to cruise to the finish at the Boston Common with the knowledge that the title was hers, but second place was still to be decided as Goucher slowly moved back to within striking distance of Rudolph. As they rounded the final turn at six miles, Goucher move ahead to take the runner-up spot, eight seconds behind McGregor, finishing in 32:46. Rudolph was timed in 32:50 for third.
The USA Women's 10 km Championship concluded the women's 2006 USA Running Circuit (USARC) with 2006 USA Marathon and 20 km champion Marla Runyan (Eugene, Ore.), taking the circuit victory with 45 points. Zoila Gomez (Alamosa, Colo.), finished second with 40 points and Turena Johnson Lane (Muncie, Ind.),was third with 36 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 twelfth edition for the men and eleventh for the women, the 2006 circuit has eight events for both men and women.
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 ($6000, $4000, and $2500) for the top three men and women point scorers overall. The USARC points at the USA Marathon Championships are 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 2006 USARC and USA Women's 10 km Championships visit www.usatf.org.
