FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Masai Repeats as NYRR New York Mini 10K Champion
40th edition celebrates women's running and honors Grete Waitz in Central
Park; more than 4,700 finishers in the original women-only road race
NEW YORK - (June 11, 2011) - In its 40-year history, the NYRR Mini has made
history, and careers.
Saturday morning on the steamy streets of Central Park, Kenya's Linet Masai
put her own stamp on the original all-women's race, and laid claim to
joining such race legends as multiple winners Lornah Kiplagat, Tegla
Loroupe, and five-time winner Grete Waitz, who succumbed to a long battle
with cancer in April and who was honored at the storied race in several
fashions.
Many of the 4,750 women who lined up north of Columbus Circle wore their
hair in pigtails, a tribute to the Norwegian runner's usual hairstyle, and
event shirts and bibs were emblazoned with "T1FG," an acronym for "This
One's For Grete." Waitz' husband, Jack ran with New York Road Runners CEO
Mary Wittenberg as the first official male finisher in the race's history.
The Mini has always been a demonstration and celebration of women's running
solidarity, and the opening mile seemed to echo that theme, as a group of
30 women virtually jogged up Central Park West, hitting the first mile in
5:31. Perhaps it was in deference to the 96 percent humidity, thankfully
tempered by temperatures in the mid-60s, but as soon as the runners entered
Central Park at 90th Street, Masai asserted herself.
"My plan was to push at 5K, but when I saw it was so slow at the beginning
I thought maybe I should push earlier," she said after the race.
There was no distinct surge or effort on her part, and yet the second mile
was covered nearly half a minute faster than the first. That chopped the
pack down to a dozen. The third mile was even quicker, 4:51, in spite of
climbing the longest hill on the course, and by the time the halfway point
was reached in 15:32 Masai's long strides had opened a 10-second lead on
her closest pursuers, Ethiopians Aheza Kiros, the 2011 Carlsbad 5000
champion, and Belainesh Gebre.
Masai, 21, continued to lengthen that margin over the second half of the
course, looking like the reigning world 10,000 meter champion was on a solo
tempo run rather than a race.
Her finishing time of 31 minutes, 40 seconds was nearly a minute slower
than what she ran in winning the race for the first time last year, yet put
her nearly half a minute ahead of Kiros, who edged her countrywoman by a
single second.
Magdalena Lewy Boulet was the top American in 10th, clocking 33:09 for 10K.
"I'm just trying to race myself into shape," she said. The 2008 Olympic
marathoner plans to run the 10,000 at the USA Outdoor Championships in two
weeks, then look for a low-key track 5000 and 1500 before returning to the
roads for the rest of the season. "It's kind of a different year for me,
since I won't be running a fall marathon," she said, citing the January
2012 date of the Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston.
The Mini also marked the return to racing of Deena Kastor following the
February birth of her daughter, Piper. Kastor, who won the race in 2004,
finished 25th in 35:00.
"I thought I could have run a bit faster, but given the conditions, it's
OK," the 2004 Olympic Marathon bronze medalist said. "I'm unsatisfied, but
motivated. Running here showed me I've come back fine physically from the
pregnancy, now I know what I can do and what I need to do. It's given me
the excitement to back and train hard and get back into racing shape."
40th NYRR New York Mini 10K
New York, NY, Saturday, June 11, 2011
1) Linet Masai (KEN), 31:40, $10,000
2) Aheza Kiros (ETH), 32:09, $5000
3) Belainesh Gebre (ETH), 32:10, $3500
4) Edna Kiplagat (KEN), 32:24, $2500
5) Emily Chebet (KEN), 32:31, $1500
6) Kim Smith (NZL), 32:32
7) Jo Pavey (GBR), 32:46
8) Alessandra Aguilar (ESP), 32:56
9) Eloise Wellings (AUS), 33:06
10) Magdalena Lewy Boulet (USA / CA), 33:09, $5000
11) Anna Incerti (ITA), 33:25
12) Diane Nukuri-Johnson (BDI), 33:28
13) Yoshimi Ozaki (JPN), 33:30
14) Adriana Nelson (USA / CO), 33:33, $2500
15) Molly Pritz (USA / MI), 33:36, $1250
16) Lornah Kiplagat (NED), 33:55
17) Irvette Van Blerk (NED), 33:56
18) Yuri Kano (JPN), 34:09
19) Claire Hallissey (GBR), 34:23
20) Aziza Aliyu (ETH), 34:25
21) Annie Bersagel (USA / CA), 34:32, $750
24) Sarah Porter (USA / WA), 34:55, $500
Complete results, videos, photos and more at: www.nyrr.org
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