Katie McGregor Again Victorious at Tufts 10K—Americans Sweep Top Three, and Masters
By Skip Cleaver
Posted Tuesday, 10 October, 2006
Boston, MA -- Katie McGregor of Minneapolis cruised to the National 10K Championship and her second consecutive victory at the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women. Kara Goucher of Portland, Oregon and Amy Rudolph of Providence, Rhode Island captured second and third respectively, with a tremendously exciting battle on the streets of Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Americans took five of the top 10 positions overall, and swept the top five spots in the masters division in this, the thirtieth annual women’s celebration of running and fitness.
It was a beautiful Columbus Day in Boston with temperatures in the upper 70’s on a near cloudless day—gorgeous for spectators, but warm for athletes. And what a spectacular scene as 7,347 registered runners zipped along and across the Charles River, streaming along the foliage-lined streets in a colorful and inspiring train.
McGregor sped to the finish on Charles Street in 32:38, a 5:16 pace and an eight-second margin over Goucher. These three women ran fabulous times, considering the heat and humidity. Goucher was in third approaching the Boston Public Garden, but forged ahead of Rudolph on Boylston Street just beyond the six mile mark. Goucher finished four seconds ahead of Rudolph’s 32:50. McGregor won $3,500 as the overall winner and $6,850 as first American. The top three split $7,300 for their effort in addition to the American top ten prizes.
It was a three-woman race for the last two miles as the trio increased their lead on the rest of the pack as they zipped across the Harvard Bridge on Massachusetts Avenue. They stayed together turning down Commonwealth Avenue, three powerful, sleek athletes running in unison. Appropriately, they wore bib numbers 1, 2, and 3, but it was McGregor’s day as she gradually increased her lead over the last mile through the flat Back Bay of Boston. Last year Katie McGregor edged Marie Davenport by 12 seconds, but this time she was pushed throughout by Goucher and Rudolph.
McGregor led from the first mile, and for the first half there was a tightly packed group of eight with McGregor always a stride ahead. Just beyond mile four it became a three-woman contest, with fierce battles for the remaining places over the final stretches. Victoria Mitchell of Melbourne, Australia sped to fourth (33:28), with Florence Jepkosgei of Kenya fifth (33:45). Rose Kosgei of Ethiopia captured sixth (33:48), with Somia Akbar of Herndon, Virginia seventh, fourth American in 33:56. Clara Peterson of Rumson, New Jersey was eighth overall, fifth American with 34:01.
The top ten Americans shared $23,000 in prize money, with Victoria Jackson of Tempe, Arizona sixth (34:14, 11th overall), Tara Storage of Beavercreek, Ohio seventh (34:48, 13th overall), and Nicole Hunt of Deer Lodge, Montana eighth (34:53, 14th overall). Renee Gunning of Philadelphia was tenth American with 35:00, 16th overall.
Silvia Mosqueda of Los Angeles flew to the master’s championship with a terrific 34:59. She was 15th overall, and ninth American. Patty Murray of Boulder, Colorado captured second in the masters group (35:46), with Carmen Ayala-Troncoso of Austin, Texas third (36:00). Local favorite Karen Smyers of Lincoln, Massachusetts was fourth master in 36:12 at age 45. And Olympic Champion and three time Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women winner Joan Benoit Samuelson of Freeport, Maine was fifth master, speeding to an incredible 37:27 (36th overall) at age 49. She is a legend in Boston, of course, having won the Boston Marathon twice. She pounded out 6:02 miles.
“I’m just out there putting one foot in front of the other”, she said as she prepared to present awards. Samuelson—spokeswoman for the event--assisted in the kids’ fun run before the race, and presented the awards to all following the main event.
Tatyana Pozdnyakova of Ukraine won the 50-59 division with an amazing 37:49, 50th overall. Marge Bellisle of Warren, Rhode Island second in 41:19. Jan Holmquist of Burlington, Massachusetts captured the 60-69 division (43:24), followed by Judith Hardenbrook of Kennebunk, Maine at 45:12, Marie-Louise Michelsohn of Stoneybrook, New York (47:40), and Heidy McGaffigan of Milford, New Hampshire at 51:06.
Barbara Robinson of Franconia, New Hampshire was the 70-79 champion with 56:38, whipping 78% of the overall field. Isobel Parke, also from the Granite State, Epping, captured the 80 plus division with 75:36.
The top 15 women sped through the 6.2 under 35:00, and the first 57 zipped across the line under 40:00. The top 33 glided in under a six minutes per mile pace. Of the 6,043 finishers, 6.8% were under twenty, 25.7% 20 to 29, 30% 30 to 39, 22.6% 40 to 49, 11.4% at 50 to 59, and 2.7% 60 and over. That included 20 women in their 70s, and three 80 or more. Women continued to cross the finish line for an hour and 45 minutes following the exciting winning battle. What a celebration of fitness and camaraderie!
Thirty Years! It was an historic milestone for women and for the sport of running. Many things have changed since 1977. Champion Katie McGregor pointed out in her acceptance that she was born that year. Many of the very best women runners in the world have competed in this race. There was $36,600 in prize money, and an amazingly competitive event. But it was also a chance for runners of all paces and abilities to compete in a world-class event.
“It’s Any Woman’s Race.” And, it was every woman’s race; every woman on the course was a winner. It has been thirty years, and was the National Women’s 10K Championship. But it was a celebration of the strength and joy of women’s health and fitness, and the sport of running.
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