Molly Huddle Defends USATF Road 10K Title
Posted Monday, 12 October, 2009
BOSTON - Molly Huddle (Providence, R.I.) ran 32:07 to successfully defend her U.S. 10 km title Monday at the USA Women's 10 km Championships in Boston, Mass. The championship was hosted by the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women and was the final race on the 2009 USA Running Circuit.
Clear skies and temperatures in the low 50's met a field of more than 7,000 women, who started the 33rd annual event which features an international field as well as the top US women.
Genoveva Kigen of Kenya jumped to an early lead, passing the first mile in 4:52 for a five-second lead over Huddle, Katie McGregor (Saint Louis Park, Minn.), Rebecca Donaghue (State College, Pa.) and Teyba Naser of Ethiopia.
After the Boston University turn at about two and a half miles, Huddle took charge of the chase pack and began to close on Kigen. At four miles, Huddle drew even with Kigen and the pair ran shoulder to shoulder across the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge. After passing the fifth mile in 25:55 Huddle and Kigen remained side by side until the final turn on Charles Street when Huddle used a final burst to sprint to a five second win and her third U.S. title of the year.
Donaghue ran a personal best 32:29 to finish second in the championship as Sara Hall (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) and Rene Metivier Baillie (Boulder, Colo.) took third and fourth respectively, with both timed in 32:44. McGregor rounded out the top-five, running 32:46.
About the USA Running Circuit
The USA Women's 10 km Championships was the final race on the women's 2009 USA Running Circuit (USARC). 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. Magdalena Lewy Boulet (Oakland, Calif.) is the women's 2009 USARC champion with 59 points. Colleen De Reuck (Boulder, Colo.) finished second with 54 points and Huddle finished third with 50 points.
The USARC is a USA Track & Field road series featuring USA Championships from one mile to the marathon, which attracts the best U.S. distance runners. The 2009 USARC has ten events each for 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 ($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 $6 million dollars to U.S. distance runners.
For more information on the USA Women's 10 km Championship and the 2009 USARC visit www.usatf.org.
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