Bersagel Wins USA Women's Half-Marathon Title in KC
By Will Lindgren for USATF
Posted Monday, 5 June, 2006
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - (June 3, 2006) - Annie Bersagel of Lakeville, Minn. made a successful half-marathon debut on Saturday by capturing the 2006 USA Women's Half-Marathon Championship at the 33rd Hospital Hill Run. Bersagel's time of 1 hour, 14 minutes, 36 seconds was good for a nine second victory over Jenny Crain (Milwaukee, Wis.).
Under warm, humid conditions, a lead pack including Bersagel, Crain, Zoila Gomez (Alamosa, Colo.) and recent 25K national champ Turena Johnson Lane (Muncie, Ind.) ran together until Johnson Lane made the first significant surge on the first of seven hills. After cresting the hill, Bersagel and Crain began to reel her in as they pulled away from the chase pack. Bersagel, a Wake Forest grad, then drew away from Crain and opened a gap which she would maintain to the finish. Gomez followed Bersagel and Crain in third, running 1:15:30.
"I just focused on keeping a smooth pace," said Bersagel, 23, a Team USA Minnesota athlete won her first national title. "I was just trying to focus on my rhythm and momentum and staying strong on the hills."
The Hospital Hill Run - Blue Cross, Blue Shield sponsored the USA Women's Half-Marathon Championship - was the third stop for women on the 2006 USA Running Circuit (USARC). The USARC, a USA Track & Field road series, features USA Championships from 5K 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 men and seven events for women and offers over $400,000 in prize money including the $25,000 grand prix purse.
For more information on the 2006 USARC including current standings, go to: USATF.org
33rd Hospital Hill Run: USA Women's Half-Marathon Championship
Kansas City, MO, Saturday, June 3, 2006
1) Annie Bersagel, MN, 1:14:36, $5000
2) Jenny Crain, WI, 1:14:45, $3000
3) Zoila Gomez, CO, 1:15:30, $2000
4) Ann Alyanak, OH, 1:15:50, $1000
5) Dana Coons, VA, 1:16:58, $500
6) Alvina Begay, AZ, 1:17:04, $400
7) Turena Johnson Lane, IN, 1:17:22, $300
8) Paige Higgins, CO, 1:19:02, $250
9) Tere Stouffer, 40, TN, 1:19:08, $150
10) Chris Lundy, CA, 1:19:14, $100
More results at: www.HospitalHillRun.com
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232
Ryan@RunningUSA.org | www.RunningUSA.org
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