Kithii, Kosgei Set Course Records at Medtronic TC 1 Mile
By Charlie Mahler, Running USA wire
Posted Tuesday, 13 May, 2008
MINNEAPOLIS - (May 8, 2008) - Kenyans Josephat Kithii and Rose Kosgei earned victories at Thursday night's Medtronic TC 1 Mile. While each gathered $4000 for the win, neither could grab the $10,000 time bonus for a sub-4:00 men's victory or a sub-4:28 women's win.
Kithi, 17, won a narrow victory over countryman Haron Lagat; both were clocked at 4 minutes, 9 seconds. Kosgei outdistanced Marina Munca of Serbia 4:37 to 4:41. Race conditions for the 4th edition were overcast and cool, but a headwind blew against the runners on the uphill course.
Both winning marks established new course records in what is now the second richest road mile in the country. Two-time event winner Luke Watson, who finished 4th on Thursday, held the men's record at 4:16, while 2007 race champion Jenelle Deatherage held the women's standard of 4:52.
Local star Emily Brown of Team USA Minnesota, who has been on a tear of late clocking fast times in the steeplechase and 5000 meters, was the top U.S. woman in the race, crossing the line in third at 4:43. Jordan Fife from Bloomington, Ind. was the top U.S. male also finished third, in 4:10.
2004 Olympian and local favorite Carrie Tollefson, racing for the first time since a bronchial infection kept her out of the Drake Relays and Stanford's Cardinal Invitational in recent weeks finished 4th in 4:46.
Kithii won the men's race after surging away from the lead pack at 600 meters.
"It was nice from the start," Kithii, who anchored a Kenyan team to victory in the Penn Relays distance medley relay two weeks ago with a 3:58.95 split, said. "I feel I had a lot of energy but the finishing was also okay. The finishing, I was waiting for someone to come and push me so I could break the time."
Women's winner Kosgei took the lead early and ran alone to the finish for her win.
"I knew that this race is short," she explained, "so must go quick because it is short. A mile is short."
Kosgei, 26, had a busy five days leading up to the TC 1 Mile. She won the Union-Tribune Race for Literacy 8K in San Diego on the morning of May 4 and paced part of Shalane Flanagan's U.S. 10,000 meter record in Palo Alto, California that evening.
Kosgei won last summer's Boston Scientific Heart of the Summer 10K in Minneapolis with her kick and prefers longer distance races, she said. Reminded that TC 1 Mile race organizers host a marathon in the fall, she laughed at that possibility, at least for now.
"Not yet a marathon," she said through a smile, "maybe in five years to come."
Overall, 1,895 runners crossed the finish line Thursday night, including runners from 15 corporate teams.
4th Medtronic TC 1 Mile
Minneapolis, MN, Thursday, May 8, 2008
MEN
1) Josephat Kithii (KEN) 4:09*, $4000
2) Haron Lagat (KEN) 4:09, $2500
3) Jordan Fife (IN) 4:10, $1000
4) Luke Watson (IN) 4:11, $750
5) Brad Lowery (MN) 4:13, $500
6) Aucencio Martinez (CO) 4:14, $250
7) Steve Sherer (MI) 4:14, $125
8) Sean McCabe (OK) 4:17, $100
9) Benson Chesang (KEN) 4:20, $75
10 Scott Fiksdal (MN) 4:23, $50
*course record (previous record, 4:16, Luke Watson, 2006)
WOMEN
1) Rose Kosgei (KEN) 4:37*, $4000
2) Marina Muncan (SRB) 4:41, $2500
3) Emily Brown (MN) 4:43, $1000
4) Carrie Tollefson (MN) 4:46, $750
5) Rasa Troup (MN) 4:48, $500
6) Margaret Chirchir (KEN) 4:57, $250
7) Alisa Harvey, 42, VA, 5:15, $875
8) Zofia Wieciorkowska, 45, POL / CT, 5:19, $600
9) Kim Magee (MN) 5:22, $75
10) Rebekah Mayer (MN) 5:24, $50
*course record (previous record, 4:52, Jenelle Deatherage, 2007)
Complete race results at: www.MTCMarathon.org
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