By Charlie Mahler, Running USA wire
MOBILE, Ala. - (November 3, 2001) - U.S. Olympians Nick Rogers and Elva Dryer won USA 10K Championships today in impressive fashion at the 14th Food World Senior Bowl Charity Run in Mobile. Rogers cracked the seven year-old course record with is winning time of 28:18 while Dryer parlayed a strong early pace into a 13 second win over fellow Olympian Anne Marie Lauck.
Relatively cool and dry 69 degree temperatures greeted the strong men's field. An eager foursome approached the event with a national title and course record hopes in mind. Rogers led fellow 2000 Olympic teammate Abdi Abdirahman, Dan Browne and Ryan Kirkpatrick through opening mile splits of 4:26 and 9:02. Kirkpatrick would fall off the pace soon after mile two - and then deep into the field - leaving three to battle one another and the clock.
From then on, Rogers maintained the regular pace - 13:34 at three miles - while Abdirahman tested his rivals with randomly-timed surges. Browne, with his sub-4 minute mile credentials and a summer of road success in hand, was content to watch the action from a stride behind.
After splits of 18:14 and 22:53 at the four and five mile marks, respectively, Rogers put on the heavy pressure a mile out from the finish and quickly dropped Browne. Abdirahman fought to cover Rogers' charge - coming back from 10 meters down at one point - but was ultimately unable to match Rogers' finish over the final 800 meters.
Behind Rogers' 28:18, which broke Todd Williams course record of 28:25 set in 1994, Abdirahman, a Tucson, Ariz. resident, clocked 28:26, and Browne, of Lafayette, Colo. finished third in 28:31. Dave Davis, a training partner of Rogers under coach Bill Dellinger in Eugene, Ore., finished a surprising 4th in 29:01. Clint Wells, of Boulder, Colo. was 5th in 29:04.
"I was getting really nervous at four and five miles," Rogers, a Sydney Olympian at 5000 meters, admitted.
"I was hurting pretty bad. You're always thinking in the back of your mind: 'I hope they don't have more than I do.'"
Despite the late-race fears, Rogers was confident beforehand that he could run fast and win again at the Charity Bowl. Rogers had just returned from a three week high altitude training camp at Lake Paulina, Ore. and felt his workouts put him shape similar to the fall of 1999 when he won his first Charity Run title.
Dryer's strategy in the women's event - run after then men's race in warmer 72 degree temps - suggested she wasn't interested in repeating the drama of the men's competition. She clocked back-to-back 5:10 miles - the first one with the pack, the second breaking it apart - to establish the margin that would ultimately win the race. The eight second lead she'd forged by 3 miles essentially gave her all the cushion she'd need against runner-up Lauck.
Dryer, an Albuquerque, New Mexico resident, completed the flat, loop course in 32:43. Lauck, of Hampton, New Jersey, finished second in 32:56. Olympian Jen Rhines of St. Davids, Penn. was third in 33:15. Collette Liss of Indianapolis was 4th in 33:24, while Cheri Kenah of Reston, Virginia was 5th in 33:32.
Dryer's fast start was planned, even if the early break-away wasn't.
"I wanted to take it out strong but I thought that I wouldn't be the only one doing that. This field is one of the best fields put together in the country," Dryer, the defending Charity Bowl champ, said. "It was just a matter of putting a few seconds on the field so I didn't feel so pressured in the last quarter mile."
Despite her long time in the lead, Dryer, a member of Team USA California with Rhines, wasn't sure she had Lauck defeated until the last 400 meters.
"In the last mile I heard someone say I had ten seconds on her and I thought, 'Ten seconds, what does that mean!'" Dryer said. "You just never know how the person behind you is going to do."
Rogers and Dryer earned $7500 a piece for their victories and Rogers netted an additional $5000 for breaking the course record.
Charity Bowl results left the USA Running Circuit still undecided heading into the final event of the year - tomorrow's New York City Marathon where doubled-points will be awarded. Dan Browne increased his Circuit lead over Mike Donnelly with the 10 points he earned for third place. Browne leads with 40 points to Donnelly's 26 and Chad Johnson's 25. However, Keith Dowling, Weldon Johnson, David Morris and Brian Clas could all beat or tie Browne with a USA Championship-winning effort at New York City.
On the distaff side of the ledger, the Charity Bowl Run did little to change the top of the USARC standings. Milena Glusac still holds a commanding, but not-insurmountable lead. Glusac has 52 points followed by Sylvia Mosqueda with 44, Susannah Beck with 33, Deena Drossin with 25, and Colleen De Reuck with 22. Glusac, Drossin, and DeReuck all are entered in the New York City Marathon and Drossin and De Reuck could catch Glusac should she fail to score points in the Championship.
Food World Senior Bowl Charity Run 10K: USA Championships Mobile, AL, November 3
MEN 1) Nick Rogers, OR 28:18 $12,500* 2) Abdi Abdirahman, AZ 28:26 $5000 3) Dan Browne, CO 28:31 $3500 4) Dave Davis, OR 29:01 $2500 5) Clint Wells, CO 29:04 $1500 *includes $5000 course record bonus (former record 28:25 by Todd Williams in 1994)WOMEN 1) Elva Dryer, NM 32:43 $7500 2) Anne Marie Lauck, NJ 32:56 $5000 3) Jen Rhines, PA 33:15 $3500 4) Collette Liss, IN 33:24 $2500 5) Cheri Kenah, VA 33:32 $1500
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Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Coordinator USATF Road Running Information Center 5522 Camino Cerralvo, Santa Barbara, CA 93111 (805) 696-6232, fax (805) 696-6252 |