Posted: March 11, 2007

Athletics: Kastor, Keflezighi Again Win USA 15K Titles at Gate River Run

Equalizer Bonus goes to Kastor; record field of over 11,000 finishers From Jim Estes, USATF JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - (March 10, 2007) - 2004 Olympic Marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) ran 47 minutes, 20 seconds, to win her record fifth national 15K title, while 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist Meb Keflezighi (San Diego, Calif.) took an unprecedented sixth men's crown in 43:40 Saturday at the USA 15K Championship hosted by the Gate River Run. Kastor, 34, also captured this year's $5000 Equalizer Bonus for being the first athlete - male or female - to cross the finish line. The Team Running USA athlete became the first woman to win the Equalizer since its inception in 2004. The top-seeded women started 5 minutes before the men, with the "head start" based on the time differential of the U.S. 15K records of 42:22 for the men (Todd Williams, 1995) and 47:15 for the women (Deena Drossin, 2003). The Arkansas grad charged to the front early, running her first three mile splits in 5:04, 5:01 and 4:58, under pace for her U.S. record, set at this race four years ago. But her quick splits on the hilly and winding second and third miles combined with sunny, warm, humid conditions took their toll on the record attempt. Despite never being challenged en route to her win, Kastor missed her event and American record - and the accompanying $8000 in bonuses - by a scant five seconds. Team Running USA teammate and two-time USA 15K champion Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) finished second in 48:58 (a personal record), with Elva Dryer (Gunnison, Colo.) third in 49:40. Meanwhile, Keflezighi, 31, had plenty of company, with reigning USA Half-Marathon champion Ryan Hall (Big Bear Lake, Calif.), Team USA World Cross Country squad member Fasil Bizuneh (Flagstaff, Ariz.) and journeyman Christian Hesch (Morro Bay, Calif.) accompanying him through two miles (passed in 9:04). As the trio of Hall, Bizuneh and Keflezighi separated themselves on the march towards the finish line, each took turns in the lead until just past halfway, when Bizuneh attempted to break things up with a hard surge. Following another move by Bizuneh at five miles, Keflezighi kept on pressing, quickly distancing himself from the former Arizona State standout. Though the two had gapped Hall, he proved to still have some fight left in him, passing Bizuneh and cutting Keflezighi's 30-second lead in half by the time eight miles had been reached at the top of the massive Hart Bridge. It wasn't enough, though, as the UCLA grad Keflezighi, looking effortless, powered down the other side of the bridge towards the finish line in the shadow of Alltel Stadium, for the win. "I really thought it was going to come down to the last downhill," Keflezighi said later. "But Fasil made a huge move at five miles. I followed him, and it kind of broke things open for me." Following Keflezighi was training teammate Hall, 21 seconds back, with Jason Hartmann (Boulder, Colo.) closing well to pass Bizuneh for third in 44:12. Marking the 14th consecutive year that the USA 15K Championship has been hosted by the Gate River Run, Kastor and Keflezighi each took home $12,000 for their victories as part of a total national championship prize purse of $58,000. The dynamic duo also recorded their 20th and 16th USA titles respectively. A record 11,326 finished and celebrated the 30th edition of the Gate River 15K Run. 30th Gate River Run: USA 15K Championship - Jacksonville, FL, Sunday, March 10, 2007 MEN 1) Meb Keflezighi, CA, 43:40, $12,000 2) Ryan Hall, CA, 44:01, $5000 3) Jason Hartmann, CO, 44:12, $3000 4) Fasil Bizuneh, VA, 44:15, $2000 5) Jason Lehmkuhle, MN, 44:19, $1000 6) James Carney, CO, 44:37, $900 7) Justin Young, CO, 44:47, $800 8) Celedonio Rodriguez, CO, 45:01, $700 9) Ryan Shay, MI, 45:15, $600 10) Andrew Carlson, MN, 45:24, $500 WOMEN 1) Deena Kastor, CA, 47:20, $17,000* 2) Jen Rhines, CA, 48:58, $5000 3) Elva Dryer, CO, 49:40, $3000 4) Katie McGregor, MN, 49:56, $2000 5) Kate O'Neill, MA, 50:06, $1000 6) Blake Russell, CA, 50:51, $900 7) Tara Storage, OH, 51:19, $800 8) Jenny Crain, WI, 51:26, $700 9) Turena Johnson Lane, FL, 51:49, $600 10) Samia Akbar, VA, 51:56, $500 *Includes $5000 Equalizer Bonus Full results at: Gate-RiverRun.com. Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director (805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016 Ryan@RunningUSA.org www.RunningUSA.org. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest