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By Jim Gerweck, Running USA wire
NEW YORK - (March 18, 2007) - The headline for the 2007 USA Men's 8K Championship hosted by the New York Road Runners could well read, "Local Boy Makes Good."
Anthony Famiglietti, who grew up on nearby Long Island and now lives just a few blocks away from Manhattan's Central Park used a patient strategy and his knowledge of his "home course" to finally break into the winner's circle here after finishing third twice (2003, 2005) and runner-up once (2004). The race, originally scheduled for Saturday over the last 8 kilometers of November's Olympic Trials marathon course, had to be delayed one day due to bad weather and contested over a criterium-style layout that covered just under three laps of the park's lower loop.
Perhaps it was the track-like nature of the course that played into the hands of Famiglietti, known more as a steeplechaser, an event in which he made the 2004 Olympic team, and more recently, a 10,000 meter runner. But the fact that he knew every inch of Frederick Law Olmstead's midtown greensward had to help considerably, too.
"I actually do a lot of workouts on that loop, tempo runs," said Famiglietti, 28, who runs in the park every day when he's in town. "I know how it feels to run fast on this course. There are no real level spots - you're always going up or down. I knew I had to conserve my energy and pick my spot."
For Famiglietti, that turned out to be just after the three-mile point, reached by leader Abdi Abdirahman in 13:38.
"Abdi was willing to run hard from the start, put himself out there to make it an honest race," said the winner, whose recent stint of altitude training in Arizona had him thinking he was in shape to break Alberto Salazar's 26-year-old U.S. record of 22 minutes, 4 seconds and grab the attendant $25,000 record bonus. When the withdrawal of top contenders Adam Goucher and Dathan Ritzenhein due to physical ailments was compounded by the weather, Famiglietti realized that was "off the plate" and decided to concentrate on the victory.
Pulling away strongly at the start of the "bell lap", Famiglietti steadily increased his margin over two-time Olympian Abdirahman, and, spurred on the by cheers of the hometown fans, including his fiancée, held on for a six-second win (22:35 to Abdirahman's 22:41) and an $11,000 payday ($10,000 for the national title and an additional $1000 for being one of the first three across the 5K mark).
After the race, Famiglietti hinted that he may be back racing on his home course again - over a much longer distance. He admitted he's intrigued by the possibility of tackling the marathon, saying noted coach and exercise physiologist Jack Daniels has told him his times at other distances indicate a potential in the 2:07 range.
"The marathon reminds me of the steeple," said Famiglietti who won his second USA road title (also 5K last year). "Other races are more predictable, but in the steeple, someone bumps you, you hit a hurdle - everything can change in a millisecond. In the marathon, anyone can get dehydrated, run out of gas, and in both races, you never know what's going to happen."
This weekend, when the weather created a similar uncertainty in the outcome, the local boy made sure of things well before the finish was reached.
NYRR 8000: USA Men's 8K Championship - New York, NY, Saturday, March 17, 2007
1) Anthony Famiglietti, NY, 22:35, $11,000*
2) Abdi Abdirahman, AZ, 22:41, $8000*
3) Bolota Asmerom, CA, 22:48, $5000
4) Dan Browne, OR, 22:52, $3500
5) Ed Moran, VA, 22:54, $2500
6) Max King, OR, 22:57, $1500
7) Jorge Torres, CO, 23:02, $2250*
8) Rod Koborsi, DC, 23:04, $900
9) Seth Summerside, AR, 23:07, $800
10) Patrick Tarpy, RI, 23:16, $700
11) Matt Gabrielson, MN, 23:22, $600
12) Pat Gildea, TN, 23:25, $500
13) Scott McGowan, UT, 23:26, $400
14) Blake Boldon, IA, 23:28, $200
15) Marty Rosendahl, MI, 23:30, $150
*includes top 3 at 5K $1000 bonus
Full results at: NYRR.org.
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.RunningUSA.org.
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