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The fastest American woman ever at 5000m, Shalane Flanagan, will make a rare road racing appearance at the Central Park Challenge in New York City, organizers announced today. It will be Flanagan's first-ever professional road race in New York City. The invitational race, organized by the New York Road Runners, is set for Saturday, March 15.
"Shalane is a shining star on the fast track to Beijing," said New York Road Runners president and CEO, Mary Wittenberg, through a media release. "However, this will be no stroll in the park for her as we have assembled a formidable field of the best distance runners from the mile to the marathon to challenge her."
Flanagan, who broke Regina Jacobs's U.S. record for 5000m last year, looked extremely strong winning the U.S. Cross Country Championships last month, also over an 8 km course. She has been training in Mexico at a camp organized by two-time ING New York City Marathon champion, German Silva, and is very motivated to run in Central Park.
"My preparation in Mexico has been geared toward running longer races," said Flanagan who lives in Pittsboro, N.C. and trains under coach John Cook. "The 8-K distance fits well in my training schedule and allows me to stay focused on my strength-oriented fitness. The altitude, weather, and hospitality in Mexico have allowed us to improve on our aerobic base and lay a great foundation for the upcoming Olympic year. Erin and I are very excited to test our new altitude lungs in New York City."
"Erin" would be Flanagan's training partner, Erin Donahue, who will also be running the Central Park Challenge. Other American contenders for the $10,000 first prize are Olympians Jen Rhines, Carrie Tollefson, and Amy Rudolph, and four-time USA champion Katie McGregor. Carmen Douma-Hussar of Canada and Liliya Shobukhova of Russia also have a chance for the title and will add an international flavor to the event.
Flanagan has won six U.S. titles in cross country, road racing and indoor and outdoor track. Her 5000m national record of 14:44.80 put her ninth on the world list last year, while her 3000m indoor national record of 8:33.05, also set last year, put her fifth. Flanagan, 26, who ran a road 8-K personal best of 26:29 at a low-key Thanksgiving Day race last year, certainly has potential to break 25 minutes in the Central Park Challenge. The event is offering a $10,000 bonus for a USA best, currently 24:36 by Deena Kastor set in a mixed gender race in Chicago in 2005. In the Central Park Challenge Flanagan, a 2004 Olympian, will run only with other women.
The Central Park Challenge will also include, in a separate race, the U.S. Men's 8-K Championship, featuring a much-anticipated battle between Alan Webb and Dathan Ritzenhein. Prior to that, an open race will be held called the NYRR 8000, for which anyone can register at nyrr.org.
PHOTO: Shalane Flanagan on her way to winning the U.S. Cross Country Championship in Mission Bay Park in San Diego last month (photo by Jane Monti).
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