Posted: January 1, 2005

Athletics: Hesch And Rudolph Set Midnight Run Records

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

NEW YORK (31-Dec) -- Christian Hesch of Morro Bay, Calif., successfully defended his Emerald Nuts Midnight Run title here tonight, while Amy Rudolph of Providence, R.I. won her first. Both set course records for the four mile run through Central Park which began at the stroke of midnight.

Hesch, who will turn 26 years-old next week, took the lead midway through the first mile, squeezing past the lead pack of runners which included American Karl Savage, Moroccan Elarbi Khattabi and Irishman Mark Carroll. Hesch led the group through the first mile in 4:42, but then let Khattabi take over.

"I'm not going to tow Elarbi around," Hesch joked after the race.

Savage fell back in the second mile, leaving Hesch, Khattabi and Carroll in a tight pack running a solid pace. They passed the second mile in 9:12, and with Hesch staying at the rear, came through mile three in 13:58. Hesch was perfectly positioned to strike for victory.

"It was pretty much in the bag," he said later.

With less than half a mile to go on Central Park's west side, Hesch surged on a downhill portion of the course. Within in a few seconds he had ten meters on Khattabi, and Carroll appeared to be struggling to maintain contact.

Hesch took the sharp left turn for the final 300 meters with a commanding lead, and broke the tape and his own course record in 18:28. Carroll kicked past Khattabi in the final 200 meters to take second in 18:32, also under Hesch's 18:36 course record set one year ago. Khattabi held on for third in 18:36, while Savage --who was second last year-- finished fourth.

In the women's race, the two-time Olympian Rudolph, 31, shook off both an early challenge by Ethiopian Genet Gebrgiorgis and a sour stomach to obliterate the 21:50 course record set by Ethiopian Atalelech Ketema at last year's race. Rudolph crossed the finish line in 21:17, well ahead of Gebrgiorgis (21:42) and her compatriot Alemtsehay Misganaw (21:44). The top-3 women were all under the course record.

"It was really a blast," said Rudolph the former U.S. record holder for 5000m. "The crowds were amazing."

Both Hesch and Rudolph earned $600 in prize and bonus money for winning the race, setting course records, and running below 19:20 and 22:30, respectively.

Warm temperatures in the 50's made for a strong turnout of more than 5,000 runners, many dressed in costumes for the New Year's Eve celebration. A fireworks display lit up the sky over the Park throughout the race which was produced by the New York Road Runners, organizers of the ING New York City Marathon.