Posted: September 6, 2005

Athletics: Abdirahman Sets U.S. 20K Record at New Haven

Russell Wins First USA Title in Dominant Fashion

By Jim Gerweck, Running USA wire

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - (September 5, 2005) - On Sunday, Abdi Abdirahman talked the talk. The following day at the 28th NewAlliance New Haven Road Race, site of the USA 20K Championships, the two-time Olympian walked the walk.

More accurately, Abdirahman, 28, ran the run, almost making good on his prediction from the previous day's press conference, where the Tucson resident had declared his intention to go after Khalid Khannouchi's course record 57:37 by "going hard, right from the gun," although he qualified that by adding, "but tomorrow, I might have a different strategy."

No matter, Abdirahman's pre-race banter, and a 4:34 opening mile, was enough to deter anyone from pursuing him, and by the 5K mark (reached in 14:18) he was nearly 200 meters ahead of defending champ and recent Team Running USA training partner Ryan Shay.

Abdirahman continued his solo run into a surprisingly stiff breeze, occasionally waving and smiling at the on-course musicians and volunteers. Just past the halfway point, passed in 28:42, the 2005 USA 10 mile champion lost a few seconds and some momentum when the lead truck missed a turn and he went some 15 meters off course. By eight miles, he was back on pace and nearly a minute ahead of Shay, and continued to extend his advantage over the final 5K of the course, in spite of an encounter with an errant garbage truck and a soccer mom in a minivan who wandered onto the course.

Abdirahman's final time of 58 minutes, 42 seconds not only gave him a 1:52 margin over Shay, but a pending U.S. record for the distance, bettering the 58:57 set here by Meb Keflezighi two years ago. Abdirahman's initial disappointment over missing the CR changed to delight when he learned about the AR. "Really? That's great - now I have something to razz Meb about next time I see him."

Blake Russell, 30, in the midst of a heavy buildup for next month's LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, made no predictions about a course or U.S. record, but guaranteed a PR, since today's race was her debut not only at New Haven, but for the 20K distance as well. In the end, her 1:06:43, #3 U.S. all-time, put her 2:04 ahead of course record holder Colleen De Reuck, 41, from Boulder, Colo.

De Reuck's time, 1:08:47, was a pending U.S. Masters record (40 and over).

The women's race was a virtual carbon copy of the men's, with Russell going out hard (5:13 first mile, 32:44 at 10K) and just extending her lead the rest of the way for her first USA title.

"I thought I might have been able to run faster, but it was a lot tougher running into the wind than I thought," said Russell, a Big Sur Distance Project member.

Abdirahman echoed her comments on the wind, but was philosophical. "There's nothing you can do about it, and everyone's running into the same wind," he said.

Both national champions took home $7000.

Besides serving at the national championships, the 28th edition of this race also served as a selection event for next month's IAAF Half-Marathon World Championship in Edmonton, Canada.

As part of the USA Running Circuit, a USA Track & Field road series featuring USA Championships from 5K to the marathon, the top 10 U.S. finishers earned important Circuit points at New Haven. With his victory (worth 15 points), Abdirahman added to his lead, 48 points to 34 points over two-time defending champion Shay. De Reuck, the three-time defending USARC GP champion, leads the women's standings with 34 points.

The eleventh edition for the men and tenth for the women, the 2005 USARC has nine events for men and seven for women and a final $12,500 grand prix purse ($6000, $4000, and $2500) for the top three men and women point scorers overall. The USARC points at the USA Marathon Championships will be doubled.

For more information on the 2005 USARC including current standings, visit: .

28th NewAlliance New Haven 20K: USA Men's & Women's Championships - New Haven, CT, Monday, September 5, 2005

MEN
1) Abdi Abdirahman, AZ, 58:42*, $7000
2) Ryan Shay, MI, 1:00:34, $5000
3) Jason Hartman, CO, 1:01:15, $3000
4) Matt Downin, NJ, 1:01:17, $1500
5) Kyle Baker, MI, 1:01:21, $1000
6) Nick Cordes, OH, 1:01:24, $500
7) Joe Driscoll, NC, 1:01:26
8) Mike Morgan, MI, 1:01:42
9) Teren Jameson, UT, 1:01:52
10) Jacob Frey, MI, 1:02:56

WOMEN
1) Blake Russell, CA, 1:06:43, $7000
2) Colleen De Reuck, 41, CO, 1:08:47*, $5250
3) Nicole Aish, CO, 1:09:08, $3000
4) Laura Turner, WA, 1:11:11, $1500
5) Sara Wells, MN, 1:11:24, $1000
6) Ann Alyanak, OH, 1:11:30, $500
7) Stephanie Bylander, CO, 1:12:57
8) Leigh Daniel, OH, 1:13:29
9) Michelle LaFleur, GA, 1:13:31
10) Dot McMahan, MI, 1:13:31

For more results, go to: NewHavenRoadRace.org