Posted: September 6, 2005

Athletics: USATF Long Distance Running Notes - September 3-5, 2005

Deep Fields in Providence for USA 5 km Championships

The USA 5 km Championships, held Sunday, Sept. 11 at the CVS/Downtown 5 km in Providence, R.I., boasts strong fields and intense competition. The men's lineup includes a trio of Olympians and a former marathon world record holder, while the women's field features an Olympian and several national champions.

Olympians Anthony Famiglietti, Adam Goucher and Jonathan Riley are among the favorites for the 2005 title in the men's race, but will likely have company in former marathon world record holder Khalid Khannouchi. This is Khannouchi's first appearance in a USA championship. Goucher, who is making his road racing debut, is considered to be the race favorite based on a clocking of 13:10.19 on the track at the KBC Night of Athletics in Heusden, Belgium on July, 23.

Leading the women's field will be two-time Olympian Amy Rudolph. In addition to leading all U.S. 10,000 meter performers in 2005 with a clocking of 31:18.96, Rudolph also owns several USA titles including the 1998 USA 8 km and two USA short-course cross country championships. Rudolph's main competitors for the 5 km title look to be former NCAA champion Kara Goucher, who ran 15:17.55 at the same meet as her husband Adam and 2004 USA 10 km champion Amy Yoder-Begley.

The USA 5 km Championships is the seventh stop for the men and fifth for the women on the USA Running Circuit (USARC) a USA Track & Field road series, featuring USA Championships from 5 km to the marathon and attracts the best U.S. distance runners. The eleventh edition for the men and tenth for the women, the 2005 circuit has nine events for men and seven events for women.

The first ten U.S. runners earn points at each USARC race (15 for first, 12 for second, 10 for third, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1), with 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. Abdi Abdirahman currently leads the men's circuit with 48 points and Colleen DeReuck leads the women's with 34.

The mission of the USA Running Circuit is to showcase, support, and promote U.S. runners. Since its inception in 1995, the USARC and its races have provided over $4 million dollars to U.S. distance runners.

For more information on the USA 20 km Championships and the 2005 USARC visit www.usatf.org.

Ryan Kleimenhagen Joins Team USA Minnesota

Team USA Minnesota has selected Ryan Kleimenhagen to join the post collegiate distance training center based in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Kleimenhagen, a native of Oak Creek, Wis., is a 2005 graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Platteville, where he was a 13-time DIII Track and Field and Cross Country All American, as well as a national champion in the 800 meters, 1500 meters, mile and in the distance medley relay.

Most recently, Kleimenhagen placed fourth in the 1500 meters at the USATF Indoor Championships last February and competed in the 800 meters at the USATF Outdoor Championships in June. He has personal bests in the 800 of 1:48.68 and in the 1500 of 3:44.94. He was also named NCAA Division III Athlete of the Year in 2005.

"We are very excited to have Ryan on our team," said Team USA Minnesota coach Dennis Barker. "He has shown very good potential, particularly given the fact that he didn't even begin competing in track until college. He has developed nicely and improved steadily during his college years and will fit in well with our group."

Team USA Minnesota is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Formed in 2001, the purpose of the training center is to improve post-collegiate American distance running and to develop Olympians. The athletes are coached by Dennis Barker, head cross country and track coach at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. The nonprofit training center is operated by a group of volunteers and supported by local organizations and individuals. Team USA Minnesota's major sponsor is Life Time Fitness and its silver sponsor is the Twin Cities Marathon. For more information, visit the web site at www.teamusaminnesota.org.

Entry reminder for USATF National Club Co-Ed 10 km Team Challenge

The USATF National Club Co-Ed 10 km Team Challenge, hosted by the Race for the Taste 10K, October 9, 2005 is being held in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival in Orlando, Fla.

Athletes have the opportunity to compete for a minimum of $14,000 in prize money as a part of the USATF Club Co-Ed 10 km Team Challenge.

In order to enter, co-ed team runners must be a currently registered Club Team with USATF. The USATF Club Co-ed 10 km Team Challenge will consist of USATF registered club teams, for more information on registering your club through your local association, visit www.usatf.org.

Prize money:

A minimum of $14,000 in prize money will be awarded, as follows:

Open
1- $4000
2- $3000
3- $1500
4- $1000
5- $500

40+, 50+, 60+, 70+ 
1- $750 
2- $250 

Each team will consist of a maximum of five (5) athletes, and must be made up of a maximum of three men and a minimum of two women. For scoring purposes, three athletes will score, one of which must be a female. Team finish order will be based on the lowest combined team time.

For entry information visit: www.usatf.org/events/2005/USATFClubCoEd10kmTeamChallenge.

Long Distance Running Calendar

Upcoming Association Grand Prix Events

2005 USATF Georgia Association LDR Grand Prix Series
usatfgeorgia.org

2005 USATF Pacific Association Road Race Grand Prix Schedule
/www.pausatf.org

2005 USATF New Jersey Grand Prix Schedule
www.usatfnj.org

2005 USATF Oregon Grand Prix Schedule
www.usatf-oregon.org

Upcoming USARC Events 
September 11, 2005 - USA 5 km Championships, Providence, R.I. 
October 2, 2005 - USA Marathon Championships Minneapolis, MN
October 10, 2005 - USA Women's 10 km Championship Boston, MA 
November 5, 2005 - USA Men's 10 km Championship Mobile, AL 

Upcoming USA Masters Championships 
September 25, 2005 - USA Masters 10 km Championships, Paso Robles, CA 
October 2, 2005 - USA Masters Marathon Championships Minneapolis, MN 

Upcoming Mountain/Ultra/Trail Events 
August 27, 2005 - USA 50 km Trail Championships, San Francisco, CA 
October 15, 2005 - USA 50 Mile Championships, Boalsburg, PA 

Upcoming USATF Association Championships
September 18, 2005 - USATF Inland Northwest Assoc. 5 km Championships, Medical Lake, WA
September 24, 2005 - USATF Southern California Association 10 km Championships, Los Angeles, CA
October 2, 2005 - USATF New England Association 5 Mile Championship Boston, MA
October 8, 2005 - USATF Alaska Association Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships, Anchorage, AK
October 23, 2005 - USATF New Jersey Association 5 km Cross Country Championships Holmdel, NJ
October 30, 2005 - 2005 USATF New England Association Marathon Championship, Falmouth, MA
October 30, 2005 - USATF New Jersey Association 8 km Cross Country Championships, Readington, NJ
November 6, 2005 - USATF North Carolina Association Junior Olympic XC Championships, Pleasant Garden, NC
November 12, 2005 - USATF Inland Northwest Assoc. Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships, Spokane, WA
November 19, 2005 - USATF New England Association Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships, Smithfield, RI
November 20, 2005 - USATF Region 2 Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships, Holmdel, NJ
December 10, 2005 USATF Georgia Association 10 Mile Championship, Dalton, GA

For more information on USATF Long Distance Running events and news visitUSATF.org.