Posted: October 6, 2005

Athletics: McGregor Leads Field at USA Women's 10K Championship Hosted by Tufts

Yoder Begley to defend U.S. title; Women's USARC season finale

From USATF

BOSTON - (October 4, 2005) - Reigning USA Outdoor Track & Field 10,000 meter champion Katie McGregor leads the field of competitors at the USA Women's 10K Championship, which will be hosted by the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women in Boston, Mass., next Monday, Columbus Day, October 10.

Leading the Open field with McGregor will be international athletes including Emilie Mondor of Canada, Tatiana Pozdnyakova of Russia and Marie Davenport of Ireland.

McGregor, 28, a Team USA Minnesota athlete based in Minneapolis, Minn., will look to add the 10K road title to her resume, but will see competition from teammate Carrie Tollefson as well as defending champion Amy Yoder Begley of Albuquerque, N.M.

Tollefson, 28, the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials 1500 meter champion, finished sixth behind McGregor's fourth-place at the USA 8K Championships earlier this year as well as sixth in the 5000 meters at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Yoder Begley, 27, a 15-time All-American at the University of Arkansas, was seventh in the 5000 meters at the 2005 USA Outdoor Tack & Field Championships and was fourth at the recent USA 5K road championships.

The USA 10K Championship at Tufts will be the season finale for women on the 2005 USA Running Circuit (USARC) a USA Track & Field road series, featuring USA Championships from 5K to the marathon and attracts the best U.S. distance runners. The 10th edition for the women, their 2005 circuit has seven events. Recent USA marathon champion Nicole Aish of Gunnison, Colo. currently leads the women's standings with 43 points and barring a surprise entrant, Aish should be the 2005 USARC Grand Prix champion.

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.

For more information on the 2005 USA Women's 10K Championships and the USARC, visit: USATF.org.

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.runningusa.org.