Posted: April 2, 2006

Athletics: Johnson, Tomescu-Dita Win Lasalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K

CHICAGO (April 2, 2006) – Chad Johnson needed a strong kick to win the men’s title and Constantina Tomescu-Dita was in control start to finish in the women’s race on Sunday at the 27th annual LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K.

Battling swirling winds in downtown Chicago, Johnson, worked with Hanson’s Brooks Distance Project teammate Josh Eberly and began reeling in early leader Khalid Khannouchi after the 4-mile mark in the 4.97-mile race. Johnson passed the former two-time world record-holder in the marathon with 200 meters to go on Columbus Drive, and Eberly, also closing fast, got Khannouchi just before the finish. Johnson’s winning time was 23:52. Eberly clocked 23:56 and Khannouchi 23:57.

The men’s race was quickly down to four racers before the runners reached the one-mile mark. It was Khannouchi, 34, of Ossining, N.Y.; Johnson, 29, of Rochester, Mich.; Eberly, 25, also of Rochester, Mich. and U.S. Olympic steeplechaser Robert Gary, 32, of Columbus, Ohio, chasing each other through two miles with everyone in the group holding a 4:40 –per-mile-pace. Then Khannouchi made the first move, putting down a 4:30 mile to open a 10-15 second lead on Johnson and Eberly. Gary fell off the back and the race was on.

As the leaders turned south on Michigan Avenue with about a mile to go, the winds were strong. Khannouchi battled the gusts alone while Johnson and Eberly shared the workload and began cutting into Khannouchi’s lead. When they headed up the Roosevelt Road hill with less than a half-mile to go, Johnson was quickly cutting the gap to Khannouchi. And after turning north toward the finish on Columbus, Johnson turned it on and Khannouchi, whose legs were heavy from marathon training, didn’t have an answer.

“It felt like we were starting to close on him after the fourth mile,” Johnson said. “When we turned the corner (off Roosevelt), he looked back. I didn’t pass him until there were about 200 meters to go. I felt real strong today. Khalid was out there alone in the wind. Being able to work together (with Eberly) really worked to our advantage.”

Khannouchi, who like Tomescu-Dita is training for the Flora London Marathon on April 23, wasn’t expecting Johnson and Eberly to battle back to the front.

“I was surprised,” Khannouchi said. “I thought I had a big lead on them. I just didn’t have the speed to go with them. I tried my best to run as hard as I could.”

Khannouchi’s other concern was his left foot. Last year, he dropped out with three-fourths of a mile to go because of an injury that had him down most of the year. This time, it felt fine, and he was racing hard after putting in six consecutive 120-mile weeks at altitude in preparation for London.

“I didn’t even think about it,” Khannouchi said of the foot, which appears to be as good as new.

In the women’s competition, Tomescu-Dita, 36, of Romania, ran by herself almost the entire race and won comfortably in 26:27. Hansons Brooks runners Melissa White, 22, of Royal Oak, Mich. and Desiree Devila, 22, also of Royal Oak, were second and third in 27:21 and 27:58 respectively. Tomescu-Dita, who raced a lot last year, including a runner-up 2:21:30 at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, logged four consecutive 140-mile weeks at high altitude coming into the Shamrock Shuffle. “I feel a little tired,” she said, with her thoughts fully on London, even in the aura of victory at the Shamrock Shuffle. Why? She is the defending champion at London.

Still, she broke out to a 5:10 first mile, followed by a 5:08 before facing the windier and slower second half of the race.

Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski thought things went well on a day when rains held off for almost all of the competitors in the field of more than 23,000 runners.

“This is an exercise for us,” said Pinkowski who doubles as Director of The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in October. “It’s a lot of fun, and it’s our first event of the year and allows us to work out the bugs.

“Chad Johnson ran a great race, and it was great to see Khalid running well again. He says he feels good. And I think Constantina can win at London. Both (Tomescu-Dita and Khannouchi) are focused on that race.”

Rounding out the top five men were Gary in 24:19, and Greg Costello, 25, of Chicago, in 24:47. For the women, Jessica Langford, 34, of Rockford was fourth in 29:05 and Nell Shields, 27, of Chicago, was fifth in 29:39.

Results for all runners are available at the event website, www.shamrockshuffle.com.

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