Posted: October 23, 2006

Athletics: Lagat, Chebet Take Saint John's Santa Monica 5000 Titles

1,500 runners participate in inaugural event From Karen Kalan SANTA MONICA, Calif. - (October 22, 2006) - In a thrilling finish down Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, Kenyan Haron Lagat successfully held off Cal State Long Beach's Jimmy Grabow to win the Los Angeles Sports and Fitness (LAS&F) Invitational at the Inaugural Saint John's Santa Monica 5000 on Sunday as both were timed in 14 minutes, 11 seconds. Lagat won $1000 for his victory, along with a $500 time bonus for breaking 14:20. The LAS&F Invitational, which was first run in 2004 in Agoura Hills, brings together the best athletes in Southern California to compete in the Championship of L.A. Road Racing. "The LAS&F Invitational is the stage for California's best to compete. It makes for outstanding competition, a great race and also a wonderful event to watch," said LAS&F Publisher Danny Greenberg. Lagat, who volunteers as a Student Assistant Coach for Cross Country and Track at Texas Tech while completing his final year of school, said, "The lead pack set a really fast pace. I struggled in the second mile and was tired at the end, but I refused to lose." In the women's 5K race, Kenyan Emily Chebet easily won in 16:16, in her first race in the United States. "I felt good and loved the course. I'll be back next year." Sylvia Mosqueda, 40, from South Pasadena led the women's race in the beginning, but Chebet passed her at mile 1.5 and never looked back. "I ran the first mile at a 5:03 pace, which was too fast for my conditioning," Mosqueda said. The winners in the 10K race were Edward Muge from the AmeriKenyan running club in Santa Fe, who finished in 29:42 and Kelly Flathers from Huntington Beach in 36:40. Inaugural Saint John's Santa Monica 5000 - Santa Monica, CA, Sunday, October 22, 2006 MPRE> 5K MEN 1) Haron Lagat, Kenya, 14:11, $1500 2) Jimmy Grabow, Long Beach, 14:11, (NCAA) 3) Bolota Asmerom, Oakland, 14:17, $1000 4) Daniel Rojas, CA, 14:18, $800 5) Richard Kimeli, Kenya, 14:23, $200 WOMEN 1) Emily Chebet, Kenya, 16:16, $1200 2) Sylvia Mosqueda, Los Angeles, 17:00, $500 3) Jennifer DeRego, Arroyo Grande, 17:31, $300 10K MEN 1) Edward Muge, Kenya, 29:42, $500 2) Jacques Sallberg, Pasadena, 30:42 WOMEN 1) Kelly Flathers, Huntington Beach, 36:40, $500 2) Janis Fonseca, Glendale, 36:43 More results at: SantaMonica5000.com.

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.RunningUSA.org.

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