by Larry Eder
Shalane Flanagan, en route to her 5,000m AR indoors, Feb.2009,
photo by PhotoRun.net.
Shalane Flanagan, American record holder at 3k, 5k, 10k, will debut at the half marathon distance at the Aramco Houston Half marathon on January 17, 2010. The 2008 bronze medalist from Beijing at 10,000 meters has been rumored to be considering moving up in distances.
Last winter, Flanagan traveled to Mexico for high altitude training, for several weeks, to prepare for the 2009 season. Rumors have been going for most of the year about whether the American record holder would move up to the half marathon and marathon. We look forward to seeing how she takes to 13.1 miles!
2008 Olympian Shalane Flanagan and
2009 20K Champion Brett Gotcher
to Debut in Houston
Three-time American Record Holder Flanagan to run first half marathon;first marathon for Gotcher
HOUSTON (Dec. 9, 2009) – American Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.), who won a bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the 2008 Olympics, will make her half-marathon debut in January at the 2010 USA Half Marathon Championships hosted by the Aramco Houston Half Marathon.
The 28-year-old Flanagan has been one of the best middle-distance runners in the U.S. over the past six years, making two Olympic teams and setting American records on the track at 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 meters. Flanagan was the USA champion at 5,000 meters in 2005 and 2007, before winning the USA Olympic Trials at 10,000 meters in 2008. That victory sent her to Beijing, where she became only the second American woman in history to medal in the event at the Olympic Games. Her American Record of 30:22 run in China still stands.
Shalane Flanagan running at Nike Pre, June 2009, photo by PhotoRun.net.
“Having an athlete with Shalane’s credentials run in Houston is a tremendous boost to our race,” said Brant Kotch, race director of the Chevron Houston Marathon and companion Aramco Houston Half Marathon. “We have a long history of hosting competitive and exciting national championship races, and we believe the women’s and men’s half marathon events next month will be no exception.”
Joining Flanagan on the starting line January 17, 2010 will be the top two finishers from the 2009 national championships. Magdalena Lewy Boulet (Oakland, Calif.), who crossed the finish line in 1:11:47, will be back to defend her title. Runner-up Kelly Jaske (Portland, Ore.) will also be among the top seeds in the race.
Among the men currently committed to run in the national championship race are 2008 half marathon champion James Carney (Lafayette, Colo.), along with Josh Moen and Patrick Smyth (both Minneapolis, Minn.), who finished second and third, respectively, in the 2009 USA 10 Mile Championships.
More information is available at www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com or 713-957-3453.
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