Where Your Dreams Become
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Preview of Women's Events at 2008 USATF Indoor Nationals This event is wide open as the US women have not been running very fast in 2008. Nicole Cook is the US leader with a 2:03.11 which doesn't even put her in the top 30 in the world. The good news for the ladies running is that virtually everyone will have a chance to qualify for World Indoors in Valencia, Spain. Cook, with the US leader, is obviously one to look out for. She was 2nd at both domestic professional meets that featured the 800, the Reebok Boston Games and the Tyson Invite (where she ran her US leader). But the women to watch may be Nicole Teter. Teter became a dominant force on the US and world scene in 2002 when she set the American indoor record (1:58.71 at the US Champs in NY) and went on to win the Paris Golden League 1500. Teter hasn't been the same since because of injuries, but the Frank Gagliano Oregon Track Club athlete did dip under 2:00 last year. She's run once this year, a 2:03.80 win on the oversized track in Seattle 3 weeks ago. 2:03.80 is a long way from Teter's 1:58.71 American Record, but it may be good enough to get the job done this year. Tiffany McWilliams is entered in the 800 and 1500, and has run 2:03.17 this year. However, she was only fifth at Tyson in 2:04.62. Sasha Spencer has done her racing in Europe this summer and has run well. She got the win in Linz Austria in 2:03.82 and was 2nd in Glasgow. Predictions 1) Spencer 2) Teter 3) Cook Women's 1500: Christin Wurth-Thomas The Heavy Favorite Wurth-Thomas made the World Championship team last year with her runner-up finish at Nationals. She has followed that up with 2 stellar runs to start the season. First up was the 3000 at the Reebok Boston Games. She was 4th in a 22 second pr of 8:54. In the past, Wurth-Thomas has been more of an 800-mile runner than mile-3k. She showed that to be the case when she ran the mile at the Tyson Invite. She destroyed the field, winning by nearly 5 seconds in 4:27.18 an American Record* (*record by a non convicted drug cheat). In the field at Tyson was the other breakthrough athlete so far in 2008 in the mile, Jenelle Deatherage. Deatherage got the surprise win at Reebok and was 2nd to Wurth-Thomas at Tyson. Others to watch are Olympian Carrie Tollefson (way back at Tyson), former NCAA star Tiffany McWilliams, the comeback kid Jen Toomey, Amy Mortimer, Sara Hall (2nd at Millrose), and Lindsey Gallo. Predictions: Wurth-Thomas dominated at Tyson and no one else has shown they are in the same ballpark so far this year. Women's 3000m: Jen Rhines Getting Faster With Age Other Highlights: *Start lists
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Runner's World &
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