Molly Huddle Wins and Sets Course Record at 2013 NYRR Dash to the Finish Line 5k
By Chris Lotsbom, @ChrisLotsbom
(c) 2013 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
November 2, 2013
NEW YORK (02-Nov) — A pair of course records were set here at the NYRR Dash to the Finish Line 5-K, as New Zealand’s Nick Willis and America’s Molly Huddle broke the finish tapes first in 13:46 and 15:27, respectively. Racing from the United Nations building to Central Park, Willis and Huddle prevailed over a field that included 16 Olympians.
Women’s story below, men’s here.
HUDDLE BREAKS FROM INFELD, FLANAGAN TO EARN TITLE
Molly Huddle waited and waited and waited to make her sprint to the finish. In fact, the 29-year-old waited until the finish line was visible in Central Park to separate from training partners Emily Infeld and Shalane Flanagan.
“I didn’t want to kick until I could see the finish, cause it was a pretty painful pace for me and I wanted to have that in my sight before I used what I had left,” said a happy Huddle, speaking to members of the media shortly after winning the NYRR Dash to the Finish Line 5-K.
From the start adjacent to the United Nations headquarters, Huddle, Infeld, and Flanagan asserted themselves out front. Though American Kim Conley and Kenya’s 2012 Olympic silver medalist in Sally Kipyego tagged along through the opening mile in 4:55, the trio would break away by the halfway point.
Trading the lead, the three Americans pressed the pace by iconic Radio City Music Hall. Sometimes it was Huddle, other times Flanagan. Infeld seemed content sitting a step behind.
“I just knew I wanted a good, hard effort for whatever I could do today,” said Flanagan, speaking of her decision to push in the middle mile. “I think that first mile was faster than I’ve run in like three months. I knew I was in for some trouble.”
Though Flanagan was hurting, she remained with Huddle and Infeld through a 4:57 second mile, totaling 9:52 through two miles. Little did Flanagan –or Infeld– know that Huddle was feeling the pace as well.
Traversing the hills of Central Park to Flanagan and Infeld’s right, Huddle was focused on one thing: kicking close to the finish. For roughly 300 meters leading to the finish line, flags of many countries around the world line either side of the street. In between them, Huddle made her move.
“I felt kind of on the edge of going lactic much of the way, so I wasn’t sure how long I could kick for,” she said. “I did start to slow down the last few steps so I think I timed it as close as I could.”
Just as the move began to catch up to her and with the feeling of lactic acid building in her legs, Huddle broke the finish tape in a new course record of 15:27. She had barely fended off Infeld, who recorded the same time for second.
“It feels great to win. The field was phenomenal with Olympic and World medalists out there, and Emily’s having a fantastic year,” she said. “To win today was a big confidence booster.”
In third came Flanagan, who like Infeld is coached by Jerry Schumacher. Flanagan said it was fun racing in New York for the first time since finishing second at the 2010 ING New York City Marathon, and tough competing after taking time off.
“It feels really good to be back. It’s a bit nostalgic just to make it to Central Park. I was kind of having some flashbacks of some really great moments for me here,” she said. “It’s a great way to celebrate the weekend. It hurt really bad today; my legs are burning right now.”
Sally Kipyego of Kenya, healthy and racing for the first time in 14 months, finished fourth in 15:49, followed by Julia Bleasdale of Great Britain one second later. Kim Conley wound up sixth in 15:55, the last finisher under 16:00.
More: *Women’s Results, Video of finish and Post race interviews
Men’s Recap: Nick Wills Puts in Late Surge to Take Down Chelanga and Braun in Course Record Time
Overall Place |
First Name | Last Name | Sex/ Age |
Team | City | State | Country | Net Time |
Pace per Mile |
AG Time |
AG % |
1 | Molly | Huddle | F29 | SAUC | Providence | RI | USA | 0:15:27 | 04:59 | 0:15:27 | 95.89 % |
2 | Emily | Infeld | F23 | NIKE | Portland | OR | USA | 0:15:27 | 04:59 | 0:15:27 | 95.88 % |
3 | Shalane | Flanagan | F32 | NIKE | Portland | OR | USA | 0:15:40 | 05:04 | 0:15:38 | 94.72 % |
4 | Sally | Kipyego | F27 | OTC | Eugene | OR | KEN | 0:15:49 | 05:06 | 0:15:49 | 93.62 % |
5 | Julia | Bleasdale | F32 | Teddington | . | GBR | 0:15:50 | 05:07 | 0:15:48 | 93.70 % | |
6 | Kim | Conley | F27 | NEWB | West Sacramento | CA | USA | 0:15:55 | 05:08 | 0:15:55 | 93.05 % |
7 | Nicole | Schappert | F27 | NYAC | Piscataway | NJ | USA | 0:16:06 | 05:12 | 0:16:06 | 91.99 % |
8 | Sara | Hall | F30 | ASIC | Flagstaff | AZ | USA | 0:16:08 | 05:12 | 0:16:07 | 91.85 % |
9 | Lauren | Penney | F23 | OIS | Highland Park | NJ | USA | 0:16:10 | 05:13 | 0:16:10 | 91.64 % |
10 | Amanda | Winslow | F23 | OIS | Highland Park | NJ | USA | 0:16:15 | 05:15 | 0:16:15 | 91.13 % |
11 | Betsy | Saina | F25 | NIKE | Ames | IA | KEN | 0:16:20 | 05:16 | 0:16:20 | 90.68 % |
12 | Alexi | Pappas | F23 | OTC | Eugene | OR | USA | 0:16:23 | 05:17 | 0:16:23 | 90.37 % |
13 | Charlotte | Browning | F26 | RME | Charlottesville | VA | GBR | 0:16:23 | 05:17 | 0:16:23 | 90.36 % |
14 | Chelsea | Reilly | F24 | BATC | Oakland | CA | USA | 0:16:25 | 05:18 | 0:16:25 | 90.17 % |
15 | Renee | Tomlin | F24 | NIKE | Ocean City | NJ | USA | 0:16:28 | 05:19 | 0:16:28 | 89.95 % |
16 | Rebeka | Stowe | F23 | NJNY | Clinton | NJ | USA | 0:16:29 | 05:19 | 0:16:29 | 89.86 % |
17 | Nicol | Traynor | F24 | NJNY | Clinton | NJ | USA | 0:16:33 | 05:21 | 0:16:33 | 89.43 % |
18 | Sarah | Groff | F31 | NYAC | Enfield | NH | USA | 0:16:43 | 05:24 | 0:16:42 | 88.66 % |
19 | Neely | Spence Gracey | F23 | HBDP | Rochester | MI | USA | 0:16:47 | 05:25 | 0:16:47 | 88.18 % |
20 | Brie | Felnagle | F26 | ADID | Seattle | WA | USA | 0:16:49 | 05:26 | 0:16:49 | 88.02 % |
21 | Lisa | Uhl | F26 | NIKE | Des Moines | IA | USA | 0:16:55 | 05:28 | 0:16:55 | 87.57 % |
22 | Catherine | Beck | F28 | CPTC | Newark | NJ | USA | 0:16:56 | 05:28 | 0:16:56 | 87.47 % |
23 | Liz | Costello | F25 | NYAC | Hoboken | NJ | USA | 0:17:09 | 05:32 | 0:17:09 | 86.37 % |
24 | Jane | Vongvorachoti | F29 | CPTC | Woodside | NY | USA | 0:17:10 | 05:33 | 0:17:10 | 86.26 % |
25 | Shannon | Miller | F29 | NEWB | Ponte Vedra Beach | FL | USA | 0:17:12 | 05:33 | 0:17:12 | 86.10 % |
26 | Genna | Hartung | F22 | NJNY | Morrisonville | NY | USA | 0:17:28 | 05:38 | 0:17:28 | 84.79 % |
27 | Denise | Van Amerom | F54 | London | ON | CAN | 0:17:28 | 05:38 | 0:14:40 | 101.02 % | |
28 | Anna | Lopez-Abadal | F17 | El Papiol | ESP | 0:17:31 | 05:39 | 0:17:09 | 86.35 % | ||
29 | Andrea | Bradshaw | F25 | CPTC | New York | NY | USA | 0:17:34 | 05:40 | 0:17:34 | 84.25 % |
30 | Stephanie | Herrick | F26 | CPTC | New York | NY | USA | 0:17:52 | 05:46 | 0:17:52 | 82.86 % |
31 | Caitlin | Phillips | F31 | NYAC | New York | NY | USA | 0:18:00 | 05:49 | 0:17:59 | 82.35 % |
32 | Lauren | Salisbury | F25 | GCTR | New York | NY | USA | 0:18:00 | 05:49 | 0:18:00 | 82.25 % |
33 | Lise | Ogrodnick | F26 | GCTR | New York | NY | CAN | 0:18:29 | 05:58 | 0:18:29 | 80.08 % |
35 | Cara | Costich | F22 | GCTR | New York | NY | USA | 0:18:35 | 06:00 | 0:18:35 | 79.66 % |
36 | Sarah | Lesko | F44 | OIS | Mercer Island | WA | USA | 0:18:42 | 06:02 | 0:17:35 | 84.23 % |
37 | Megan | Lessard | F26 | New York | NY | USA | 0:18:55 | 06:06 | 0:18:55 | 78.28 % | |
38 | Taeya | Konishi Schogel | F33 | NBR | Brooklyn | NY | PER | 0:18:57 | 06:07 | 0:18:52 | 78.46 % |
39 | Heidi | Hullinger | F31 | NYAC | New York | NY | USA | 0:18:58 | 06:07 | 0:18:56 | 78.17 % |
40 | Samantha | Snukis | F27 | NBR | Brooklyn | NY | USA | 0:19:14 | 06:12 | 0:19:14 | 77.00 % |
Molly Huddle, Shalane Flanagan, and Emily Infeld Discuss the Race
Shalane and Emily Talk About Emily Beating Shalane