Delilah DiCrescenzo Comes From Behind & Wins 2012 Manchester Road Race
Former Boston Marathon Winner Amby Burfoot Finishes His 50th Straight Manchester
by David Monti
(c) 2012 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
MANCHESTER, CONN. (22-Nov) — For Delilah DiCrescenzo, 29, a 9:40 steeplechaser from New York, both her strength and leg speed helped her to victory over 10,000m specialist Lisa Uhl who was running the race for the first time. The two woman had dropped Burundian Olympic marathoner Diane Nukuri Johnson just after the four-mile mark.
“At the four-mile mark it was pretty much me and Delilah,” said Uhl, who finished 13th in last summer’s Olympic Games 10,000m. “I tried to make a move there because I know Delilah has speed. I was, like, if I can break her here I’ve got it. I thought I had it with 400 to go.”
But DiCrescenzo, who was running Manchester for the third time and was second here in 2010, knew the course well, and timed her final push to the finish well.
Delilah DiCrescenzo minutes after winning the 2012 Manchester Road Race(photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)
“I was feeling really good, but with 800 to go you’re always doubting yourself,” said DiCrescenzo, who is coached by Frank Gagliano of the NJ-NY Track Club. “So, I noticed that my breathing was pretty good, so I just went.”
DiCrescenzo powered up the final hill to the finish to win in 24:34, her first road racing victory since winning the NYRR 5 Mile in November, 2010. Uhl finished five seconds behind, and Nukuri-Johnson got third in 24:46.
Well behind the leaders, Runner’s World editor-at-large Amby Burfoot finished his 50th consecutive Manchester Road Race. Burfoot, 66, jogged the course in about 53 minutes with his adult children, Daniel and Laura. It was an emotional day for the 9-time Manchester winner.
“It floods me with memories,” Burfoot said. “There were a few times walking up to the start that I felt a tear in my eyes thinking of those who had gone before me and are no longer with us. That faded quickly… and I tried just to enjoy being part of it.”
Top 15 Women’s Results
1. Delilah DiCrescenzo, New York
City, 24:34; 2. Lisa Uhl, Des Moines, Iowa, 24:39; 3. Diane Nukuri-Johnson, Iowa City, Ia., 24:46; 4. Malika Mejdoub, Flagstaff, Ariz., 24:51; 5. Amy Van Alstine, Flagstaff, Ariz., 24:53; 6. Sarah Porter, Blowing Rock, N.C., 25:12; 7. Barbara Parker, Framingham, Mass., 25:16; 8. Ashley Higginson, Eatontown, N.J., 25:21; 9. Kate Avery, New Rochelle, N.Y., 25:23; 10. Beverly Ramos, Trujillo Alto, P.R., 25:30; 11. Hirut Mandefro, Washington, D.C., 25:56; 12. Atalelech Asfaw, Albuquerque, N.M., 25:59; 13. Katie Matthews, Rocky Hill, 26:04; 14. Stephanie Reilly, Northbridge, Mass., 26:14; 15. Heidi Westover, Walpole, N.H., 26:26.
More: *Men’s Race Recap
*LRC MB Thread on 2012 Manchester Road Race
*Hartford Courant Recap
*Recap video here from Salmini Films: http://youtu.be/xOxv5wgzM58
