With An Assist from Meseret Defar, Sentayehu Ejigu Sets Course Record at Tufts Health Plan 10-K for Women, Emily Infeld Second
By Chris Lotsbom, @ChrisLotsbom
(c) 2013 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
BOSTON (14-Oct) — On a picture perfect day with conditions ideal for racing, Ethiopia’s Sentayehu Ejigu broke a 25-year-old course record en route to winning the Tufts Health Plan 10-K for Women here on the streets of Boston. Breaking away shortly before four miles (6.44 km), the 28-year-old ran all alone in front of 5916 other women to a final time of 31:32.9, becoming the race’s first champion from Ethiopia. She won $5000 in prize money.
“I am very happy for this race. It means a lot for me to come and have my first good performance after two years,” said Global Athletics & Marketing representative Matt McCarron, translating for Ejigu.
After a pedestrian opening mile of 5:11, a lead pack began to form as the women’s only field crossed the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge above the Charles River. Congregating at the front were Ejigu, Americans Janet Bawcom and Emily Infeld, as well as Kenyans Risper Gesabwa and Alice Kamunya.
Still all together at 5 kilometers –hit in 16:03– Ejigu seemed most comfortable of the five leaders, arms pumping and eyes focused on the road ahead.
With the four mile marker in sights, Ejigu injected a surge that shook up the group. Infeld and Gesabwa worked together to counter the move, as Bawcom and Kamunya began to fade off the back.
“I could definitely feel her taking off and I didn’t know if my legs had it in them to go with her,” said Infeld, who trains alongside Massachusetts native Shalane Flanagan under coach Jerry Schumacher in Portland, Ore. “I think it was kind of a shock when she surged like that.”
Crossing back over the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge and returning to the city’s Back Bay neighborhood, Ejigu glanced behind only to see Infeld far in the distance, more than ten seconds adrift. In the midst of her second consecutive sub-five minute mile, Ejigu wasn’t quite sure how much racing she had left.
“I felt very comfortable throughout the race,” she said through McCarron. “I kept looking back because I didn’t see kilometer markers, and I don’t know miles very much. I was unsure of my fitness because I haven’t had a good competition after more than a year of injuries.”
Keeping her foot on the gas pedal, Ejigu continued pushing through the finish, timed in 31:32.9. Her time was five seconds faster than Anne Hannam’s 1988 course record mark.
Extremely shy and refusing to speak directly with the media, Global Athletics representative McCarron talked on behalf of Ejigu. He said that Ejigu was very pleased with the performance and was surprised with the course record. As McCarron spoke to Race Results Weekly, Ejigu was on the phone with two-time Olympic champion Meseret Defar, who offered congratulations.
Sentayehu Ejigu on her way to winning the 2013 Tufts Health Plan 10-K for Women in Boston in a course record 31:32.9 (photo by Chris Lotsbom for Race Results Weekly)
As it turns out, Defar told Global Athletics management that Ejigu appeared extremely fit while training in Ethiopia and urged the athlete management group to enter Ejigu in a race.
“Meseret is thrilled for her,” said McCarron. “They are very good friends and she is very happy for her. This is big for her.”
Behind Ejigu, Infeld placed second in 31:46.6. The 23-year-old Georgetown University graduate was pleased with her time, the fastest 10-K on the roads by an American this year.
“Obviously I was wishing for the win, but I mean I have to be happy. I gave all I had out there and I don’t think I could have run that [what Ejigu did] today,” she said.
Third went to Gesabwa (32:11.2), with Bawcom fourth in 32:27.4. Bawcom, who won the event in 2011 when it was still the USA Championship, is coming back from a battle with shin splints and is anxious for next month’s ING New York City Marathon.
“It felt a little quicker than I wanted, but I feel strong,” she said. “I’m getting better every day and I’m excited to get fourth place today. Just to run under 33 [minutes], that was my goal.”
Rounding out the top five was Alice Kamunya in 32:31.6. Two-time champion Katie McGregor wound up 20th in 34:03.5.
LRC Note: There was also a team competition at the Tufts 10k with more money in the team competition ($26,200) than the individual competition ($17,000). Team USA Arizona with Janet Bawcom, Amy Van Alstine, Kellyn Johnson, Alvina Begay won the team competition and $10,000 ahead of BRC/Adidas (Alisha Williams, Mattie Suver, Brianne Nelson) $6,000 and Hanson Brooks (Katie Kellner, Dot McMahan, Corey Conner, Neely Spence Gracey).
More on Anne Hannam the previous record holder:
*Chicago Tribune From 1996: Running on Empty: “She arrived like a flash of flame and disappeared like a wisp of smoke. In that magical summer and fall of 1988, Anne Hannam ran nine road races from Alaska to Massachusetts, won all nine and set seven course records. She also weighed 96 pounds and was starving herself slowly. Eventually water became the enemy too…”
*LRC Forums: Whatever Happened to Anne Hannam?
Top 30 and Team Results below. More at Cool Running results site:
1 1/ 10 FOPEN 31:33# $5000 5:05 Sentayehu Ejigu 28 F 4 ETHIOPIA
New record. Old record 31:38 by Anne Hannam of New Zealand in 1988
2 2/ 10 FOPEN 31:47# $4000 5:07 Emily Infeld 23 F 30 Concord MA
3 3/ 10 FOPEN 32:12# $3500 5:11 Risper Gesabwa 24 F 27 Marietta GA KENYA
4 4/ 10 FOPEN 32:28# $2500 5:14 Janet Bawcom 35 F 10 Rome GA
5 5/ 10 FOPEN 32:32# $2000 5:14 Alice Kamunya 22 F 8 Schenectady NY KENYA
6 6/ 10 FOPEN 32:51# 5:18 Amy Van Alstine 25 F 54 Flagstaff AZ
7 7/ 10 FOPEN 33:05# 33:05 5:20 Alisha Williams 31 F 56 Colorado Springs CO
8 8/ 10 FOPEN 33:14# 33:14 5:21 Rkia El Moukim 25 F 23 Briarcliff Manor NY
9 9/ 10 FOPEN 33:15# 33:15 5:21 Mattie Suver 26 F 52 Colorado Springs CO
10 10/ 10 FOPEN 33:17# 33:17 5:22 Brianne Nelson 32 F 42 Golden CO
11 1/1315 F2029 33:23# 33:22 5:23 Katie Kellner 22 F 34 Rochester MI
12 2/1315 F2029 33:24# 33:24 5:23 Kellyn Johnson 27 F 33 Flagstaff AZ
13 1/1721 F3039 33:24# 33:24 5:23 Dot McMahan 36 F 38 Rochester MI
14 3/1315 F2029 33:35# 33:35 5:25 Desta Tadesse 25 F 63 Silver Spring MD ETHIOPIA
15 4/1315 F2029 33:47 33:47 5:27 Lindsey Scherf 27 F 49 Durham NC
16 5/1315 F2029 33:52 33:52 5:27 Jane Murage 26 F 40 Royersford PA KENYA
17 6/1315 F2029 33:54 33:54 5:28 Alissa McKaig 27 F 2 Johnson City TN
18 7/1315 F2029 33:58 33:58 5:28 Molly Pritz 25 F 44 Boulder CO
19 8/1315 F2029 34:02 34:01 5:29 Susan Jerotich 26 F 31 Chapel Hill NC KENYA
20 2/1721 F3039 34:04* 34:03 5:29 Katie McGregor 36 F 1 Boston MA
21 9/1315 F2029 34:05 34:05 5:29 Grace Kahura 20 F 9 Schenectady NY KENYA
22 10/1315 F2029 34:06 34:05 5:30 Katie Dicamillo 26 F 20 Providence RI
23 11/1315 F2029 34:14 34:13 5:31 Frances Koons 27 F 58 Bryn Mawr PA
24 12/1315 F2029 34:14 34:13 5:31 Addie Bracy 27 F 12 Longmont CO
25 13/1315 F2029 34:20 34:19 5:32 Corey Conner 23 F 17 Rochester MI
26 3/1721 F3039 34:25 34:25 5:33 Kristen Fryburg-Zaitz 32 F 26 Broomfield CO
27 14/1315 F2029 34:43 34:42 5:35 Liz Costello 25 F 18 Hoboken NJ
28 15/1315 F2029 34:46 34:46 5:36 Neely Spence Gracey 23 F 51 Rochester MI
29 16/1315 F2029 34:48 34:47 5:36 Kristen Rohde 29 F 46 Portland OR
30 17/1315 F2029 34:48 34:48 5:36 Etaferahu Temesgen 23 F 64 Silver Spring MD ETHIOPIA
Team results:
USATF TEAM RESULTS
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1. TEAM USA ARIZONA $10,000
32:28 32:51 33:24 ( 35:18) = 1:38:43
Janet Bawcom, Amy Van Alstine, Kellyn Johnson, Alvina Begay
2. BRC / ADIDAS $6000
33:05 33:15 33:17 = 1:39:37
Alisha Williams, Mattie Suver, Brianne Nelson
3. HANSONS-BROOKS DISTANCE PROJECT $4500
33:23 33:24 34:20 ( 34:46) = 1:41:07
Katie Kellner, Dot McMahan, Corey Conner, Neely Spence Gracey
4. HUDSON TRAINING SYSTEMS $3000
33:58 34:14 34:54 ( 35:37) ( 36:24) = 1:43:06
Molly Pritz, Addie Bracy, Kara Lubieniecki, Maggie Callahan, Amanda
Lee
5. NEW BALANCE BOSTON - GREEN $2700
34:06 34:52 35:38 ( 36:13) ( 37:23) = 1:44:36
Katie Dicamillo, Jillian King, Joanna Murphy, Karen Roa, Katherine
Rosettie
6. NEW BALANCE SILICON VALLEY
34:49 34:54 35:05 ( 35:14) = 1:44:48
Megan Deakins, Stephanie Dinius, Kristine Paaso, Kaitlin Gregg
7. BOWERMAN ATHLETIC CLUB
34:48 35:50 36:16 = 1:46:54
Kristen Rohde, Julia Webb, Karlee Coffey
8. IMPALA RACING TEAM
36:35 37:00 37:10 ( 37:56) = 1:50:45
Ashley Carroll, Brittany Garrett, Michele Palmer, Michelle Meyer
9. GREATER BOSTON TRACK CLUB
35:06 37:08 38:32 = 1:50:46
Sara Donahue, Alyse Rocco, Alyson Millett
10. NEW BALANCE BOSTON - GRAY
36:15 36:47 37:49 ( 39:02) = 1:50:51
Erin Dromgoole, Caitlin Fahey, Karina Johnson, Dianna Chivakos