Deena Kastor content with sub-1:10 half marathon outing in Phoenix (© ASI Photo)
18 January 2010Phoenix, USAJanuary 17, 2010 – American record holder and 2004 Olympic Bronze medalist Deena Kastor returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in ten months on Sunday at the seventh annual P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Half Marathon. Kastor clocked 1:09:43, ending the longest dry spell of her now-legendary career.
“This race solidifies that my training has been going well,” Kastor said. “Running sub 1:10 off this training makes me excited about my next phase going into the London Marathon in April. Today was the first time in a couple of years I felt like my old self running again.”
Kastor, who broke her foot during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Marathon and spent most of 2009 recovering, ran an aggressive first mile in 4:54 and was on American record pace through four miles before a stubborn headwind and lack of competition slowed her in the second half.
In the men’s Half Marathon, American record holder Ryan Hall was upset by Simon Bairu, the 2009 Canadian national champion at 5000m on the track and 10k on the roads. Running in only his second career half marathon, Bairu shadowed the more experienced Hall throughout the race. As the route turned right onto Desert Drive at 10 miles, the 26 year-old Bairu dropped the hammer with a 4:42 11th mile that left Hall 26 seconds behind his wake. By the time he reached the finish line at Arizona State University, Bairu’s lead had swelled to 1:21. His winning time of 1:02:47 was a 23 second personal best.
“My coach (Jerry Schumacher) told me to make this a ten mile race and, no disrespect to Ryan, but if we didn’t win it would have been a disappointment,” said Bairu, who bettered the late Ryan Shay’s course record by almost two minutes.
Marathon course record for debutante Naser
In the men’s Marathon, Ethiopia’s Terfe Yea notched his second P.F. Chang’s title, adding the 2010 crown to his ‘07 victory. Yea finished in 2:12:41, 15 seconds ahead of Kenya’s Christopher Kipyego (2:12:56).
In the women’s race, fellow Ethiopian Taybe Naser set a course record in her Marathon debut with a time of 2:30:39. Arizona’s Alvina Begay was the top American in 2:27:14, good enough for fifth place overall.
Both Yea, 29, and Naser, 23, earned $17,500 for their victory at the race, which attracted more then 32,000 entrants and had live bands, cheerleaders and themed water stations entertaining runners along each mile of the route.
The eighth edition of the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon and Half Marathon is set for Sunday, January 16, 2011.
Dan Cruz (organisers) for the IAAF
