Sabrina
Yohannes for the IAAF
9 June 2001 – New York - There was never any doubt. Although Restituta Joseph took the early lead in the New York Mini Marathon 10K Saturday morning, Paula Radcliffe quickly moved up beside her—with Eyerusalem Kuma, Fernanda Ribeiro and Ludmila Petrova in pursuit—but once Radcliffe took the lead in the first mile, there was no stopping her.
The Briton passed the first mile marker of the women-only race in 4:59, with the Tanzanian Joseph on her shoulder and a roughly two-metre lead on the chasing threesome. Radcliffe also took the second mile in 4:59, and at the start of the course’s first hill, Joseph fell back. From then on, Radcliffe ran alone, her elbows swinging, her head bobbing slightly and her legs—with her trademark long white socks—churning out a fast pace. The Race was over, but now it was Radcliffe versus the Record.
Norwegian Grete Waitz’ 31:00 record for the hilly course was set in 1980. “I was told so many times that that record was untouchable,” said new elite athlete coordinator David Monti after the race. Radcliffe zipped through the third mile in 4:51, and hit the halfway point in 15:23. The fourth mile took 5:09, but the tail end of the course had fewer hills, creating the possibility of making up lost time.
Radcliffe kept pushing, her blond pigtails flying behind her. With no other runners in sight to usher through Central Park, the two lead motorcycles appeared to be escorting visiting royalty, and the reigning half-marathon and cross-country champion lived up to the image, turning out a 4:50 mile, so that by the five-mile mark, where a band was playing, there was already cause for celebration. Radcliffe crossed the finish line in 30:47 to cheers and applause. The Mini Marathon had a new course record, 13 seconds better than the old.
Joseph, who twice placed fifth at the world cross country championships, came in second in 31:53, and Paris marathon champion Florence Barsosio of Kenya was third in 32:26. Radcliffe’s pace led all but one of the top six women to new personal bests. Only fourth-placed Jane Ngotho of Kenya had run a faster time previously.
New York City marathon champion Petrova of Russia was fifth, and Italy’s Sylvia Sommaggio moved up to take sixth, one place ahead of Portugal’s Ribeiro, who injured her ankle during the race. Ethiopia’s Kuma, Kenya’s Jane Omoro and Russian Lyubov Morgunova closed out the top ten, all but Morgunova finishing in under 33 minutes.
“My plan before the race was really to just take it reasonably steady, keep it relaxed, until the top of the first two hills,” said Radcliffe, who knew herself to be strong on descents, a skill she gained as a child from her father. “I remember to this day, him teaching me to run downhill,” she said.
“But Restituta went out fast and I felt comfortable with that,” said Radcliffe. “I knew I was on course for the record at the half-way because I could see the 5K split.” She took a solid minute off her 31:47 personal best, set in the only 10K she has run previously, the 1997 New Orleans Crescent City Classic. Radcliffe had another reason to celebrate breaking Waitz’ 21-year-old record. “Grete is a big idol for me, along with Ingrid Kristiansen and Liz McColgan,” she said.
Radcliffe also came close to her countrywoman McColgan’s 1989 world best of 30:39, set on a much flatter course in Florida. “I didn’t even know what it was until I finished, but I knew it was Liz’s,” said Radcliffe, who might not have a chance to go for that mark any time soon. “I won’t be running any more 10Ks this year,” she said. “Unless I do one to build up for the half marathon championships.”
Before defending her half marathon title in October, Radcliffe will be running the 10,000 metres at the August track world championships, hoping to improve on her 1999 silver, but she is toying with the idea of also competing in the 5000 metres in Edmonton, if she’s up to it after running the longer event and there’s room on the British team. Radcliffe’s next races leading up to the track worlds will be this month’s European Cup 5000 metres in Bremen, Germany and Golden Gala 3000 metres in Rome.
The Edmonton 10,000 metres is also the season goal of Joseph and Olympic bronze-medallist Ribeiro, who received medical attention for her left ankle after the race in Central Park. “I was feeling well, even though I am not in peak form, because my most important competition will be the world championships,” she said. “I thought I would do better than I did, but the course, on hilly terrain, had so many ups and downs that I got an inflammation.”
Once the rest of the field fell back, Joseph didn’t think about being caught and felt comfortable with the pace Radcliffe set. “I was feeling good,” she said.
Barsosio, working on her speed for the world championship marathon, got exactly what she wanted in New York. “This is my best time, so I am very, very happy,” she said.
