Run The Roads

With the U.S. domestic season wrapping up with the U.S. T&F Championships this past weekend, we rank the top ten middle and long distance runners in each event.  See who’s moving up and who’s moving down in the Run the Roads Power Rankings.  You might be surprised with who ended up where in this week’s rankings.

Men’s 800m Dash

1. Nick Symmonds (OTC)
2. Khadevis Robinson (Nike)
3. Ryan Brown (Asics)
4. Christian Smith (Nike)
5. Andrew Wheating (Oregon)
6. Tevan Everett (Texas)
7. Karjuan Williams (adidas)
8. Tyler Mulder (Northern Iowa)
9. Michael Rutt (UConn)
10. Bernard Lagat (Nike)

Analysis: This week’s rankings reflect much of what took place in Eugene last weekend.  The Hayward Field faithful were treated to a wonderful event, including hometown champion Nick Symmonds coming up big once again.  Symmonds and Robinson showed why they are considered the top two Americans in the 800m once again, as they placed 1-2 at the U.S. T&F Championships.  Asics’ Ryan Brown, who’s been overlooked much of the year, came up big for third place, beating Olympian Christian Smith for the third spot on Team USA with a 1:46.67 effort.

Women’s 800m Dash

1. Hazel Clark (Nike)
2. Geena Gall (OTC)
3. Anna Willard (Nike)
4. Maggie Vessey (unattached)
5. Laura Hermanson (N. Dakota State)
6. Phoebe Wright (Tennessee)
7. LaTavia Thomas (LSU)
8. Morgan Uceny (Reebok)
9. Katie Waits (Reebok)
10. Alysia Johnson (Nike)

Analysis: For the fifth time in her career, Hazel Clark won a U.S. national championship.  This time, Clark led from the gun, outlasting a barrage of talented individuals.  Dropping in the rankings this week was Maggie Vessey, who finished fourth in the championship race, running a horrible strategy and trying to outkick everyone to the finish.  It backfired and now she may not end up on the World Champs squad.  Tennessee’s Phoebe Wright turned in the best performance of the weekend, finishing third overall, a much improved finish from her NCAA Championship race.

Men’s 1,500m Run

1. Bernard Lagat (Nike)
2. Lopez Lomong (Nike)
3. Leo Manzano (Nike)
4. Evan Jager (Nike)
5. German Fernandez (Oklahoma State)
6. Dorian Ulrey (Arkansas)
7. Stephen Pifer (OTC)
8. Will Leer (OTC)
9. Alan Webb (Nike)
10. Craig Miller (Wisconsin)

Analysis: While three (Lagat, Jager and Fernandez) of the top five here did not run in the U.S. Championship race, middle distance standouts Lopez Lomong and Leo Manzano showed why they are the present and future of American miling.  Lomong has been on top of his game all season, and won his first U.S. outdoor championship Sunday.  Manzano, who’s had an up and down season, showed more consistency and that he’s back on track.  Moving up the ranks this week is Stephen Pifer, who pushed hard in the final to really make it a race.  Wisconsin’s Craig Miller also moves into the rankings after a great weekend.

Women’s 1,500m Run

1. Shannon Rowbury (Nike)
2. Christin Wurth-Thomas (Nike)
3. Jenny Barringer (Colorado)
4. Anna Willard (Nike)
5. Erin Donohue (Nike)
6. Treniere Clement (Nike)
7. Lauren Centrowitz (Stanford)
8. Brenda Martinez (Cal-Riverside)
9. Shalane Flanagan (Nike)
10. Heidi Dahl (East Tennessee State)

Analysis: The women’s 1,500m run was the best middle-distance race of the whole weekend.  Christin Wurth-Thomas made a gutsy move, pushing the pace at 600m and gaining a sizeable lead (35-40 meters) heading into the final lap, before Shannon Rowbury pushed hard, caught her and went on to win her second consecutive national title.  Rowbury retakes the top spot in the rankings, showing why she’s one of the best in the world.  The trio of Rowbury, Wurth-Thomas and Anna Willard create quite the group of Americans for the World Championships.

Men’s 3,000m Steeplechase

1. Josh McAdams (New Balance)
2. Dan Huling (Reebok)
3. Anthony Famiglietti (Saucony)
4. Kyle Alcorn (Nike)
5. Kyle Perry (BYU)
6. Ben Bruce (OTC)
7. Tom Kloos (Transports)
8. Ryan Warrenburg (ZAP Fitness)
9. Billy Nelson (OTC)
10. Aaron Aguayo (Nike)

Analysis: With perennial favorite Anthony Famiglietti opting out of the steeplechase this year in favor of the 5k, the men’s steeple race was wide open.  However, champion Josh McAdams and runner-up Dan Huling made sure the pace was fast, but raced smart, letting Olympian Billy Nelson do much of the early work, then shifting gears with three laps to go and pulling away from the field.  Veteran Tom Kloos moves into the rankings, as well as Ryan Warrenburg, both having very solid weekend performances.

Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase

1. Jenny Barringer (Colorado)
2. Anna Willard (Nike)
3. Nicole Bush (Michigan State)
4. Bridget Franek (Penn State)
5. Lindsey Anderson (Nike)
6. Mel Lawrence (Washington)
7. Lisa Galaviz (Nike)
8. Lindsay Allen (adidas)
9. Delilah DiCrescenzo (Puma)
10. Amanada Lorenzen (unattached)

Analysis: Surprise, surprise, Barringer and Willard remain on top.  Top five finishes for both athletes at the World Championships might be possible, especially considering how fast they’ve run in off events this season.  The unfortunate incident of Nicole Bush breaking her foot coming off a barrier that was six inches too high remains the largest disappointment of the U.S. Championships, while Bridget Franek placed third, a spot higher than her NCAA performance.

Men’s 5,000m Run

1. Bernard Lagat (Nike)
2. Matt Tegenkamp (Nike)
3. Chris Solinsky (Nike)
4. Evan Jager (Nike)
5. Bolota Asmerom (Nike)
6. German Fernandez (Oklahoma State)
7. Anthony Famiglietti (Saucony)
8. Jonathon Riley (Nike)
9. Galen Rupp (Oregon)
10. Sean Quigley (Puma)

Analysis: The KIMbia/Jerry Schumacher contingent came up huge at the U.S. Championships, placing 1-2-3-6-7-9.  That’s right, six athletes were represented by KIMbia, while four (including the top three) were all coached by Schumacher.  This just proves that group training works best with U.S. runners.  Evan Jager came up huge with his third place performance, moving way up the rankings, while Bolota Asmerom had a great showing in fourth, missing a world championship spot, but vaulting up the rankings.  Matt Tegenkamp and Chris Solinsky both showed they have the finish kick this year to run big in Berlin later this summer.

Women’s 5,000m Run

1. Kara Goucher (Nike)
2. Jenny Barringer (Colorado)
3. Jen Rhines (adidas)
4. Shalane Flanagan (Nike)
5. Shannon Rowbury (Nike)
6. Angela Bizzarri (Illinois)
7. Julie Culley (NYAC)
8. Rebecca Donaghue (New Balance)
9. Amy Yoder-Begley (Nike)
10. Racheal Marchand (unattached)

Analysis: While a stacked 5,000m race would have been one to watch over the weekend, that was not the case, but it was still a great race to be seen.  Rebecca Donaghue did much of the pace work, making the race what it was.  Illinois standout Angela Bizzarri came up big off of her NCAA championship performance, placing third overall and giving her a shot to chace the “A” or “B” standard now.  Goucher won’t run the 5k in Berlin, but showed why she’s a player in the 5k/10k/marathon no matter what the situation.

Men’s 10,000m Run

1. Galen Rupp (Oregon)
2. Dathan Ritzenhein (Nike)
3. Tim Nelson (Nike)
4. James Carney (New Balance)
5. Abdi Abdirahman (Nike)
6. Ed Moran (Nike)
7. Meb Keflezighi (Nike)
8. Jorge Torres (Reebok)
9. Patrick Smyth (unattached)
10. Josh Rohatinsky (Nike)

Analysis: This race was a nailbiter, not for who won, but rather for the spots behind first and second.  Dathan Ritzenhein proved that he is a contender once again in the 10k, running to a second place finish behind Galen Rupp, who won his first outdoor 10k title.  Tim Nelson showed why he’ll be a factor in every race he runs with his third place performance, while no runner showed more guts than James Carney, who placed fourth and moved way up this week’s rankings.

Women’s 10,000m Run

1. Amy Yoder-Begley (Nike)
2. Shalane Flanagan (Nike)
3. Kara Goucher (Nike)
4. Katie McGregor (Reebok)
5. Magdalena Lewy-Boulet (unattached)
6. Molly Huddle (unattached)
7. Rebecca Donaghue (New Balance)
8. Amy Hastings (adidas)
9. Desiree Davila (Brooks)
10. Serena Burla (RIADHA)

Analysis: Amy Yoder-Begley beat Shalane Flanagan to win the women’s 10,000m title last Thursday.  That might have been the biggest surprise of the whole weekend in the distance events.  Yoder-Begley showed tremendous strength and speed over the final 600 meters, while Flanagan showed she might not be in the same shape she was last season at this time.  With so few athletes running a 10k prior to the U.S. Championships, some new names pop up on this week’s list, including Molly Huddle (6th) and Serena Burla (10th).  Katie McGregor showed once again why she’s one of the best in the country, placing third and taking the final Team USA spot.