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Alicia Shay on her way to victory at the 2007 USA 20k Championships in New Haven, Connecticut.
By Madeleine Marecki
The ride in the back of the women's lead vehicle got a little rough at times, what with navigating between runners and spectators on the streets of New Haven, so apologies in advance for some missing times and splits (it should be noted that times and splits are rough estimates). The following is a brief recap of the action at the USA 20k Championships.
We picked up the lead women just after mile 2. The trio of Kate O'Neill, Elva Dryer, and Alicia Shay are running together, and Rebecca Donaghue is just a few meters back. At miles 3 and 4, the O'Neill, Dryer, and Shay are still running stride for stride, and the group puts some distance on Donaghue. The trio rolls through mile 4 at 21:07, while Donaghue is 15 seconds back at 21:22. At this point, O'Neill assumes front running duties, with Dryer and then Shay in tow. Less than a half mile into the mile 4, O'Neill and Dryer start to drop Shay. O'Neill and Dryer are running alongside each other and come through mile 5 at 26:21 - splitting a 5:17 - while Shay comes through about five seconds later.
Dryer then takes the lead, with O'Neill running directly behind her. Shay falls off the quick early pace. At mile 6, the two leaders come through at 31:50, splitting 5:20. However, Shay somehow works herself back into contention and rejoins the group within the sixth mile. O'Neill again takes the front while Dryer and Shay run alongside each other, behind O'Neill.
Now the decisive move of the race: Shay surges on the leaders at mile 7 and puts about 100 meters on Dryer and O'Neill within that seventh mile. Shay splits mile 7 in what we think must be a sub-5 mile, or at least very close to one; we were splitting off of the early leaders (Dryer and O'Neill), and Shay checks in at 5:05 (therefore, she is faster since she was behind). Shay then comes through mile 8 at 42:24, splitting a 5:30. She has 15 seconds on Dryer and O'Neill, who check in at 42:39. Shay is running completely alone at this point.
By mile 9, Shay has put 200 meters between herself and her two pursuers. She hits mile 9 in 47:51, splitting 5:25. About 2:50 into mile 9, she glances over her shoulder as she rounds a turn to check on her competition. Shay clocks in at 53:27 at mile 10; her split is 5:38. But it's time for her favorite part of the course - the downhill. Shay looks completely in control and pulls her form back together after completing the uphill climb. She splits mile 11 in 5:30 and mile 12 in 5:34 and cruises home in 1:06:56. Dryer closes hard but doesn't have enough to catch Shay; she finishes second in 1:07:18. O'Neill takes third in 1:08:04.
2007 Stratton Faxon New Haven 20k Road Race results
Posted by at 7:41 p.m. | Tags: Race Reports, Race Results