30-09-2011, 03:23 PM
MINNEAPOLIS ââ¬â In the final combined menââ¬â¢s and womenââ¬â¢s U.S. championship before the 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon, Sundayââ¬â¢s USA 10 Mile Championships will see a unique matchup between many of the contenders looking to make the Olympic marathon squad this coming January.
Using a handicap format that will see the women start ahead of the men, the first U.S. athlete to cross the finish line ââ¬â woman or man ââ¬â will earn an additional $10,000 in an exciting new feature for the 2011 edition of the Medtronic TC 10 Mile.
Among the menââ¬â¢s contenders will be four-time 10-mile champion Abdi Abdirahman (Tucson, Ariz.) but heââ¬â¢ll have to face 2011 USA 10 km and 5 km champion Ben True (Hanover, N.H.), 2011 USA Half Marathon champion Mohamed Trafeh (Duarte, Calif.), 2-time USA 25 km champion Fernando Cabada (Nederland, Colo.), and 2011 5 km and 8 km runner-up Aaron Braun (Flagstaff, Ariz.).
Leading the womenââ¬â¢s field will be defending champion and hometown favorite Katie McGregor but, like Abdirahman, she will face a strong field that includes 2008 Olympic marathoner Blake Russell (Pacific Grove, Calif.), 2011 USA Half Marathon runner-up Serena Burla (Falls Church, Va.), 2011 USA 25 km champion Molly Pritz (Williamsport, Pa.), 2011 USA 5 km champion Julie Culley (Lebanon, N.J.), and 2011 NCAA Division II 10,0000m champion Sarah Porter (Blowing Rock, N.C.).
Using a handicap format that will see the women start ahead of the men, the first U.S. athlete to cross the finish line ââ¬â woman or man ââ¬â will earn an additional $10,000 in an exciting new feature for the 2011 edition of the Medtronic TC 10 Mile.
Among the menââ¬â¢s contenders will be four-time 10-mile champion Abdi Abdirahman (Tucson, Ariz.) but heââ¬â¢ll have to face 2011 USA 10 km and 5 km champion Ben True (Hanover, N.H.), 2011 USA Half Marathon champion Mohamed Trafeh (Duarte, Calif.), 2-time USA 25 km champion Fernando Cabada (Nederland, Colo.), and 2011 5 km and 8 km runner-up Aaron Braun (Flagstaff, Ariz.).
Leading the womenââ¬â¢s field will be defending champion and hometown favorite Katie McGregor but, like Abdirahman, she will face a strong field that includes 2008 Olympic marathoner Blake Russell (Pacific Grove, Calif.), 2011 USA Half Marathon runner-up Serena Burla (Falls Church, Va.), 2011 USA 25 km champion Molly Pritz (Williamsport, Pa.), 2011 USA 5 km champion Julie Culley (Lebanon, N.J.), and 2011 NCAA Division II 10,0000m champion Sarah Porter (Blowing Rock, N.C.).