Saturday was a busy race day, from the pros on the track and roads, to the trails long (High Lonesome 100) and shorter (Footprints for Hopi 10K).
Here’s a recap:
— At the USATF Road 8K championships in Tennessee, contested at night under the streetlights, no one shined brighter than two Flagstaff-based runners, Hoka NAZ Elite’s Ahmed Muhumed and Hoka’s Rachel Smith.
Muhumed won the men’s title in a close sprint to the finish with former Oklahoma State star Isai Rodriguez, winning by one second — 22:26. It was an impressive showing for Muhumed, who just concluded racing in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe (notching three personal bests) and flew directly to Tennessee for the race.
In the women’s race, Smith, who runs for her husband Mike Smith’s Flagstaff-based team, battled in the first 4K with Emma Grace Hurley but pulled away to beat Hurley by 17 seconds in 25:40. It was Smith’s second USATF circuit victory of the year; she previously won the 15K road title in March. Last week, she finished fifth in the 6K race.
Other Flagstaff-based runners in the top 10: Biya Simbassa (sixth, men, 22:58); NAZ Elite’s Stephanie Bruce (seventh, 26:31).
— On the track, in the Sound Running Sunset Meet in Los Angeles Saturday night, Flagstaff’s Nikki Hiltz led the 800 meters wire-to-wire to win in 1:59.42, sporting a 58-second final lap. Hiltz doubled back later in the 1,500, but they finished third in 4:404.27 in what could’ve been just a workout after the 800.
It was redemption time for Dark Sky Distance steeplechaser Isaac Updike, who finished 12th in the Olympic Trials after dealing with long Covid symptoms. He showed much better form Saturday, overtaking Duncan Hamilton in the final 200 meters to win in 8:19.11, including a 61-second final lap.
The women’s steeple was won wire-to-wire by Dark Sky’s Angelina Ellis in 9:42.86. Flagstaff’s Emma Gee was fourth in 9:56.68.
The women’s 5,000 meters saw Katelyn Tuohy dominate. in 15:07. Former NAU runner Gracelyn Larkin finished sixth in 15:35.53, while former teammate Annika Reiss was ninth in 15:44.25. McKirdy Trained’s Angie Nickerson placed 11th in 15:59.32.
Earlier in L.A., Dark Sky’s Ben Veatch placed fourth (3:40.25) and former NAU runner Theo Quax sixth (3:40.79) in heat 2 of the 1,500 meters. In heat 2 of the women’s 1,500, Dark Sky’s Alicia Cridebring placed fifth in 4:16.23.
— At the Diamond League London, the final major international race before the Olympics, there was good news and bad for Under Armour Dark Sky Distance.
The good: Edwin Kurgat, prepping for the Olympics, finished third in an uber-competitive 3,000 meters in a personal best of 7:28.53, behind only Switzerland’s Dominic Lobalu’s meet record 7:27.68 and Grant Fisher’s 7:27.99.
The not-so-good news: Dark Sky’s Neil Gourley, on his home track, was tripped (almost body slammed, actually) in the Mile and tumbled to the track. He did not finish. Gourley later said on Instagram that he came out of the incident unscathed. His Dark Sky teammate, Vince Ciattei, remained upright but had a rough day, finishing 12th in 3:52:54 — a personal best, but not up to par with what he’s run this summer.
— In the 1,500 meters at the Flanders Cup in Ninove, Dark Sky went 1-2 in the 1,500 meters with Kasey Knevelbaard winning in 3:35.68 and Jack Anstey in second in 3:36.01. Abe Alvarado of Dark Sky was eighth in3:37.92. On the women’s side, Dark Sky’s Adva Cohen placed fifth in 4:09.94.
— Over in Billings, Montana, at the annual Big Sky State Games, NAU’s Hayley Burns (originally from Bozeman) beat Lumberjacks teammate Odessa Zentz (originally from Helena), 4:55.79 to 5:01.01.
— Turning to the trails, at the High Lonesome 100 Mile Run in Colorado, Flagstaff’s Jeff Browning, in his first race since finishing second at the Cocodona 250 in May, placed fourth in 21 hours 49 minutes 03 seconds. He was five minutes out from making the podium. Remember, at 52, Browning was at least 13 years older than the three runners ahead of him.
On the women’s side, Flagstaff sisters Sarah and Melissa Ostaszewski placed third and fifth. Sarah finished in 24:56:47; Melissa in 27:27:02. The other Flagstaff runners at High Lonesome, Ryan Kiewiet, finished 16th overall in 25:46:52.
— At the Speedgoat 50K in Utah, Flagstaff’s Joey DeFeo finished 16th in 6 hours 11 minutes 5 seconds.
— Meanwhile, at the Footprints for Hopi 10 at Fort Tuthill County Park, Flagstaff runners swept the podium in the men’s race. Elite marathoner Hosava Kretzmann (see feature story on the home page) won in 36:31, followed by his training partner Joshua Ramirez at 39:18. Third place (and first masters) went to Flagstaff’s Nick Arciniaga at 39:43.
The top woman was 29-year-old Katie Avery, from Bonita Springs, Fla., who covered the course in 44:33. Avery is a member of the elite Florida Track Club. Second place (and first masters) went to Flagstaff’s Katie McGee in 46:16, while Flag’s Addison Peak rounded out the podium in 48:13.
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