Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile is a Great Day at the Races
Thrillingly close finishes mark both pro races at 30th running
New York, September 26, 2010—Thousands of runners ranging in age from 8 to 91 dashed down New York’s most famous thoroughfare today at the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile.
For the world-class runners who ran like the wind in invitational heats to the thousands who showed their stuff in a dozen all-comers heats, the event was a great way to test speed and fortitude over 5,280 feet of prime Manhattan real estate. It was the 30th running of the Fifth Avenue Mile, an event inaugurated in 1981 by New York Road Runners to give middle-distance stars a chance to shine on the streets of NYC.
Shannon Rowbury of the United States and Amine Laalou of Morocco won hotly contested professional races. Rowbury (4:24.12) defended her 2009 title with a surge in the final meters that relegated fellow Americans Sara Hall to second place (4:24.34) and Erin Donohue to third (4:24.40). Laalou, competing in New York City for the first time, ran 3:52.83 to beat out 2007 double world champion Bernard Lagat of the United States, who finished second (3:53.30), and defending champion Andy Baddeley of Great Britain (3:53.34), who was third.
“I knew coming out today that I was going to have to bring every game I had,” said Rowbury, 26, the reigning World Championships 1500m bronze medalist. “We have such a talented group of American middle-distance women right now. I’m proud to be a part of it and it makes me a better athlete.”
Laalou, 28, who ran a mile personal best of 3:50.22 earlier this year, dedicated his victory to his first child, a daughter born earlier this month. “New York is a wonderful city,” he said through a translator. “I would love to come here again.”
The race showed a fine return to form for American mile record-holder Alan Webb, who finished fourth in 3:53.72. The 27-year-old had Achilles tendon surgery earlier this year and moved to Portland, OR, to train under Alberto Salazar. “This was a big-boy race here today, and I’m just really glad I was in it,” said Webb.
The swiftest NYRR members took part in the NYRR Road Mile Championships, an invitational event for local competitive athletes. Buzunesh Deba of the Bronx and the West Side Runners (WSX) led from gun to tape in the women’s race, finishing in 4:42.36. Lesley Higgins of Manhattan and the New York Athletic Club took second (4:46.05) and her teammate Megan Guiney was third (4:50.15). Amazingly, Deba is in the thick of marathon training and will run the ING New York City Marathon on November 7. The men’s title went to Bado Worku Merdessa of the Bronx and WSX, who broke the tape in 4:06.98. Christopher Spooner of the Central Park Track Club New Balance (CPTC) was second (4:07.82) and Philadelphia’s Korey Edwards placed third (4:10.25).
Notable age-group winners included Alberto Rivera of WSX, who topped the 8-14 division in 4:51, and Sid Howard of CPTC, who defended his 70+ division title in 5:50 after tough battle with Minnesota’s Thom Weddle.
“I’ve run this race 28 years in a row,” said Howard, a coach with NYRR Team for Kids. “At three-quarters of a mile I said ‘I gotta go—it’s my town, it’s my race.’”
For archived video of all heats, visit www.nyrr.org.
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