Jen Rhines 9th at USATF 10-Mile Championship

Katie McGregor won the 10-mile USA road title today in Minneapolis, on her "home" course. Jen Rhines came ninth, some 80 seconds behind McGregor. Accounts of the race indicate that Jen was running with a breakaway group of three (along with McGregor and Renee Metivier) through the 3-mile mark, but she couldn't live with the pace and fell out the back. By five miles she was some 40 meters in arrears and running in no-man's land. She was soon swallowed by the chase pack and was beaten by a number of women who are, frankly speaking, not in her class. It's been a tough year for the three-time Olympian. Her season peaked with her second-place finish (behind McGregor) at the USA 15K championship in March at the Gate River Run (where she came home some 70 seconds ahead of Metivier). Some consolation can be taken from the fact that it's not an Olympic year and there is plenty of time to regain the type of fitness necessary to make a serious run at her fourth olympic team next summer.

The video interview above took place the day before the race, and Jen states that her next race will be the USA 10K championship, which this year will be the Tufts Health Plan 10K in Boston on October 11. Last year's Tufts 10K was won by Molly Huddle, in 32:07.

Official results

1. Katie McGregor 54:21
2. Renee Metivier Baillie 54:37
3. Alissa McKaig 55:18
4. Meghan Armstrong 55:20
5. Sally Meyerhoff 55:22
6. Erin Nehus-Vergara 55:26
7. Katherine Newberry 55:29
8. Stephanie Lucke 55:36
9. Jennifer Rhines 55:41
10. Kristen Fryburg-Zaitz 56:05