Fast Women: Kara Goucher and Des Linden work to save the 10,000
Grand Slam Track is on a good trajectory.
Issue 349, sponsored by Bombas
Cailie Hughes earns a dramatic win; Kara Goucher and Des Linden put together a quality event
Concerned with the lack of racing opportunities for 10,000m runners, Kara Goucher and Des Linden started kicking around the idea of hosting a race themselves last year. And in November, when the Night of 10,000 PBs announced their event would not take place in 2025, Goucher and Linden decided it was time to act.
Though Save the 10,000 with Des and Kara ultimately wasn’t what Linden and Goucher originally envisioned, they put on an excellent event. And in the process, they created a blueprint for the way long distance races should be covered and did a fantastic job of supporting and celebrating the athletes who did show up.
Leading up to the race, the pair put out a podcast episode that offered a behind-the-scenes look at what went into organizing the event, which was held at Mt. San Antonio College’s stadium in Walnut, California. Along with the event’s director, Trevor Rhodes, they discussed the many ways they had to change course throughout the process, as well as all of the pieces that go into organizing an event, most of which they had no experience with.
They said that they did quite a bit of hustling to attract some of the top names to the event and put together appearance packages for them. “I think we pulled out all of the stops to try to get these folks—bringing in pace lights, offering to bring in pacers,” Linden said. “And it didn’t quite fit the schedule for most people.” “Everybody,” Goucher replied with a laugh.
“Whether that’s the TEN, a spring marathon, the 5K road championships, or being dinged up, we’ve heard one of everything and that’s okay,” Linden continued. “For me personally, there was about a week and a half where I was like, ‘Let’s just freaking cancel this. Like obviously the 10K doesn’t need to be saved. These people feel very comfortable about their position going into Worlds.’”
Two of the headliners for the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Lemlem Hailu and Asayech Ayichew, were late scratches. Mexico’s Laura Galvan was also initially announced as part of the field, but she, too, was a no show.
Rhodes said they had so few men at one point that they considered scrapping the men’s race. But they ultimately went through with it, in part because they did have athletes who were excited about showing up. And they focused on giving them the best experience possible. That included a race week announcement that anyone who finished the race would earn $1,000. They funded the race through sponsors, a live podcast, donations, and a virtual race, which nearly 1,800 people signed up for.
The race itself was dramatic. Great Britain’s Jess Warner-Judd initially set out on her own, but then she got reeled in by Katie Izzo in the third mile before stepping off the track a little past four miles. (Warner-Judd was diagnosed with focal epilepsy last year, and I haven’t heard any updates regarding what happened or how she’s doing. Goucher did say she was back on her feet before the race was over.)
Izzo spent much of the race on her own, and once she passed Warner-Judd, it looked like she might sail to a win. But in the final mile, her pace started to lag, while Cailie Hughes got a second wind. Hughes closed hard, caught Izzo with less than 600m to go, and went on to win in 32:21.54, just a couple seconds off of her PR, in spite of the rainy conditions. Izzo finished second in 32:30.75.
Hughes, 26, struggled at The TEN in March, running 33:24.30, but hopefully her updated season’s best will be enough to get her into the USATF Outdoor Championships at the end of July. She’s a second-year pro for Puma and Minnesota Distance Elite and this was her first pro win.
Izzo said after the race that she had been planning to run the 10,000m at the Track Fest in a few weeks, but the meet will no longer have a 10,000, so she flew back from the Adizero Road to Records event on Sunday, after racing the 5K there and did a quick turnaround to race again.
Dani Polerecky finished third in 32:37.67, and Elena Hayday was fourth in 32:50.54. Ethiopia’s Atsede Tesema was fifth (32:50.89), and thanks to the broadcast, I know that Sophie King (whom I featured in 2023) ran a huge PR to take sixth in 33:02.16.
Hughes earned $5,000 for the win, and the race also offered bonuses for the athletes with the fastest final 400m, 800m, and those who could run the strongest negative splits. Hughes swept all of those categories as well, earning another $3,000.
Though I wouldn’t blame Goucher or Linden if they never wanted to host another race after this one, there were many things they did well. They highlighted their sponsors and used those partnerships creatively. The bonuses were a great idea. And with help from Trey Hardee and Clayton Young, they did an excellent job of covering the race.
Event after event has shown how difficult it is to get a lot of people to show up for most track meets in the U.S., especially those that don’t include high school kids. The crowd was small but enthusiastic. A lot of the pieces are now in place if Goucher and Linden decide they want to build on this in the future. Most of all, kudos to them for identifying a problem and doing something about it.
(You can watch a replay of the event for free, thanks to Brooks, and the results are here. Goucher also discussed where her love of the 10,000m comes from in another pre-event podcast.)
Bombas is back — Thanks to Bombas for supporting Fast Women (+ sharing their newest innovation!)
It’s easier to beat your personal best when you feel your personal best. That’s why I was excited to put the newest innovation from our sponsor Bombas to the test: their brand-new Compression Sleeve.
Just like normal compression socks, the sleeve helps you bounce back from workouts faster. They’re perfect for more intense training sessions and strenuous runs — and keep your legs supported and energized during times you need to wear specialized footwear or go barefoot. I can attest that they’re breathable and stay right where you want them.
If you prefer the OG, Bombas makes standard Compression Socks with the same benefits and are great for travel (or a long day of sitting and writing newsletters.)
As always, Bombas donates an item to those facing homelessness for each item purchased. Use code FASTWOMEN21 to get 21% off your first order at Bombas.com. If you’re a returning customer, use FASTWOMEN15 for 15% off. One use per customer, offer expires 06/30/2025.
Masai Russell sets the tone for a great Slam in Miami
I know Grand Slam Track is all about head-to-head matchups, with a focus on racing not time, but it was also really cool to see Masai Russell kick off the Miami Slam with an American record in the 100m hurdles. The competition was great, too. Russell ran 12.17, the second-fastest time a woman has ever run, and she had Tia Jones (second in 12.19, No. 3 all-time) hot on her heels.
But it was Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent who won the short hurdles group, by finishing third in the hurdles and coming back the next day with a win in the 100m. Russell finished second in the Slam, one point back, after taking fourth in the 100m.
The short distance group featured some excellent racing, especially in the 1500m. Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu, who recently won the World indoor 3,000m title and was a challenger here, held off Nikki Hiltz to win, 4:06.96 to 4:07.08. Hiltz closed better than anyone, but they were in a tough position heading into the homestretch.
After finishing last in the 1500m, Kenya’s Mary Moraa won the 800m the following day (1:59.51). Hiltz ran down Hailu this time, taking second (1:59.75) to Hailu’s third (1:59.84). But because a win is worth 12 points and second place is worth eight points, Hailu’s 1–3 finish beat out Hiltz’s 2–2 finish, and she won the Slam, earning $100,000.
Hiltz finished second for the second Slam in a row, earning $50,000. They have to be gaining some confidence as they’ve consistently been able to hang with some of the best runners in the world.
The long distance group was a little more interesting this time. Fresh off her women’s-only world record in the 10K, Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich won the 5,000m in an exciting sprint finish, edging out Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa, 14:25.80 to 14:25.92. Two days later, the 3,000m was even better, as it came down to a four-woman sprint. Ethiopia’s Hirut Meshesha won (8:22.72), Eisa was second (8:23.08), Ngetich was third (8:23.14), and Ethiopia’s Tsige Gebreselama was fourth (8:24.47). And Ngetich’s 1–3 finish was good enough to earn her her first Slam win, after finishing second in Kingston.
The thing that stood out to me most about Grand Slam Track’s second stop was how much the broadcast and the commentary improved. There’s still room for further improvement, but it was nice to see the team course correct in that way. I still think the broadcast is too long; that’s something that’s probably hard to adjust mid-season. After day one, I found myself muting it and tuning back in for the races and athlete features, but most of what I saw was good.
And after complaints about the results last time, they made results with splits available this time. I’m happy to see them accepting feedback and quickly making changes.
Despite some thrilling performances on the track, the biggest headlines to come out of the event centered around Fred Kerley being arrested for allegedly punching hurdler Alaysha Johnson at the meet hotel the day before the competition began. The two dated for a stretch last year. She finished sixth in the 100m hurdles on Friday before withdrawing from Saturday’s 100m. If the allegations prove to be true, I hope he’s not welcome back at Grand Slam Track. (1500m replay | 800m replay | 100m hurdles replay | short sprints 200m replay | 400m hurdles replay)
Josette Andrews wins the USATF 5K Championships
Despite the late news that the World Athletics Road Running Championships were canceled, which meant that Saturday’s USATF 5K Championships would no longer be a qualifying event, many of the original entrants still showed up to race. The event took place in Indianapolis, in conjunction with the 500 Festival Mini Marathon.
Josette Andrews made a big move shortly before 3K and pulled away to win her first national title in 15:06. She earned $7,000 for the win, and it came a week after she won the Penn Relays 1500m in 4:01.76. She had a rough year last year due to injury, so it’s been great to see her running so well again. Bailey Hertenstein of the Union Athletics Club finished second in 15:16, and it was also great to see Courtney Frerichs take third (15:18) in only her second race back after major surgery last year.
Abby Nichols (fourth, 15:23), Allie Buchalski (fifth, also 15:23), Katie Camarena (sixth, 15:25), defending champion Annie Rodenfels (seventh, 15:33), Katie Wasserman (eighth, 15:34), Dani Jones (ninth, 15:35), and Bethany Hasz (10th, 15:37) rounded out the top 10. (Results)
Other News and Links
It’s been apparent for a while that Parker Valby has been dealing with an injury, but she has remained silent on the matter so far. She initially entered The TEN at the end of March, but she withdrew in advance. Her camp has clearly wanted to keep the details under wraps, but last week, her father, Kyle Valby, told Jonathan Gault (LetsRun link) that “she had a little bit of an injury…but everything is fine.” The article didn’t tell me anything new, but it’s the first public confirmation of the injury that I’ve seen. I understand the desire for privacy, because Valby deals with so much more scrutiny than most new pros do. When she made an appearance at a youth track workout in Boston at the beginning of April, her legs were never on camera, but I was told at the time that she was in a walking boot.
Unless they are also fast runners or stand out in some other way, I am pretty clueless about who most running influencers are. I didn’t know who Kate Mackz was until she interviewed Tim Walz last year. And I didn’t think about her again until last week, when she posted a video with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and pissed off a lot of people. If you haven’t followed this and want to quickly catch up, Olivia Craighead summarized the situation in this article for The Cut. In a recent post, Heather Cox Richardson briefly touched on the ways the current administration is using influencers to push its agenda. I never imagined running influencers would be a part of that, but here we are.
Des Linden announced last week that she has a second book on the way. It’s called Turn the Page: Reflections on Running, New Beginnings, and Going Even Longer.
Heather MacLean is part of season three in the Road To TrackTown series, and the first episode that features her is great.
Major shoe brands have helped support the Athletics Integrity Unit’s anti-doping efforts since 2019, but On has now partnered with the organization, which will allow them to add six additional athletes to World Athletics’ Registered Testing Pool this year.
Zoë Rom wrote a good piece about how tariffs, and the current administration’s unpredictable actions, could affect the running industry. I hate that small brands are likely to be hit the hardest. Nike, Adidas, and Puma are among those who signed a letter to the current president last week, asking for a footwear exemption.
I really appreciated the honesty in Colleen Quigley’s latest newsletter. It’s not something I can link to at the moment, but you can subscribe and read older back issues here. She volunteered that she ran so hard at the USATF 1 Mile Championships that she peed herself. This happens to athletes of all levels relatively frequently—I usually only notice it after the fact, in the photos I have taken. (I edit it out or don’t use them.) But I appreciate someone talking about it. She was also honest about the fact that in some ways, being injured is easier, because you’re “safe from the arena” and “don’t have to risk failure.”
On April 26, Adidas gathered many of its athletes in Herzogenaurach, Germany, and they raced each other, as well as the clock. And on May 3, many of Asics’ athletes gathered in Tokyo and did the same. These events are designed to showcase the latest shoe technology, and it’s also a way to guarantee that a given brand’s shoes are the first across the finish line. Shoe companies can do whatever they want with their money, of course, but it’s not my favorite type of racing to follow, and I hope it doesn’t become any more of a trend than it already is. That said, the Tokyo race produced some fast times. Kenya’s Caroline Nyaga won the 5K in 14:19. Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek won the 10K in 30:22. There were three Americans in the field: Emma Grace Hurley took fifth (31:00, a PR), Makena Morley was 12th (32:18), and Makenna Myler was 17th (33:25). It was interesting to see that Betsy Saina, who hasn’t raced in nearly a year, was there but did not race. (Results)
Lucy Jenks and Olivia Morganti have joined the DC-based Enclave.
Lara Rogers, who previously coached Under Armour Mission Run Baltimore Distance is now coaching high level athletes through Neely Gracey’s company, Get Running Coaching.
Additional Results
Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma won the 800m at the Shanghai Diamond League meet, running a national record of 1:56.64. Australia’s Sarah Billings took more than a second off of her PR, running 1:57.83 for second. Addy Wiley took fifth in 1:58.59. (Results) Update: I mistakenly wrote that Wiley was the only American in the field, but Sage Hurta-Klecker finished seventh in a season’s best of 1:59.11. I didn’t watch this race as closely as I would have liked because it took place at the same time as the USATF 5K Championships.
In her last home meet racing for LSU, Michaela Rose ran 1:58.12 for 800m, which is the second-fastest time an NCAA athlete has ever run in-season. Only Athing Mu has run faster (1:57.73). (Results | Replay) The same day, North Florida’s Smilla Kolbe won the East Coast Relays 800m in 1:59.02, which puts her second on that list. (Results)
Late on Sunday night, at the Duke Twilight meet, NC State’s Grace Hartman ran a 13-second personal best of 14:58.11 to win the 5,000m. Until this academic year, Parker Valby was the only woman in the NCAA ever to break 15:00 in the 5,000m. Now five more women have done it. (Results)
At BYU’s Robison Invitational, 4,267 feet above sea level, BYU’s Megan Hunter (2:00.67) and Riley Chamberlain (2:01.01) went 1–2 in the 800m. Lexy Halladay-Lowry won the mile in 4:34.18. (Results) Two days later, on the same track, high school senior Jane Hedengren ran the fastest 800m (2:05.96) and 1600m (4:32.61) by a high school girl on Utah soil. (Results)
Mercy Chelangat of NAZ Elite and Kenya won the 500 Festival Mini Marathon, a half marathon, in 1:10:32. She’s planning to race the Ottawa Marathon in three weeks. (Results)
Jane Bareikis repeated as champion at the Pittsburgh Marathon, winning in 2:36:01. Ethiopia’s Aberu Mekuria Zennebe took second (2:37:03), and Megan O’Neil was third (2:37:30). (Results) Kenya’s Everlyn Kemboi, the 2023 NCAA 10,000m champion for Utah Valley, won the half marathon in 1:10:06, and less than two weeks after racing the Boston Marathon, Steph Bruce won the masters race in 1:14:13. (Results)
Tori Parkinson won the Flying Pig Marathon in 2:40:06. (Results)
Kate Landau-Olmstead, 48, finished an impressive second overall at the Tacoma City Marathon, running 2:42:28. (Results)
On April 26, Alyssa McElheny won the Glass City Marathon in 2:35:38. (Results)
Amber Zimmerman won Philadelphia’s Broad Street Run 10 miler in 54:02. (Results)
Michigan high school senior Emmry Ross won the Track Night NYC 800m in an impressive 2:02.30. (Results)
Megan Eckert set a pending six-day world record at the Six Days of France race, which ended on Sunday. She covered 603.155 miles (970.685K), surpassing Camille Herron’s record from last year by 42.8 miles. She just missed passing the men’s American record of 606.243 miles. She averaged 4.18 miles per hour for six days and six nights, and that includes breaks to sleep, eat, and take care of her other needs.
At the USATF Masters 10K Championships on April 27, both Jan Holmquist, who ran 52:45 at age 80, and Nora Cary, who ran 43:20 at age 70, set American age-group records. (Results)
Podcast Highlights
I thought last week’s episode of Nobody Asked Us, centered on Des Linden’s announcement that she’s done with professional marathoning, was their best one so far. I highly recommend listening. I was interested to hear that Linden paid for the Boston Globe ad herself, by choice. It made me laugh when Linden described the other Americans bowing down to her after the race as “a little extra.” And I appreciated her advice for other pros. I also enjoyed the story of Alysia Montaño tricking Kara Goucher into running 6:20 pace at the Boston 5K. Goucher ran away from Montaño in the last kilometer, which seems like fitting payback. But we’ve only heard one side of the story at this point.
Sharon Lokedi was great on the Ali on the Run Show, and Ali Feller did a good job of bringing out her personality.
I really enjoyed hearing from Jess McClain post-Boston on Fast People. She talked about learning from her experience in New York, running 2:22 at the Boston Marathon, and how her training and fueling has changed now that she’s coached by David Roche. I loved what she had to say about how encouraging Sara Hall was midway through Boston. And listening to her discuss some of the specifics of her work with foster youth and rescue dogs—it’s truly impressive how many different hats she wears.
Lokedi, McClain, and Annie Frisbie all did good post-Boston recap episodes with Citius Mag.
I appreciated how open Emily Venters was about a variety of topics, on I’ll Have Another. She discussed her mental health and other struggles, her plans to start nursing school, her bad fall at the start of the Houston Half Marathon, and she said she hopes to make her marathon debut in the fall of 2026. They discussed the fact that she was entered in the USATF 5K Championships, but she did not wind up running.
Additional Episodes: Amanda Mosborg discussed running a 10-minute PR of 2:37:16 at the Boston Marathon on D3 Glory Days | Anna Gibson on Women of Distance | Sasha Gollish discussed gender equity in sport, among other things, on The Lane 9 Podcast.
I’ve been working pretty much non-stop this past week, so I am all out of words. Thanks so much to Bombas for sponsoring this newsletter, and you can support this newsletter by supporting them. Thanks, also, to eveyone who helps keep this newsletter going with your support via Venmo and Patreon. I hope you all have a good week!
Alison
Sorry, but Addy Wiley was not the only US finisher in the Shanghai Diamond League. Sage Hurta-Klecker was 7th in 1:59.11
https://shanghai.diamondleague.com/programme-results/