Fine weekend for US runners

If you didn't know. I love running. I love to run and I love to watch and read about elite athletes running. This past weekend was so great for elite running.

The weekend started with the Oregon Preview at Hayward Field in Eugene on Saturday. Some of my favorite track athletes had a great day at the Oregon Preview. Geena Gall, former University of Michigan runner who now runs with the Oregon Track Club, won the women's 1500 meter run in 4:18.12. Nicole Blood, another OTC runner, finished third in 4:26.80. In the women's 2000 meter steeplechase, Bridget Franek, former Penn State athlete who is also with the OTC, won in 6:25.31.

After running 32 miles on Sunday, I watched the replay of the 2011 NYC Half Marathon. Both the men's and women's races were exciting. Especially the finishes. Galen Rupp had a wonderful debut in the half marathon. During the race, Rupp clipped Peter Kamais and both of them fell. He was so close to the win, but ultimately finished third. Britain's Mo Farah, Rupp's training partner in Oregon, won the half marathon by outsprinting the New York City Marathon 2010 champion Gebre Gabremariam in the final 200 meters to finish in 1:00.23. Gebremariam was second with a time of 1:00.25 and Rupp third in 1:00.30. Caroline Rotich of Kenyan won the NYC Half Marathon in 1:08.52. The 2010 NYC Marathon winner Edna Kiplagat finished second in 1:09.0 and Kara Goucher finished third in 1:09.03.

Also on Sunday was the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain. Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot of Kenya won the 8K race in 24:58, Linet Chepkwemio Masa, also from Kenya, finished second in 25:07. Shalane Flanagan of the United States finished third in 25:10. Flanagan became the first non-African born medalist in the even since 2004. With Flanagan's third place finish and the finishes of fellow Americans Molly Huddle (17th), Magdalena Lewy-Bouler (18th), Blake Russell (20th), Alisa McKaig (28th) and Lisa Koll (40th) the United States finished third as a team with 57 points. Kenya and Ethiopia were first and second.

In the junior girls 6K race at the World Cross Country Championships, Stanford bound Aisling Cuffe finished 17th in 20:15 and University of Washington's Katie Flood finished 19th in 20:17. Can't wait to see Cuffe and Flood battle it out on the PAC-10 course this fall. Should be some exciting races to come.

Photo Credit: Associated Press/Juan Jose Ubeda