LIBBIE
HICKMAN WINS AGAIN AT TUFTS
Boston MA
Monday, October 11
Libbie Hickman outran Colleen DeReuck and Jane Ngotho to win her second straight USATF National 10K Road Championship at the Tufts 10K in Boston on October 11. Hickman patiently ran among the leaders until the final mile on a windy day over a course which ran along the Charles River and Boston streets. Her 32:48 clocking gave her 14 seconds on DeReuck at the tape, and gave her a bookend to the track 10K title won in Eugene in June. The 23rd annual Columbus Day race for women, sponsored by the Tufts Health Plan and organized by Conventures, had over 5100 finishers.
Runners appeared cautious in the opening mile (5:35), not wanting to challenge a swirling wind and potential headwinds along the wide open roads paralleling the river. At least 25 were together at the first checkpoint, though by two miles the clique was down to about 15 and much more tightly bunched with the Coloradan comfortably in the middle of the crowd.
The initial move was made around the first of two hairpin turns, and the leaders were down to five as they passed 5K; Hickman, Ngotho, DeReuck, Jane Omoro, and Elfinish Alemu. A chase pack of 9 stretched back 50 meters. The same group was together at U turn two, and as they headed across the Mass. Ave. Bridge.
Half way across, Alemu fell off pace, with Omoro also down by three smoots by the end of the span (a smoot being the length of a standard MIT freshman whose body was used to measure the bridge several decades ago). Down Commonwealth Ave - five miles in 26:45 - the leaders ran three across rather than in single file, waiting for a move. The press truck left the trio to join the crowd at the finish line.
The final sprint is 300 meters down Charles Street, and at the turn onto Charles, the announcer couldn't tell which of Hickman or DeReuck was in the lead. Both being the same height, sporting the same Nike uniforms, and having similarly coiffed blond hair, it took til the final 100 meters to announce that Hickman would be the event's fourth multi-time winner.
With her win, the two time champion also annexed the win 1999 USA Running Circuit crown; her 46 points edged both Chris McNamara and Kim Pawalek by four points, neither of whom ran. McNamara was in fact entered, but spent the night at Mass. General Hospital with a possible kidney infection.
Judi St.Hilaire was among the leaders for the first two miles, in fact leading the group at the first split. She continued her comeback from injuries after two years away from racing by winning the masters division in 34:14, 14 seconds ahead of Kim Jones.
Spokeswoman for the series, Joan Benoit-Samuelson, decided to test her fitness (though anytime Joan is ready for a test she is ready to run) and finished fifth master.
| Top ten placers/10 US: | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Libbie Hickman | 32:49 ($2400 open + $3400 USA Champs) |
| 2 | Colleen DeReuck (RSA) | 32:55 ($1650 open) |
| 3 | Jane Ngotho (KEN) | 33:02 ($1400 open) |
| 4 | Jane Omoro (KEN) | 33:08 ($1150 open) |
| 5 | Lieve Slegers (BEL?) | 33:38 ($900 open) |
| 6 | Elfinesh Alemu (ETH) | 33:41 |
| 7 | Albina Gallyamova (RUS) | 33:46 |
| 8 | 2 US - Liz Wilson | 33:50 ($2150) |
| 9 | 3 US - Joan Nesbit | 33:57 ($1650) |
| 10 | 4 US - Blake Phillips-Russell | 34:02 ($1400) |
| 11 | 5 US - Kim Fitchen | 34:09 ($1150) |
| 12 | 6 US - Donna Garcia | 34:12 ($900) |
| 13 | 7 US 1-40 - Judi St.Hilaire | 34:14 ($700 + $650 Mast) |
| 15 | 8 US 2-40 Kim Jones | 34:28 ($600 + $400 Mast) |
| 17 | 9 US Jenny Crain | 34:43 ($500) |
| 18 | 10 US 4-40 Carmen Trancoso | 34:46 ($400) |
| National Team: | New Balance | $350 |
| Association Team: | B.A.A. | $350 |
| 10 places of US prize money | ||
| USARC scoring: | |
|---|---|
| Hickman | 46 |
| McNamara & Pawelek | 42 |
| Jennings | 37 |
| Nesbit | 35 |
| Phillips-Russell | 33 |
| Steeley | 32 |
| Wilson | 18 |
| 3 at 15 | |
