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|  Drossin Repeats at Bolder Boulder; Culpepper Second May 28, 2002 Courtesy: Mike Sandrock/Running USA
While the U.S. women were the favorites coming into the 24th
annual Bolder
Boulder, Deena Drossin, Jen Rhines and Colleen De Reuck
shocked
even Team
USA California coach Joe Vigil by racing to a 1-2-4 finish on
their way to a
convincing team victory in the International Team Challenge. Alan
Culpepper's second-place finish to Kenyan Tom Nyariki led the
U.S. to third
in the men's team race. Clint Wells was sixth (30:06) and Scotty
Larson 20th
in 31:04 to give the men 28 points, behind winner Kenya (1-4-5,
10 points)
and Mexico (3-8-13, 24 points). While Culpepper, Wells and
Larson are all
University of Colorado grads and local residents, it was
Drossin's and the
women's win that stirred the large crowd that filled the
University of
Colorado football stadium. Drossin finished the five-loop criterium course up and down
Folsom Avenue in
33:12, thirteen seconds faster than her 2001 winning time. De
Reuck placed
second (33:36), followed by America Mateo of Mexico (33:46).
Rhines, the
third U.S. runner, came in fourth (33:54). Drossin joins Rosa Mota, who won the race three straight years
from 1984-86,
as only the second woman to defend her title in race history.
The U.S.
women's 1-2-4 finish gave them 7 points, far up on Romania (33
with a 7-8-18
finish) and Japan (35 points, 6-13-16). It was a big payday for the Americans, as the three split
$60,000 in team
money ($15,000 for first prize plus $45,000 in U.S. Olympic
training funds).
In addition, Drossin picked up an additional $12,750 for her
win, giving her
$32,750, one of the largest non-marathon paydays. De Reuck won a
total of
$27,500, while Rhines goes home with $23,000. "This was spectacular," said Vigil, coach of Drossin and
Rhines. "As
Americans continue to train together more they begin feeding off
each other
instead of thinking of themselves individually." "These women are the real deal," said race co-founder and
Olympic marathon
gold medalist Frank Shorter. "The U.S. women," added Godfrey Kiprotich, manager of the Kenyan
team, "were
phenomenal; they are in their own class." Drossin, 29, from Mammoth Lakes, Calif. looked in control even
when other
runners were near her in the early going. After a slow first
mile, Drossin
moved to the front of the large lead pack of roughly 20 runners.
On the
second lap along Folsom, Drossin moved to the front as the pack
dwindled
down to the three Americans, Romanians Luminita Talpos, Dita
Constantin and
Alina Gherasim, Kenyan Jane Ngotho and Mexicans Susana Diaz
(wife of
three-time London Marathon winner Dionico Ceron) and America
Mateos. Drossin was in the lead heading into Folsom Field after
completing the
second lap, and as she entered the stadium she turned and spoke
to her
teammates. "I told them 'Let's feed off the crowd,'" Drossin
said. And that the U.S. runners did, surging into the stadium in the
lead and
running a lap around Folsom to a tumultuous ovation. "To me that
was by far
the best feeling and the greatest moment of the day," said
Drossin, "when we
came through in 1, 2, 3. It was truly inspirational. They put
together a
great field here, and we had the best American team possible." Having done her patriotic duty in bringing the U.S. through the
stadium in
the lead, Drossin surged going down the hill out of the stadium
back to
Folsom and quickly gapped the other runners. Only De Reuck went
with her for
bit, but soon Drossin, a 2000 Olympian, was off in front by
herself. "I felt
a surge of energy and was not just settling in," she said. The world record holder for 5K on the roads continued pressing
and
increasing her lead until she reached the stadium. Just before
she reached
the stadium floor, she topped momentarily in order to grab an
American flag
given to her by a fan. She ran the final lap in the stadium
waving the flag. "This is as good as it gets," said Drossin. "To win the Bolder
Boulder on
Memorial Day. I was not feeling great in the beginning and we
started slow,
painfully slow. I gradually felt better as the race progressed,
and coming
into the stadium I was really charged up." So was race director Cliff Bosley, despite having to empty the
race coffers
of a record professional purse of $186,100, including $83,250
for the U.S.
women. "They sure earned it," said Bosley. "We need heroes in our
sport, and we are
eager to see what other races will do. Will they follow us? Look
at all the
little girls out here, whose heroes today are Deena, Colleen and
Jen." Rhines, running her first race at altitude, was called by
Vigil "our MVP."
She credits some of her success this year to Team USA training
partner
Drossin. "Seeing how hard Deena works is an inspiration," the
2000 Olympian
said. "She shows us great things are possible." Culpepper showed fans great things are likely in his future this
year at
U.S. nationals (where he will run the 10,000 meters and perhaps
the 5000)
and the Chicago Marathon. After splits of 4:32, 4:37 and 4:47,
Culpepper
found himself in fourth place by himself. He went on to pick off
defending
champ James Koskei of Kenya and Mexican Pablo Olmedo on the last
lap, and
with a good kick ended up just three seconds behind Nyariki, a
12:55 5000
meter runner. "I just ran as steady as I could," said Culpepper. "I want to
come back and
win it. I like the team concept. It was great to be representing
our
country, Boulder and the CU Buffaloes." 5th Bolder Boulder International Team Challenge
MEN
WOMEN
INTERNATIONAL TEAM RESULTS
WOMEN'S TEAM STANDINGS
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On a day when three Congressional Medal of
Honor recipients were honored at the Bolder Boulder 10K, three
American
women continued a process that has seen U.S. distance running
returning to
its place among the world's best.