from Victor Sailer

Unkindly, cold weather (39F degrees) greeted the elite athletes in the Borden Uptown 8000 presented by Post Apartment Homes on April 7 in Dallas, Texas. As they patiently waited through introductions, a blast of snow flurries filled the streets of Dallas.

The men's lead pack felt as if they never really warmed up till the 5K split, reached in 14:16. Simon Ndirangu (KEN) fresh off his American running debut in winning the Carlsbad 5000, and Kimbia teammate Richard Kipligat (KEN) were confused where the $1,000 prime was located, either it was at 4K or 5K. But both times, Simon was leading and took the prime along with the win in 22:31.

"I started to feel warm and started to push the pace," he said after running 8:14 for the final 3K loop and shows much promise to set a new 10,000 PR (27:31) at the Cardinal Invitational at the end of the month.

The men's leading pack consisted of Ndirangu, Kipligat, Juan Luis Barrios (MEX) and Haron Lagat (KEN) for most of the first 5K. Defending Mt. SAC 5000 champion, Juan Luis Barrios, who finished second to Ndirangu last weekend in Carlsbad, again finished second in 22:46. This was his last road race and will attempt to retain his Mt. SAC crown before heading into the Golden League to get qualifying time for the 2007 World Championships in Osaka.

Simon Ndiragu, 21, went on a scholarship to Nihon University in Japan to study business from 2004-Jan 2006. But he wanted to run, so he returned home to Kenya and now trains professionally with Dieter Hogen. His brother, Peter Ndirangu finished third in the 1997 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in 2:08:46 and Simon has done some traveling himself. Simon won a bronze medal in the 2005 World University Games 5000 in Turkey. He has PRs of 13:24.19 (5K) and 27:31.29 (10K) both run in Japan in 2005.

Tatyana Chullakh (RUS) has been training in the Washington DC area with other Russians and forced the pace in the women's race. She had won the $1,000 prime last year and was committed to retaining it this year, it was never a problem as she lead Caroline Cheptanui (KEN) till the last turn just 150 meters before the finish.

"I felt cold, my legs were freezing," said Chullakh, who could not hold off the kick of Cheptanui.

Chullakh usually "loves training in the DC area, except in the summer, it's too hot and humid during the summer."

Cheptanui won the women's title by a scant second in 26:46 to Chullakh's 26:47.

Elite Males
1. Simon Ndiragu( KEN)      22:32        $4,000
2. Juan Luis Barrios (MEX)  22:46        $1,000
3. Richard Kipligat (KEN)   22:56        $500
4. John Korir (KEN)         23:03        $100
5. Haron Lagat (KEN)        23:05
 
Elite Females
1. Caroline Cheptanui (KEN) 26:46         $3,000
2. Tatyana Chullakh (RUS)   26:47         $2,000
3. Rebecca Tallum (KEN)     29:11         $500