Since 2001, U.S. distance running has produced some noteworthy and historic achievements, particularly compared to its status the years before 2001, and 2008 was another year of achievement and outside powerhouses Kenya and Ethiopia, no country had a better year than the USA if one considers the entire sport. In 2008, U.S. distance runners had success on the track, on the roads, up and down mountains and over trails and turf. There was some disappointment in the U.S. distance performances at the Beijing Olympics, but when only one bronze medal is considered a "disappointment" than certainly the bar and expectations have been raised since 2001 and those are good things for the sports further development.

Below are the 10 best moments in U.S. distance running for the year:

#10
Yoder Begley Gets Olympic "A" Standard at Olympic Trials and 
Beijing Berth

At the Olympic Trials, on Friday, June 27, Amy Yoder Begley 
willed her way to a personal record 31:43.60 for the coveted 
third place spot. Moreover, a big negative split of 16:10 vs. 
15:33 (and propelled by the Eugene crowd), the Arkansas grad 
earned the Olympic "A" standard by 1.4 seconds and a trip to 
China.

#9
Jurek Three-Peats at the Spartathlon Ultra

Last September, ultra star Scott Jurek became the first man to 
win three consecutive times the storied Spartathlon endurance 
race in Greece. The Seattle resident traversed the grueling 
152.8 mile / 246K course from Athens to Sparta in 22 hours, 20 
minutes, 1 second, the fifth fastest race time (and his best 
time); only ultra legend Yiannis Kouros has run faster at the 
event.

#8
U.S. Women's Steeplechase Record Chase by Barringer and 
Willard

During 2008, U.S. steeplechasers Jenny Barringer and Anna 
Willard had a record duel, and at the KBC Night of Athletics 
meet in July, Barringer edged Willard, 9:22.73 to 9:22.76, to 
shatter Willard's U.S. record (9:27.59) set at the Olympic 
Trials. Later in Beijing, Barringer, a Colorado University 
student in Boulder, reset the U.S. record with her 9:22.26 at 
the Olympic steeplechase final where she finished 9th (Willard 
was 10th).

#7
Kastor's Late Charge Captures Olympic Marathon Trials

At the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Boston on April 20, U.S. 
record holder and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor of 
Mammoth Lakes, CA became a three-time Olympian with a negative 
split, comeback win in 2:29:35 (second fastest women's Trials 
performance). Magdalena Lewy Boulet, who led until the 23rd 
mile, earned the second Beijing berth as runner-up in 2:30:19 
(a personal record), while 2004 OMT 4th place finisher Blake 
Russell nabbed the coveted third Olympic spot with a controlled 
2:32:40. An impressive 14 of the top 16 finishers set personal 
records over the multi-loop course in downtown Boston.

#6
Goucher Breaks U.S. Debut Record at ING New York City 
Marathon

On November 2, Kara Goucher, with her 2:25:53 at New York to 
finish third behind defending champion Paula Radcliffe and 
master Ludmila Petrova, broke Deena Kastor's U.S. marathon 
debut record of 2:26:58 from 2001 New York City. Goucher, a 
2008 Olympian, also became the third fastest U.S. woman behind 
Kastor and Joan Benoit Samuelson.

#5
California State Meet Wows with National and State 
1600 & 3200 Meter Records

At the California CIF State Track Meet on May 31, Christine 
Babcock and German Fernandez, with impressive solo efforts, set 
national scholastic records at 1600 and 3200 meters, 4:33.82 
and 8:34.23, respectively. Two hours earlier, Fernandez broke 
the 1600 meter state meet record with his solo 4:00.29 (a 
4:01.7 mile equivalent). Many in the sport consider his 
distance double the best ever in U.S. boys high school track 
history. Also, if that was not enough, in the girls 3200 
meters, Jordan Hasay and Laurynne Chetelat pushed each other 
for 8 laps with Hasay just edging Chetelat, 9:52.13 to 9:52.51 
- both under the old state meet record and the #2 and #3 H.S. 
performances all-time.

#4
Flanagan Shatters U.S. 10,000M Record at Cardinal 
Invite

On May 4 at Stanford University, Shalane Flanagan, 26, 
demolished the U.S. and U.S. All-Comers 10,000 meter record 
with a 30:34.49 clocking - in her debut at the distance. The 
old U.S. mark, also set on the same track, was 2004 Olympic 
medalist Deena Kastor's 30:50.32 from 2002. Flanagan, who also 
holds the U.S. 5000M record, and New Zealand's Kim Smith raced 
around the track together before Flanagan of Pittsboro, NC 
pulled away at the end. Smith set an NZL/Oceania record with 
her 30:35.54, and ten women ran under the 2008 Olympic 
Games "A" standard of 31:45.

#3
Ritzenhein, Hall 9th and 10th in the Olympic 
Marathon
 
Under less than ideal conditions for 26.2 miles, Dathan 
Ritzenhein and Ryan Hall finished 9th (2:11:59) and 10th 
(2:12:33) at the Olympic Marathon in Beijing. Sammy Wanjiru of 
Kenyan ran an otherworldly Olympic record 2:06:32 in the heat 
and humidity. Historically, Ritzenhein and Hall also produced 
the 4th and 6th fastest Olympic Marathon times by the U.S, and 
in the modern era, it was the second best U.S. men's team by 
place total with 41 points (9 + 10 + 22 - Brian Sell) behind 
the 1972 team of Frank Shorter, Kenny Moore, and Jack Bacheler 
(1 + 4 + 9 = 14).

#2
Hall Pops 2:06:17 Marathon at London - #2 U.S. performer 
all-time

At the Flora London Marathon on April 13 against a stellar 
field, Ryan Hall of Mammoth Lakes, CA ran another impressive 
marathon to finish 5th in 2:06:17, only former course and world 
record holder Khalid Khannouchi has run faster (twice) as an 
American. In his third marathon, the Team Running USA athlete 
continued his development as he prepped for the Beijing 
Olympics. The top six men broke 2:07, the first time that has 
ever happened at the same marathon on the same day. Winner 
Martin Lel of Kenya defended his London title with a course 
record 2:05:15.

#1
Flanagan Earns Olympic 10,000M Bronze Medal and AR at 
Beijing

At the Beijing Olympics on August 15, Shalane Flanagan won the 
bronze medal in 30:22.22, shattering her own U.S. record and 
equaling the best-ever U.S. women's performance in the event. 
Earlier in the week, the 2004 Olympian had suffered from food 
poisoning. Flanagan's hardware was the first American track 
medal, male or female, at a distance longer than 400 meters 
since Lynn Jennings' bronze in Barcelona 1992, which was also a 
U.S. record at the time. Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) and Elvan 
Abeylegesse (TUR) won the gold and silver medals with 
impressive times under 30 minutes, 29:54.66 and 29:56.34, 
respectively.