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New Balance Falmouth Road Race: American Olympian Magdalena Lewy Boulet Wins Women's Title
From the Falmouth Road RaceAugust 15, 2011 last updated 8/22/11
Falmouth, MA
American Magdalena Lewy Boulet, 38, of Oakland, CA is this year's female champion at the 39th Annual New Balance Falmouth Road Race (7 Miles) on Sunday, August 14; her winning time was 36:58. Lewy Boulet is the first American woman since Jen Rhines (2003) to win in Falmouth, MA. She earned $20,000: $10,000 for first places in both the overall and American divisions. On August 17, USA Track & Field named her Athlete of the Week for her performance.USATF reported Magdalena Lewy Boulet's post-race comments: “Once I realized I was in the lead pack, I started pushing the pace a little bit. I felt good, so I just went for it. It was my first time at Falmouth, and I was excited to be there. I’m very grateful to walk away with the win.”
Lucas Rotich, 21, of Kenya won the men’s title in 31:37, four seconds ahead of Kenyan Micah Kogo, 25. At last weekend’s TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K, the results were reversed, with Kogo’s nine-second win over Rotich.
Cloudy skies, light winds off the beach, and temperatures in the low-70s greeted the field of 10,696 official starters running the scenic seven-mile course from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights Beach, MA.
A pack of four women, Magdalena Lewy Boulet, Diane Nukuri-Johnson, 26, of Burundi, four-time Falmouth winner, Catherine Ndereba, 38, of Kenya, and American, Janet Cherobon Bawcom, 32, of Atlanta, GA went through the first mile in 5:07. At mile two with a split of 10:18, the pack dropped Cherobon Bawcom. The remaining women traversed the course with unofficial mile splits of 15:43 (three miles), 21:02 (four miles), and a five-mile time of 26:23. At the six-mile mark with a time of 31:39, Lewy Boulet put in her surge. “I decided I had to commit right now,” and commit she did, finishing in a time of 36:58. Second-place finisher, Nukuri-Johnson, who finished in 37:13, attempted to match the surge, but as she said after the finish, “I tried to go with her, but just didn’t have it, I decided to hold my place.” The third and four place finishers were Ndereba (37:24) and Cherobon Bawcom (37:37).
A breakaway near mile six also highlighted the men’s race. At the first mile (4:38 split), the twenty-man pack included: Lucas Rotich, Micah Kogo, Kenyan Edward Muge; course record-holder Gilbert Okari, 31, of Kenya; and Americans Brian Olinger, 25, of Columbus, OH, Adbi Abdirahman, 34, of Tuscon, AZ, and Chris Barnicle, 24, of Newtonville, MA. By mile 2 (9:07), the pack had dwindled to six. At mile 3 (13:35), four men remained, with Rotich in green and Kogo in white running shoulder to shoulder just ahead of Olinger in white and Muge in green. The four men passed mile 4 in 18:03, and mile 5 in 22:34. Rotich made his winning move at 10K (28:05) and never looked back. Kogo finished second (31:41), and Edward Muge placed third (32:02).
American Brian Olinger was the fastest American (worth $10,000) and placed fourth (32:16). Olinger, a steeplechase specialist who had taken time off due to a plantar (foot) injury, credited both running stride for stride with Muge as well as the incredible crowd support along the course as contributors to his success.
In the master’s division, Colleen De Reuck, 47, of Colorado Springs, CO defended her title in 39:12 and finished 16th overall woman. James Kosgei, 42, of Kenya also defended his masters title on the men’s side (34th overall, 34:41).
Course record-holder Krige Schabort, 47, of Cedartown, GA (Falmouth winner 2008, 2009) won the men's wheelchair race (24:16), followed by eight-time Falmouth champion Craig Blanchette, 43, of Battle Group, WA (26:41) and four-time winner Tony Nogueira, 43, of Glen Ridge, NJ (26:56). Jessica Galli, 27, of Savoy, IL recorded her sixth women's wheelchair win (31:57).
Well-known finishers included Olympian and three-time Falmouth winner Bill Rodgers, 63, of Sherborn, MA; two-time winner and Olympic Marathon gold and silver medalist Frank Shorter, 62, of Boulder, CO; and Olympic Marathon gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson, 54, of Freeport, ME. The legendary father-son team, Dick and Rick Hoyt, celebrated their 32nd Falmouth finish.
See the New Balance Falmouth Road Race website www.falmouthroadrace.com. Follow Falmouth on Twitter @runfalmouth. The Facebook page is www.facebook.com/FalmouthRoadRace.
39th New Balance Falmouth Road Race (7 Miles)
Falmouth, MA, Sunday, August 14, 2011
Top Men (including top 10 Americans)
1) Lucas Rotich (Kenya), 31:37, $10,000
2) Micah Kogo (Kenya), 31:41, $5000
3) Edward Muge (Kenya), 32:02, $2000
4) Brian Olinger (USA / OH), 32:16, $11,500
5) Abdi Abdirahman (USA / AZ), 32:43, $6000
6) Ben True (USA / ME), 32:48, $2800
7) Samuel Ndereba (Kenya), 32:49, $650
8) Ed Moran (USA / VA), 32:50, $2100
9) Sean Quigley (USA / PA), 32:51, $1450
10) Brett Gotcher (USA / CA), 32:53, $1150
12) Patrick Smyth (USA / CA), 33:08, $650
13) Fernando Cabada (USA / CO), 33:12, $600
14) Jason Lehmekuhle (USA / MN), 33:18, $450
15) Chris Landry (USA / MI), 33:25, $350
Masters Men (40 and older)
1) James Koskei, 42, Kenya, 34:41, $2500
Top Women (including top 10 Americans)
1) Magdalena Lewy Boulet (USA / CA), 36:58, $20,000
2) Diane Nukuri-Johnson (BDI), 37:13, $5000
3) Catherine Ndereba (Kenya), 37:24, $2000
4) Janet Cherobon-Bawcom (USA / GA), 37:37, $6500
5) Kim Conley (USA / CA), 37:47, $3000
6) Emily Brown (USA / MN), 37:49, $2300
7) Jeanette Faber (USA / OR), 38:01, $1650
8) Blake Russell (USA / CA), 38:02, $1400
9) Kathy Newberry (USA / MI), 38:03, $1100
10) Clara Grandt (USA / AL), 38:18, $950
11) Adriana Nelson (USA / CO), 38:21, $450
12) Heather Cappello (USA / MA), 38:24, $50
Masters Women (40 and older)
1) Colleen De Reuck, 47, CO, 39:12, $2500
2) Carol Maloney, 46, MA, 40:59, $1000
3) Ellen Perlin Sharon, 57, MA, 41:12, $1250
4) Joan Benoit Samuelson, 54, ME, 42:31, $500
5) Denise McNamara, 59, MA, 43:12, $250
About Falmouth Road Race
The New Balance Falmouth Road Race was established in 1973 and has become one of the premier running events of the summer season. Each year the race draws an international field of Olympians, elite athletes and recreational runners to enjoy the scenic 7-mile seaside course. The non-profit Falmouth Road Race organization is dedicated to promoting health and fitness for all in its community. Proceeds from the race each year support youth athletic programs in the town of Falmouth, MA, and other nonprofit community groups.