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Men’s Results

Clouds of cherry blossoms greeted runners returning to the first “Runner’s Rite of Spring”’ in three years Photo: Dan Kolansky

Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Returns to Spring!

Echos of 2021: Men’s 10 Mile Won with a Solo Blitz, Women’s a Nail Biter

by Mark Heinicke

he weather was glorious on April 1:05:18.) George ascribed the key to his Kimitei who arrived 28 seconds back in found herself dogged closely for the next
T3 in Washington DC, and the long and successful career to “being at 45:43. five miles by three tenacious competitors.
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famed cherry trees were just a tad past peace with yourself.” The men’s chase group was well Carrie Verdon, Paige Stoner, and Sarah
their splendid peak. The fortunes of stretched out. Runnerup Kimitei, Pagano, running in a tight bunch, all had
the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Newcomer Nicholas Kosimbei trounces at the ripe age of 37, put 15 seconds promising pre-race credentials and they
Mile Run matched the setting. For the a strong men’s field between himself and third place 26 kept the leader within striking range for
first time in three years the race was Tying the 10-year-old open course year-old Shadrack Kimining (home in more than 50 minutes.
held in-person in spring, and more than record was 25-year old Kenyan Nicholas 45:58). Another 55 seconds separated In contrast to Kosimbei’s approach,
14,500 runners made the most of it. With Kosimbei, who sizzled through the Kimining from fourth place American Sullivan’s initial strategy did not include
46-degree temperatures at dawn rising course in 45:15. Much like the 2021 Futsum Zienasellassie (46:53). While escaping off the front early. She planned
slowly to 54 at 10 a.m. and gentle winds men’s race where Edwin Kimutai escaped Reid Buchanan came home hot on the to bide her time until out on Haines
in the morning, conditions were ripe the pack early to win by a comfortable tail of Zienasellassie in 46:57, there was Point (between six and eight miles) to
for quick times and personal bests, and 33 seconds in a time of 45:45, the winner a 33-second gap back to sixth place Lawi make a move. She believed she could
16 personal bests were achieved among competed chiefly against himself. Lang (47:29). at least run a PB and that could be
the top men and women. To raise the Kosimbei broke loose from the lead Kosimbei took home $9,000 for his good enough for the win. However, as
stakes among the leaders, $125,000 were pack in the second mile and hewed to efforts—$8,000 for first place, and she explained later, she “was feeling
on offer between prizes and bonuses. his avowed strategy “to take the lead another $1,000 for first man under 46 really good around five and decided
One American and course record was early and never look back.” He had done minutes. The next nine men split $28,250 to press a little. I was surprised to put
set, another tied, and a local runner won the same thing on February 27, setting between them, beginning with Kimitei some space on them, but I wasn’t looking
the women’s race for the first time since a Georgia state half marathon record of taking $4,000 for runner-up, and another back. I had no idea how close they were,
1982. 1:00:36, running solo for the last seven $750 for the second sub-46 minute time. and knew, based on the pace, that they
miles and eclipsing the old state record Below him, prizes stepped down to $200 were absolutely capable of reeling me in
American and course record goes to by more than three minutes. Kosimbei for 10 place. late in the race, so I tried to stay focused
th
nonagenarian is a newcomer to American roads—the on the lead truck and trust my training.
First the American record: the time Georgia race was his first in the U.S. Women’s Race: Suspense Builds for I was so relieved to make it to the finish
was not spectacular, but the precedent Kosimbei’s powerful running style is 52-and-One-Half Minutes line first.” The not looking back part was
was: 90-year-old George Yannakakis more akin to that of a middle-distance The women’s race was also won by akin to Kosimbei’s. Being “surprised”
from Towson, MD, running Cherry runner than the smoothly flowing look a front-runner, but in that case the to have dropped the lead group halfway
Blossom for the 29th time since 1984, of most Kenyan long-distance stars. winning margin shrank from nine through the race was not.
strode to the finish in 2:33:04, winning Kosimbei kept widening his lead seconds to five seconds in the last mile. At 10K, Sullivan had a six-second lead
his 11th consecutive Cherry Blossom through 15K: he kept ahead of his Susanna Sullivan moved away from the and extended it to nine seconds at 15K.
age group title with an American record swiftest pursuer Wilfred Kimitei by seven lead bunch at five miles—the same place The chasers hung grimly together a few
for the 90-95 tier. (Yannakakis set the seconds at 5K, 25 seconds at 10K, and last year’s men’s winner Kimutai made seconds apart, straining to bridge the gap
race’s 85-89 age group record of 1:44:08 29 seconds at 15K. In the last 0.7 miles his winning break. But unlike Kimutai to Sullivan in the last mile. But Sullivan
in 2017, and way back in 1987 notched a Kosimbei gave up only one second to last year and Kosimbei this year, Sullivan
Continued on page 6
2022 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run 5