Trafeh Catches Bawcom for $10,000 Equalizer Victory in Medtronic TC 10 Mile
Kenya’s Christopher Kipyego and Portland, Oregon’s Jeannette Faber won Twin Cities Marathon titles on a chilly Minnesota morning that glowed with autumn color. Kipyego, the 2011 Grandmas’ Marathon champion, won the men’s title in 2:14:55; Faber clocked 2:32:38 for the women’s crown.
The pair reached the sunny St. Paul finish line after a chilly start in Minneapolis where temperatures reached only 28 at the start. 2012 Grandma’s Marathon champ Berhanu Girma of Ethiopia was runner-up in the men’s competition in 2:15:04; Boulder Colorado’s Sean Quigley was third with 2:15:05.
Behind Faber in the women’s competition, Ethiopia’s Hirut Guangul was second with 2:34:03. Lake Orion, Michigan’s Melissa Johnson-White was a step behind her in third with 2:34:04.
In the USA Masters Marathon Championships for runners over 40-years-old, Ulrich Steidl of Seattle, Wash., won the men’s title in 2:20:59. Nuta Olaru of Longmont, Colo., won the women’s masters title in 2:36:57.
In the Medtronic TC 10 Mile which hosted the USA 10 Mile Championships, defending champion Mo Trafeh of Duarte, Calif., won the men’s title again and also repeated in the men-versus-women Equalizer contest, making up the 6-minute, 31-second head-start given the women’s field.
Trafeh ran the challenging course in 46:56. 2011 runner-up Ben True of Portland, Maine finished second again in 47:19. Jacob Riley of Rochester Hills, Mich., was third in 47:22.
As in 2011, Janet Bawcom won the USA Women’s 10 Mile title but was caught by Trafeh in the final mile of the race. The Rome, Ga. resident ran 53:43. Duluth native Kara Goucher, the course record holder, was the women’s runner-up in 53:56. Alisha Williams of Colorado Springs, Colo. finished third in 54:08.
“We expected close competition among our professional fields today – and what an exciting finish line it proved to be,” said Virginia Brophy Achman, executive director of Twin Cities In Motion. “The Equalizer competition – which put Trafeh only 12 seconds ahead of Bawcom at the finish – adds such a thrill to the ten mile championship – both for the athletes and the spectators.”
A record number of finishers ran both of today’s races. There were 9041 finishers in the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and 7752 finishers in the Medtronic TC 10 Mile.
“This spectacular Twin Cities event would never be possible without the countless hours from over 5000 committed volunteers,” said Brophy Achman. We offer our heartfelt thanks to them, and the hundreds of thousands of spectators and entertainers who cheer tirelessly for the participants –in any temperature. The Twin Cities Community is simply awesome."
About Twin Cities In Motion (TCM): Twin Cities In Motion (formerly Twin Cities Marathon, Inc.) is the non-profit organization that provides nationally recognized, high quality running events throughout the year, including the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. With a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through running, TCM and its charity partners contribute over $500,000 to related causes each year. For more information, visit www.tcmevents.org, www.facebook.com/TwinCitiesInMotion, and follow us on Twitter @tcmarathon.