The women’s 10k at the World Championships in Budapest was full of great suspense and amazing racing by some of the world’s best runners. Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia won the race on Saturday night, while the American contingent was led by Alicia Monson who placed 5th in the race, followed by Elise Cranny, and Natosha Rogers.
Rogers gave a valiant effort and secured a top 15 finish with her time of 32:08.05. While her result in the race wasn’t what she’d hoped it would be, one thing is certain: Rogers is looking to use her next opportunity in the women’s 5k to show that she’s one of the best in the world.
Rogers found herself in the lead early on in the race, as the pace hadn’t gone out too fast. She didn’t expect or plan to take the lead that early on in the race, and she could never find her rhythm throughout the race. Even though she was disappointed with her performance, she still was able to improve from her performance at last year’s World Championships in Oregon.
“I actually didn’t know what place I got,” Rogers said after the race. “So that’s one better place than last year. I’m pretty upset, though not gonna lie. My fitness is top 10, and that was the plan going in. I just did not have it today. When that pace turned over, I think maybe the tactics that I used – I obviously was in the front. I just ended up in the front, I didn’t mean to get there – no one was taking it. And yes, it’s just really intimidating when the Ethiopians make their move and then the whole pack kind of cuts you off. And I just couldn’t hold my composure.”
Rogers was more confident headed into this year’s race, compared to last year’s race. This season, she left the Hansons Brooks Original Distance Project and moved to North Carolina to join the Puma Elite team who trains in the state. She took the lessons that she learned last year and used them at this year’s World Championships in Budapest. She’s looking forward to taking lessons that she’s learned in the 10k to not only use them in her training going forward, but in the 5k that’s on the horizon next week.
“This year, I knew I belonged,” she said. “Last year, I was a scared little kitten. I didn’t know what to expect. But clearly, I still have more work to do in that area, knowing that I belong and maybe some tweaks in training. I’m really thankful to have the 5k because I want to redeem myself.”
Rogers doesn’t plan on letting the disappointing performance be what defines her at the World Championships this year. She plans to take the next couple of days to reset, regroup, and as she put it, come back with a vengeance in the women’s 5k.
“I have a plan,” she said. “I need a lot of alone time. It’s really tough in these environments with Team USA breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings. It’s not the best environment for an introvert. But no more distractions. I’m going to go to coffee shops, get in the zone, get my massages, and rehab. And now I’m mad. I am going to come back with a vengeance on Wednesday.”
Rogers has continued to show progress on the track and in the roads throughout her career. She’s now 32 years-old, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down. She has her sights set on moving up to the marathon in the very near future, but for now, she’s ready to show what she can do on the track and she knows that her best days are ahead of her in the sport.
“I have plans to move up to the marathon as well,” she said. “Technically, that was what I was supposed to be doing this year. But I still had a lot of juice on the track. And yeah, I’m really excited. I’m in my prime. A lot of the younger people are calling me old and you don’t even know this is the time, especially for women in the sport. The American record holders in the longer distances are 39 years old. 40. So I have a lot ahead of me.”
Video by Anderson Emerole of The Final Leg
