By David Monti, @d9monti (c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved; used with permission
NORTHPORT, N.Y. (21-Sep) — “Finally!”
That’s what Jessica McClain shouted as she broke the tape at the Great Cow Harbor 10-K here this morning where she won her first-ever national title. The 32 year-old from Phoenix, who finished fourth at the 2024 USA Olympic Team Trials Women’s Marathon last February, stopped the clock at 31:40, a new course record by 13 seconds. She’ll leave this picturesque seaside town on Long Island with total race winnings of $10,500: $8,000 for first place and $2,500 for setting a new course record. Her time was also a championships record, bettering Marla Runyan’s 2002 mark of 31:46 set in Boston.
“It was so fun,” an elated McClain told Race Results Weekly just after finishing. “I was literally out here just to race and have a good time before New York (City Marathon), and the motivation now is just head-down training, staying in Phoenix the next six weeks.”
McClain was part of a strong lead pack in the first mile which included Natosha Rogers, Erika Kemp, Emma Grace Hurley, and Amanda Vestri. Keira D’Amato, Annie Rodenfels, and Katie Izzo ran together about six seconds back. The quintet ascended the steep James Street Hill in the second mile, then ran together towards the 5-K mark, unable to appreciate the breathtaking views of Northport Harbor to their left. Rogers got the $500 5-K prime, but McClain held back. She was thinking instead about the overall title.
“I knew some of the women would be motivated by the 5-K bonus,” McClain explained. “So I was like, just tune-out and stay in the mix until then, and then just feel it out. When I felt comfortable enough, make a move and make it definitive.”
Her legs full of strength from marathon training, McClain pulled away in the fourth mile. She ran the mostly downhill second half of the race in a snappy 15:42, much faster than the second-place Rogers (16:03). Spurred on by the hundreds of spectators who lined both sides of the course, the Brooks-sponsored athlete sailed to the finish line on Main Street alone. She was particularly pleased with her tactics today.
“I’ve been really bad about getting out and making half-assed moves,” McClain admitted with a chuckle. “I was really trying to get to a point where I was antsy and just go.”
Despite suffering from a badly upset stomach in the final mile, Rogers was a clear second in 32:00. Hurley, the overall leader in the USATF Running Circuit points race, took third in 32:05 and Kemp, who won here in 2021, got fourth in 32:10. D’Amato, who will run the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in three weeks, completed the top-5 in 32:13.
“I wasn’t sure how this was going to pan out two miles in,” said Rogers, who took the lead at 5-K. She continued: “Jess went with me, and then I just kept telling myself, ‘just hold on; it’s not easier being in no-man’s land.’ I tried to hold on to her as hard as I could, but she just has a lot more strength on me.”
The men’s competition quickly became a two-man race when Simbassa –the 2022 champion here and the course record holder– pulled away with two-time Olympic steeplechaser Hillary Bor after Anthony Rotich surged for the halfway prime (14:19). In the downhill, fourth mile Bor drafted Simbassa and the pair quickly developed an 11-second lead over their nearest chasers, Sam Chelanga and Kirubel Erassa. Simbassa used his knowledge of the hilly course to his advantage.
“This course can be tricky,” Simbassa told Race Results Weekly. “If you take a lead, make sure you don’t go back because there is no place you can take a break.”
Bor stayed in his taller rival’s draft trying to conserve energy. He wasn’t feeling his best.
“Today I didn’t run the way I expected to,” Bor told reporters. “I felt like I was in shape to run sub-28:00, but for some reason I woke up today and I was feeling tired. My legs were just flat.”
The pair were still together through five miles (22:48), but in the final mile Bor had to let Simbassa go. Although his finish time of 28:18 fell short of his own course record of 28:13, Simbassa was happy. Today’s win represented his second USATF 10-K title in three years. He had to skip last year’s race because he competed in the World Athletics Road Running Championships, instead.
“It feels good,” said Simbassa, who won $8,000 in prize money. “It’s been a while (since) I won (a national) title. You know, every year I set a goal at the end of the year, I want to win one national championship. So, today’s comeback and win here is just a blessing.”
Bor, who later admitted that he knew he wasn’t going to win in the first mile, got second in 28:34. Chelanga won the battle for third over Erassa, 28:34 to 28:50. Rotich, who won the halfway prime, rounded out the top-5 in 28:59.
Today’s race was held in near-perfect, late summer weather (fall officially begins tomorrow). Many residents came out of their homes to cheer, some holding front-porch parties. Organizers sold out at 5,000 entries four weeks ago, the earliest in race history.
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The 2024 USATF Running Circuit concludes at the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5-K in New York City on Saturday, November 2, where the overall series champions will be crowned.
