byLarry Eder
A middle distance race that lived up to the hype! A powerful field, with
Shalane Flanagan, Sarah Bowman, Christin Wurth, Shannon Rowbury,
Erin Donahue and Anna Pierce!
Gabriele Anderson took the lead, with Erin Donahue right in tow, hitting the
400 meters in 69.9, as Rowbury, Flanagan, Wurth, Pierce, Bowman and Mortimer
were in line. The pack was very, very tight. The 800 meters was hit in 2:22.
2, and this was obviously becoming a kickers race, and the traffic on the
track was tight.
About 900 meters into the race, the field packed like sardines in a tin can,
Shalane Flanagan fell down on the inside of the track and remarkably, rushed
back up, trying to catch the field. She would finish 11th in 4:19.05.
Erin Donahue took over the lead and started to push just about the 1,000
meters, with Wurth, Roxbury, Pierce, Mortimer, and Bowman all in line.
Erin Donahue, now coached by Frank Gagliano, former Georgetown,
Enclave and Oregon TC coach, has been racing very well this spring.
Donahue starts pushing and the field starts hurting. The 1,100 meters was
passed in 3:14.01, with Rowbury, Pierce, Wurth, all in a row after Donahue.
by PhotoRun.net.
Anna Pierce has the strength of a steeplechaser and the leg speed of a
400 meter runner. She is dangerous anytime she is close to the finish line,
and again, she showed her talent.
While it looked like Shannon Rowbury was ready to fly, it was Anna Pierce doing the flying. Really motoring over the last 200 meters, Pierce fought Donahue, inch for inch, until Anna Pierce’s 59.24 last lap finally caught Erin Donahue, and Pierce won, 4;13.65 to Donahue’s 4:13.87.Shannon Rowbury was third in 4:14.41, Christin Wurth was fourth in 4:15.33
and Sarah Bowman was fifth in 4:16.50.
Erin Donahue ran the race she had to run, and only one person beat her, Anna Pierce. Donahue plays the cards she is dealt, and so does Anna Pierce. Today, it was Anna’s
day!
