by Larry EderDeena Kastor set two American masters records for ten miles and 20k, en route to her half marathon victory in Dallas, Texas on Sunday, March 24, 2014. This was her first race since the World Championships last August in Moscow!
PRESS RELEASE
Deena Kastor Sets New Masters Records at Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas
· Kastor wins women’s race in 1:11:57, sets new course record and earns two Masters records
· Kenyan Julius Kiptoo wins men’s half marathon; New prize structure focuses on Dallas Metro
DALLAS, Texas – March 23, 2014 – Thousands gathered today for the 5th annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas Half Marathon. The chilly 13.1-mile race started downtown near City Hall and finished at Fair Park. Olympic Marathon bronze medalistDeena Kastor, not only broke a new course record (1:11:57), but also set two U.S. Masters records for the 10 mile (55:13) and 20K (1:08:18). Julius Kiptootook first place in the men’s half-marathon, crossing the finish line in 1:06:02–just two seconds faster than second place finisher Colby Lowe, from Southlake, TX.
Kastor ran the entire race with no other contenders in sight. The second woman to cross the finish line was Dallas native D’Ann Mineo (1:18:28), followed byEmily Field, also from Dallas, who placed third in 1 hour, 18 minutes and 49 seconds.
“Once I realized in the first couple miles of the race how windy it was I wasn’t really focused on the records, but rather putting my head down and giving it my best today performance wise, which is what we expect as runners every time we get out there.” said Kastor. “I just forgot about the records and just tried to run tough against the wind, and when I got to 10 miles and saw I got the record, I got excited and it continued it pushed me through the last 3.1 miles of the race.”
“As a competitive runner, a win is always a wonderful weekend, and to do it here at the Rock ‘n’ Dallas Half was really special,” Kastor continued. “It was my first race back since the World Championships last summer, so it was a great celebration of health and fitness on the streets of Dallas this morning.”
“It’s such a pleasure any time that Deena runs one of our races, or any race for that matter,” said Tracy Sundlun, SVP and co-founder of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series. “She’s one of the greatest to ever participate in our sport, on and off the field, and we’re thrilled she set her first two Masters records at Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas.”
Kastor, the U.S. women’s record holder for the marathon (2:19:36) and half-marathon (1:07:34), has rarely raced in Texas since she finished up her collegiate career at the University of Arkansas, where she was a four-time SEC Champion and an eight-time All-American. She placed sixth in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston.
It was a neck and neck race for Kiptoo and Lowe, who both maintained about a 5-minute mile and traded spots for first place throughout the whole race. Kiptoo was in the lead until mile 3, when Lowe inched himself in front. The two raced tightly together until Kiptoo ultimately took off at mile 8, creating a 10-second gap between him and Lowe. It was a tight race to the finish as Kiptoo won by two seconds. Enoch Nadler from Richardson, TX, placed third in 1:06:58. Nadler ran 57 seconds faster at last year’s race, landing him second place at the 2013 event.
Overall first place winners in the men’s and women’s both win $250, and an additional $500 Performance Bonus offered to any participants who fini
sh under 1:05:00 (men) and 1:15:00 (women), regardless of place. The new Dallas Metroplex prize purse ranged from $1,000 to $100 for the top five local residents.
“We were delighted with the depth and quality of the Dallas Metroplex field and beyond,” added Sundlun. “This year we launched a new prize structure that focuses on supporting the Dallas Metroplex runners. We were pleased to see how many locals participated and how well they ran.”
After touring some of Dallas’ most notable hot spots and neighborhoods, more than 13,000 entrants gathered to celebrate the day with American Authors‘ headlining performance at the finish line festival concert in Fair Park. All runners enjoyed the sounds of live, local bands playing along the course as motivation and entertainment, along with enthusiastic cheerleaders and thousands of cheering spectators.
“The course was an awesome showcase of Dallas and I had an amazing three days in the city,” added Kastor.. “Beyond the win, a highlight was definitely getting my picture taken with Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, but it’s also just been a great festival of running and racing. This sport can make such a postivie impact on so many people’s lives.”
For complete results, photos and more, visit Competitor.com.
2014 Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas Half Marathon
Results – March 23, 2014
Place, Name, Age, Hometown, Time, Prize
Top 3 Overall Men
1. Julius Kiptoo, 36, Kenya, 1:06:02 – $250
2. Colby Lowe, 24, Southlake, TX, 1:06:04 – $1000
3. Enoch Nadler, 28, Richardson, TX, 1:06:58 – $750
Top 3 Overall Women
1. Deena Kastor, 41, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 1:11:57 – $750 ($250 for overall; $500 performance bonus)
2. D’Ann Mineo, 26, Dallas, TX, 1:18:28 – $1,000
3. Emily Field, 32, Dallas, TX, 1:18:49 – $750
Dallas Metroplex Prize Purse – Men
1. Colby Lowe, 24, Southlake, TX, 1:06:04 – $1000 (2nd place overall)
2. Enoch Nadler, 28, Richardson, TX – 1:06:58 – $750 (3rd place overall)
3. Barnabas Kirui, 28, Dallas, TX, 1:07:06 – $500 (4th place overall)
4. Logan Sherman, 28, Dallas, TX, 1:08:31 – $250 (6th place overall)
5. Derek Yorek, 30, Fort Worth, TX, 1:10:32 – $100 (7th place overall)
Dallas Metroplex Prize Purse – Women
1. D’Ann Mineo, 26, Dallas, TX, 1:18:28 – $1,000 (2nd place overall)
2. Emily Field, 32, Dallas, TX, 1:18:49 – $750 (3rd place overall)
3. Stefanie Slekis, 26, Denton, TX, 1:22:42 – $500 (4th place overall)
4. Mary Alico, 50, McKinney, TX, 1:25:02 -$250 (9th place overall)
5. Amanda Mangelsdorf, 29, Dallas, TX – 1:26:40 (10th place overall)
*Prize money based on Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series overall prize purse, local Dallas Metroplex prize purse and Performance Bonus Standards
