BOYS: A fast start ruled the day as the field went through the 800m in 2:15. Galen Rupp from the West took command of the pack at the 1600m mark, going through at 4:43. Shadrack Kiptoo and Rupp exchanged the lead several times in the next mile with Ryan Deak, Matt Withrow and Joshua McDougal in the hunt. Just after the two mile mark, Withrow made a move which was answered by both Rupp and Kiptoo. In the next 1200m Rupp and Kiptoo battled for the lead. With about 300m to go Withrow made a tremendous kick, taking the leading and opening about 5 meters on Kiptoo. He held the lead with Rupp and Kiptoo going down to the wire for second place. Was it all guts that got Withrow the lead? "It must have been guts," answered Withrow, adding "because it sure wasn't strength."
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GIRLS:
Very few races in the 25 year history of the championships had as many
lead changes as there were in the girls race. Nicole Blood was an early
leader with Jennifer Barringer making an early statement as well. Blood,
and Barringer battled through the mile mark where a tight pack that
included Sunni Olding and Marie Lawrence went through at 5:24. Last
year's champion Zoe Nelson had dropped dropped back into 8th place but
worked back up to the lead by the halfway point. Controlling the course
at the two-mile mark was a pack of eight runners with no dominant leader,
including Barringer, Kaltenbach, Marie Lawrence of Reno, Nev., and defending
National Champion Zoe Nelson of Kalispell, Mont. With a quarter-mile
to go, Lawrence pulled ahead, with Kaltenbach leading the pack chasing
closely behind. With 100 meter left, Lawrence and Kaltenbach were
side-by-side when Lawrence flew ahead to a 10 meter lead as they came
downhill. She remained in the lead until the final stretch when
Kaltenbach surged past to claim the first place position in 17:24.