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Adam
Batliner of the NYAC warms up for the USA Men's 8k
Championships.
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Local
club runners like Hans Parrado (above) had the opportunity
to "Run With the Best," the theme of this
year's event.
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The
elite field was made up of approximately 50 runners
from around the country, including Robert Gary, Dave
Davis and Chad Johnson.
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The
weather was less than ideal at 36 degrees with a light
drizzle.
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L-R:
Dave Davis, Chad Johnson, Nick Rogers, Ray Hughes,
Phil Wharton and Mike Donnelly.
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L-R:
Ryan Kirkpatrick, Robert Gary, Johnson, Rogers, Donnelly,
Steve Slattery and Tim Broe.
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Race
favorite Mebrahtom Keflezighi went straight to the
lead.
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The
course begins at 99th St. on the East Drive, cuts
across the 102nd St. transverse, loops around Central
Park and finishes around 97th St.
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L-R:
Kirkpatrick, Gary, Donnelly, Johnson and Abdi Abdirahman.
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Abdirahman
and Keflezighi lead the way.
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Gary
was coming off a win in the 4k at the USA Cross Country
Championships.
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Nick
Rogers was one of five athletes in the race who had
represented the USA at the World Cross Country Championships
the previous weekend.
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Abdirahman
and Keflezighi lead as they make the turn onto the
102nd St. transverse.
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Heading
off the transverse, Abdirahman, Keflezighi and Johnson
hold a slight lead over the field.
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As
they head down the west side of Central Park, Keflezighi
and Abdirahman lead Johnson, Broe, Dan Browne and
the rest of the field.
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Broe
(behind Abdirahman) was the defending champion but
hadn't raced since July after injuring his foot.
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Broe's
health was still questionable, he had received a novocaine
shot in his foot the previous day due to lingering
pain.
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Keflezighi
was feeling confident after finishing 11th in the
12k race at the World Cross Country Championships.
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Abdirahman
was less pleased with his 35th-place finish at World
Cross.
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Still
in the first mile, Abdirahman and Keflezighi continue
to lead by a relatively insignificant margin.
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