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In
the first mile, Abdi Abdirahman and Meb Keflezighi
lead.
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The
tightly-bunched field stretches out behind them.
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Keflezighi
looks at his one-mile split (4:37)...
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...and
picks up the pace.
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Just
after the mile mark, Abdirahman, Keflezighi and Chad
Johnson pulled away.
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Near
the front of the chase pack are Dave Davis, Robert
Gary, Mike Donnelly, Dan Browne, Tim Broe and Nolan
Swanson.
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It
was no surprise to see Keflezighi and Abdirahman leading,
but the fact that Chad Johnson was going with them...
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...was
a mild surprise. Johnson had a great season so far,
qualifying for his first World Cross Country team.
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Johnson
later said that he had been hanging out with Meb and
Abdi all week so he figured he might as well hang
out with them during the race, too.
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Though
it was a group of three, Keflezighi was clearly the
one in control.
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The
second mile featured more downhill sections and fewer
turns than the first mile.
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The
lead group of three passes the 3k mark.
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Keflezighi
took advantage of the downhills in the second mile
and passed through two miles in 8:58, with a 4:21
second mile.
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Keflezighi
seemed to put in another surge right around the two-mile
mark.
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He
dropped Abdirahman and began to drop Johnson.
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As
they pass by the NYC Marathon finish line, the field
stretches out behind Keflezighi.
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Johnson
drops back and runs with Abdirahman.
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Once
he had dropped all of his pursuers, it was just Meb
against the clock.
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Time
bonuses included $1000 for breaking Tim Broe's course/event
record of 22:26 and $25,000 for breaking Alberto Salazar's
AR of 22:04.
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Keflezighi
ran the third mile in 4:25 and passed through 5k in
13:56 (earning a $500 bonus for leading at 5k).
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