SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, California, March 06 — Molly Huddle’s American Record of 30:13.17 had its closest scare yet as Elise Cranny ran a largely solo effort of 30:14.66 to move to No. 2 among Americans all-time in just her third 25-lapper.
While most of the competitors in the field were trying to follow their own Wavelight set at the WC Q-standard of 31:25, Canada’s Lucia Stafford took the lead group along a clip dictated by the lights being set at 30:16, a figure requested by Bowerman coach Jerry Schumacher. Taylor Werner and Dominique Scott accompanied Cranny, with Werner dropping after 2400m. Stafford stepped off at 3000 (9:04.4), leaving Cranny alone essentially, as Scott had started to drop off the pace.
The 25-year-old Olympian never wavered, clipping off 72-second laps like a metronome. She passed 5K in 15:05.0 and 8K in 24:08.76. The strain started to show, with her slowest laps of the evening the last two before the bell. Still, she rallied hard and sprinted to a 67.61 final circuit, catching the Wavelight with 100 to go before finishing just 1.49 short of Huddle’s mark, set in ’16.
The Wavelight itself hit the finish line in 30:16.8, raising the question of whether Cranny might have broken the record if the light she had been sprinting after had been set closer to AR pace.
She told LetsRun, “I didn’t really know what the pace lights were gonna do the second half. I know Jerry said it was gonna be set at 15:08 through the 5K and then kick off that.”
Her comments to the trackside interviewer were nonetheless positive: “It seems crazy that a year ago I just ran my first 10K… and here we are trying to go after the record today,” Cranny said. “Trying to work more on the strength side of things has been really good for me. Going out a lot faster in the first 5K than last year definitely makes the ending feel a little different.”
She added, “Running in Tokyo just really opened my eyes to wanting to really be up there on the global stage. They’re running 29-low. You have a lot of people at that level in the Olympics. To be able to break 30 minutes hopefully someday soon is really exciting.
Scott held on for 2nd in 31:00.10, with Canada’s Andrea Seccafien 3rd in 31:15.78. The next 6 finishers, all American, finished inside the WC Q-standard: Natosha Rogers (31:16.89), Millie Paladino (31:19.92), Sarah Lancaster (31:21.75), Paige Stoner (31:22.55), Courtney Frerichs (31:23.13), and Emily Lipari (31:24.82).
RESULTS
10,000: I–1. Elise Cranny (NikBowTC) 30:14.66 (2, 2 A);
(72.77, 72.53 [2:25.30], 72.60 [3:37.90], 72.50 [4:50.40], 72.63 [6:03.03], 72.60 [7:15.63], 72.43 [8:28.06], 72.14 [9:40.20], 72.36 [10:52.56], 71.99 [12:04.55], 72.27 [13:16.82], 71.90 [14:28.72], 71.64 [15:40.36], 72.23 [16:52.59], 71.80 [18:04.39], 72.29 [19:16.68], 72.25 [20:28.93], 72.87 [21:41.80], 73.23 [22:55.03], 73.73 [24:08.76], 73.61 [25:22.37], 74.81 [26:37.18], 74.48 [27:51.66], 75.39 [29:07.05], 67.61)
(67.61, 2:23.00, 4:52.29, 6:05.90, 9:45.73)
2. Dominique Scott’ (SA) 31:00.10; 3. Andrea Seccafien’ (Can) 31:15.78; 4. Natosha Rogers (HansB) 31:16.89; 5. Millie Paladino (NBalB) 31:19.92; 6. Sarah Lancaster (Paras360) 31:21.75; 7. Paige Stoner (ReebB) 31:22.55; 8. Courtney Frerichs (NikBowTC) 31:23.13; 9. Emily Lipari (adi) 31:24.82; 10. Ednah Kurgat (USAr) 31:32.25;
11. Carrie Verdon (TmBou) 31:37.26; 12. Stephanie Bruce (HokaNAZ) 31:39.39; 13. Vanessa Fraser (NikBowTC) 31:52.11; 14. Maddie Alm (TmBoss) 32:01.28; 15. Laura Thweatt (Sauc) 32:01.52; 16. Amy Davis (HansB) 32:05.78; 17. Emma Bates (Asics) 32:06.11; 18. Carmela Cardama Baez’ (Spa) 32:19.81; 19. Olivia Pratt (HansB) 32:45.10.
II–1. Lauren Hurley (TracksmRise) 31:49.46; 2. Molly Grabill (unat) 31:57.72; 3. Jeralyn Poe (unat) 32:02.76; 4. Susanna Sullivan (unat) 32:03.21; 5. Jaci Smith (USAF) 32:21.98; 6. Katja Goldring (TRF) 32:56.28.
