Over 5000 women, including a very fast elite field, hit the roads of Albany, NY on Saturday, June 4th at the 33^rd edition of the Freihofer’s Run for Women-5K.  Taking home $10,000 for 1^st place was Mamitu Daska of Ethiopa, who covered the course in 15:19, just 7 seconds shy of the 2010 course record of 15:12 set by Emily Chebet of Kenya.

Full Results

Strong Canadian Masters Showing

Is it something in the water? Or perhaps it’s the perseverance gained by enduring countless Canadian winters?  Whatever it is seems to be working for Canadian Masters runners Lisa Harvey and Paula Wiltse who finished 1^st and 4^th respectively in the Masters Division this weekend.

This was Harvey’s first win at Freihofer’s (17:13), after taking 2^nd in 2010. The Calgary, AB resident and 1992 Olympian continues to break through glass ceilings imposed on women over 40.  She finished 17^th overall, just behind former Oregon standout, 23-year-old Nicole Blood.  Harvey was awarded  $750 for her victory.

Former Running Times-Masters Athlete of the Year, Paula Wiltse, 43, of Kingston, Ontario, finished just under the 18 minute barrier (17:58).  Wiltse is a 2008 Freihofer’s Masters Division champion.

Top US finisher was 25-year-old Alissa McKaig in a time of 15:53.

This IAAF Silver Label Road Race has been an early summer staple for women runners in the Empire State since 1979 when it featured both a 5k and a 10k.  For 10 years the 10K drew in the elite field, but in 1989 race directors chose to showcase the 5K as the premier race.

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