NYC Half Marathon - Pro Women

March 21, 2010

The women’s field was deep and fierce, and the end result was anything but predictable. Great Britain’s Mara Yamauchi, running in second place, had all but conceded the win to American Deena Kastor, who blazed to an early lead in Central Park. But Yamauchi caught sight of Kastor after the halfway point and slowly reeled her in, finally taking the lead near mile 11 and never looking back. Kastor held on for second place and Mexico’s Madaí Pérez grabbed third.

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The men and women started together at 7:35 a.m. on a perfect spring morning.
Deena Kastor took an early lead and ran unchallenged throughout the Central Park portion of the race.
Mara Yamauchi and Madaí Pérez battled for second for much of the race, but Yamauchi told Pérez, “let’s catch her,” as they exited the park.
Japan’s Kiyoko Shimahara improved upon her 2008 performance, moving up five spots to place fifth.
Italy’s Bruna Genovese was sixth in 1:12:55.
Heidi Westover of Walpole, NH, kept up her pace to finish seventh in 1:13:25.
Local competitor Aziza Aliyu of the West Side Runners team held on for eighth place in 1:13:34.
Sally Meyerhoff of Scottsdale, AZ, placed ninth in 1:13:58.
Kenya’s Irene Limika finished in 1:10:55 and placed fourth.
Pérez ran a personal-best time of 1:09:45; it was her first major race since giving birth to a daughter last May.
Kastor kept her head up to finish strong in 1:09:43, tying the old event record that Catherine Ndereba had set in 2006.
Yamauchi proved she’s ready for London by overtaking Kastor and finishing in 1:09:25.