Courtesy: Running USA

U. S. Olympian Deena Drossin, by placing 7th in the New York City Marathon, winning its attendant USA Championship, and clocking a 2:26:58 time - the fastest U.S. women's mark all-time at New York and fastest U.S. women's debut marathon - ran U.S. hopes back into the lead pack of world marathoning.

On a lightly breezy day with a 54 degree starting line temperature and sunny skies, Drossin led four U.S. women to top- 15 finishes in the race. Behind Drossin followed Team USA California teammate and fellow marathon debutante Milena Glusac, 13th in 2:34:48, Colleen DeReuck, 14th in 2:35:31, and Jeanne Hennessy, 15th in 2:39:58.

From the start, Drossin made herself a part of a lead pack full of the world's marathoning elite. Behind a designated pace- setter Drossin cruised comfortably in a ten-competitor lead pack that included defending NYC champ Ludmila Petrova, World Championships bronze medallist Svetlana Zakharova, both of Russia, 1999 Chicago Marathon champion Joyce Chepchumba, of Kenya, and 1997 New York runner-up DeReuck a South African native who now competes as a U.S. citizen.

The lead pack clipped through the first 10K in 5:35 pace, on target for 2:26:30. The pace picked up a bit as the group ran through the heart of Brooklyn, marking 10 miles at 55:33. Upon entering Queens and reaching the half-way point, the pace was regularly under 5:25 and race was getting on. Still, Drossin looked comfortable even if DeReuck was beginning to feel the pace.

Very shortly, though, everyone would feel the pace, except perhaps Margaret Okayo. Between mile 15 and 16 Okayo ran a 5:13 mile and turned the lead group into a race of ten separate individuals. Drossin, an Arkansas graduate, readjusted to the new reality, coming out of the pace shock keeping a sub-5:30 pace until 20 miles and holding her place in the field during the largely solo running conditions in Manhattan and the Bronx.

Okayo would use her breakaway mile to forge a comfortable lead and wining margin and to establish a new course record. She finished in 2:24:21, 19 second inside Lisa Ondieki's mark of 2:24:40 from 1992. Behind Okayo followed Susan Chepkemei of Kenya, and Zakharova. Okayo earned $115,000 and a Pontiac Grand Am for her victory and record-breaking time.

Just two minutes and 37 seconds behind Okayo at the finish line, Drossin was "ecstatic" with her race.

"I feel extremely lucky to have finished as high as I did today," Drossin said. "It was a fabulous and intimidating field."

Drossin said she was concentrating on staying "comfortable" in the early going. Mile 22 was another matter, however.

"It was a slap in the face," said the five-time U.S. cross country champion. "I felt every second of the race after that."

Easing the pain, of course, is the USA Championship won (her fourth of the year) and the prize money earned. Drossin, 28, gathered $61,000 in open, championship, and time incentive money for her efforts.

With a runner-up finish in the USA Championship, Milena Glusac - who won USA titles at 20K, 25K and half-marathon this year - clinched the USA Running Circuit Grand Prix with 76 points (worth $6000), while Drossin was second with 55 points ($4000).

As part of the USA Championship, U.S. runners were offered a one- day window to qualify for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials at New York. Thirteen women met the 2:48 Trials standard, while Drossin, Glusac, DeReuck and Hennessy met the sub 2:40:00 standard offering expense-paid trip to the 2004 Trials.

Glusac, perhaps, offered the best summation of what the strong U.S. running at New York could mean for U.S. long distance and marathon prospects.

"As Americans, we have the ability, we have the desire, we have the coaching, we have the resources to do it, Glusac said. "Now it will just be a matter of time."

Deena Drossin's time, at least, has already arrived. -- Charlie Mahler

New York City Marathon
Sunday, November 4, 2001

WOMEN
1) Margaret Okayo (KEN) 2:24:21* $105,000
2) Susan Chepkemei (KEN) 2:25:12 $70,000
3) Svetlana Zakharova (RUS) 2:25:13 $55,000
4) Joyce Chepchumba (KEN) 2:25:51 $45,000
5) Esther Kiplagat (KEN) 2:26:15 $30,000
6) Ludmila Petrova (RUS) 2:26:18 $25,000
7) Deena Drossin (USA) 2:26:58# $61,000
8) Elena Paramonova (RUS) 2:30:03 $5,000
9) Madina Biktagirova (RUS) 2:31:14 $2,500
10) Elana Meyer (RSA) 2:31:43 $1,000
*course record; #fastest U.S. debut (previously Leslie Lehane's 2:32:11 at the 1988 Twin Cities Marathon)

Other U.S. WOMEN
13) Milena Glusac, CA 2:34:46 $11,500
14) Colleen DeReuck, CO 2:35:31 $8,200
15) Jeanne Hennessy, NY 2:39:58 $5,500
16) Monica Hostetler, NY 2:41:38 $4,300
17) Gordon Bakoulis, NY 2:41:43
19) Rosa Gutierrez, OR 2:42:26
20) Kelly Cordell, CA 2:42:28
21) Joan Samuelson, ME 2:42:56
23) Tamara Lave, CA 2:43:46
24) Kim Pawelek, FL 2:44:06
26) Michelle LaFleur, GA 2:47:01
27) Donna Anderson, GA 2:47:25
(Sub 2:48:01 qualified for 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials; sub 2:40:00 earned the Olympic Trials "A" standard.)