KARA GOUCHER
Events: Middle distance
Height: 5-7
Weight: 120
PRs: 1500m - 4:05.14 (2006); 3000m - 8:41.42 (2006); 5000m - 14:55.02 (2007); 10,000m – 30:55.16 (2008)
Born: July 9, 1978 in Queens, NY
Current Residence: Portland, Ore.
High School: Duluth East HS (Minn) ‘96
College: Colorado ‘01
Coach: Alberto Salazar
Agent: Peter Stubbs
Club: Nike

Career Highlights: 2008 Olympic Trials 5,000m champion and 10,000m runner-up; 2007 World Outdoor bronze medalist; 2007 USA Outdoor 10,000m runner-up; 2006 USA Outdoor 5,000m runner-up; 2000 NCAA Outdoor Champion in 3,000 and 5,000m; 2000 NCAA XC Champion

Goucher came out on top of a historic, three-woman duel in the women’s 5,000m at the 2008 Olympic Trials that saw American record holder Shalane Flanagan, Jen Rhines and Goucher scorch the track over the final three laps. With 300 meters to go, Goucher's leg turnover increased noticeably. Off the final turn, she went full-throttle to move strongly, and permanently, into the lead, winning in 15:01.01. Goucher also made the Olympic Team in the 10,000m after finishing as the runner-up in 31:37.72…Goucher made her half marathon debut a memorable one in setting a new American best time with her winning performance at the 2007 Great North Run Half Marathon in England. Her time of 1:06:57 bettered the previous U.S. record of 67:34 by Deena Kastor set last year in Berlin, but due to the downhill nature of the course, it will not qualify as the American record...Goucher made history at the 2007 IAAF World Outdoor Championships by winning the first American medal ever in the women's 10,000 meters. Her racing savvy and closing speed earned her America's first World Outdoor medal in the 10 km, besting a pair of fifth-place finishes by Hall of Famer Lynn Jennings. Goucher took the bronze in a season-best time of 32:02.05. On July 26, 2006, in just her second 10,000-meter race, Kara Goucher became the second-fastest American ever at the distance, placing third in Helsinki in 31:17.12. Among Americans, only Deena Kastor has run faster. It was part of an amazing season that saw Goucher set personal bests at four distances… After years of mutual injury and frustration, the Gouchers moved from Boulder to Portland, Oregon, in the fall of 2004, where both Kara and her husband, Adam, have flourished …Goucher established herself as one of the top collegiate cross country runners while at Colorado. She was undefeated for the entire 1999 cross country season until the NCAA Championships, where she finished ninth... she returned in 2000 to win her second Big 12 cross country championship, the NCAA title and then won both the 3,000 and 5,000m at the NCAA Championships... was the only collegiate runner in the 5,000m finals at the 2000 Olympic Trials, where she finished 8th... Formerly Kara Grgas-Wheeler, she started running in the seventh grade because she wanted to win an award at her junior high school... to get the award, she needed academics, arts and athletics... she chose cross country because they didn’t make cuts...was a psychology major at Colorado... In 2001, she married fellow Colorado alum, distance runner Adam Goucher.

2008: 9th in 5,000m (15:49.39) and 10th in 10,000m (30:55.16) at Olympic Games...Olympic Trials champion in 5,000m (15:01.02) and 2nd  in 10,000m (31:31.72) ... 3rd in 5,000m at Nike Prefontaine Classic (14:58.10)…4th at adidas Track Classic (9:00.53)
2007: USA Outdoor 10,000m runner-up (32:33.80)…3rd in 10,000m at World Outdoors (32:02.05)…8th in 1,500m at Pre Classic (4:10.29)…3rd in 3,000m at Rieti (8:34.99)…3rd in 5,000m at Berlin (14:55.02)…ranked #3 in the world (#1 U.S.) at 10,000m, #2 in the U.S. at 3,000m and #4 in the U.S. at 5,000m by T&FN...bests of 32:02.05, 8:34.99 and 14:55.02.
2006: USA Outdoor 5,000m runner-up (15:14.13)…11th in 1,500m at Rieti (4:05.14PR)…1st in 1,500m at Eugene (4:14.23)…3rd in 3,000m at World Cup (8:41.42PR)…2nd in 3,000m at adidas Track Classic (8:55.05)…5th in 5,000m at Naimette-Xhovemont (15:08.13PR)…3rd in 10,000m at Helsinki (31:17.12PR)…ranked #1 in the U.S. at 10,000m and #2 in the U.S. at 3,000m and 5,000m by T&FN…bests of 4:05.14, 8:41.42, 15:08.13 and 31:17.12.
2005: bests of 4:12.31 and 15:17.55.
2004: bests of 4:16.48, 9:14.77 and 16:30.35.
2003: bests of 4:11.17 and 15:42.97.
2002: did not compete
2001: 7th in 5,000m at USA Outdoors…7th in 5,000m at NCAA Outdoors…bests of 4:27.54 and 15:41.77.
2000: Won Big 12 XC Champs (19:38)... Won 3000m (9:02.15) and 5000m (15:54.30) at NCAA Outdoor Champs... 8th at Olympic Trials 5000m (15:34.47)... won NCAA XC... ranked #8 in U.S. in 5000m by T&FN... bests of 4:12.15, 8:54.82 and 15:28.78.
1999: Won Big 12 XC Champs (16:48)... 9th at NCAA XC Champs (16:58.40)... runner-up at NCAA Outdoor 3000m (9:29.89)... 4th at Big 12 Outdoor 5000 (16:57.31)... 3rd at Big 12 Outdoor 3000 (9:41.38)...7th at Mt. SAC Relays (4:28.37)... bests of 9:16.53 and 16:57.31.
1998: Won Big 12 3000m (9:32.55)... 7th at NCAA 3000m (9:23.45)... best of 9:23.45.
1997: 3rd at Big 12 XC Champs (17:40)... 9th at Big 12 3000m... bests of 4:59.42 (mile) and 9:55.89.
1996: 11th at Big 12 XC Champs... best of 18.25 (XC).


09/22/08