PEORIA, IL – Kassie Parker claimed her first national title while Ahmed Muhumed took his third U.S. crown on the roads at Saturday’s USATF 4 Mile Championships in Peoria, IL as part of the Steamboat Classic.
In hot and humid conditions in Central Illinois, Parker, a seven-time Division III champion at Loras College, went straight to the front. Parker had Olympic silver medalist Courtney Frerichs nipping at her heels for the first mile and a half, but by the two-mile turnaround, it was Parker all alone out front. She had a nine-second lead at halfway to collect the $2,000 halfway bonus prize. That lead doubled over the course of the next mile. Parker hit three miles and 5K in 15:14 and 15:47 respectively, now 18 seconds ahead of the field. She gave up some ground in the final mile, but the women chasing her ran out of time. Parker won in 20:16 with former Colorado State standout Rachel Rudel seven seconds back. Allie Ostrander, a member of Team USA at the upcoming World Athletics Road Running Championships, took third in 20:24.
“It was very humid here,” said Parker, the runner-up at last month’s USATF 25km Championships. “I was going to sit behind Allie and Courtney and see how it goes. Next thing I know I was leading, and I thought that I might as well go for the bonus and see where it goes from there.”
The men’s race featured many more faces in the early miles. U.S. 10 Mile Champion Graydon Morris took a group of twelve through the first mile in 4:36. At the turnaround, the pack had only dwindled to ten. Anthony Rotich and Reid Buchanan both took turns in the front and who would break the tape was still a mystery when they crossed mile three in 13:46 and 5K seconds later in 14:16.
As the women were breaking the tape, Buchanan made a move in the men’s race, shooting to the front and attempting to open a gap. But, Muhumed didn’t let him go and matched Buchanan’s stride, turning the closing meters into a two-man race. The pair were side-by-side with 200m to go when Muhumed opened his stride and quickly separated from Buchanan to claim victory in 17:57. Buchanan was three seconds back in second and Morris hung on for third in 18:05.
“You always come in willing to adjust accordingly,” said Muhumed who will run the half marathon at the World Road Running Championships in Denmark, “I was just ready to do whatever it takes to try to win. A lot of great talent here and I just wanted to make sure I came out on top.”
With eight races complete, Muhumed now leads the points for the men and Emma Grace Hurley for the women in the USATF Running Circuit. The next race on the circuit is the USATF 6KM Championships for women only in Canton, OH followed by the USATF 8KM Championships in Kingsport, TN.