USA: Webb, Buttry Capture USA Club Cross Country Crowns

GREENSBORO, N.C. - (December 7, 2003) - Rumors of his demise were slightly exaggerated.

Alan Webb, the former high school phenom who broke Jim Ryun's long-standing prep mile record in 2001 but whose career recently had fallen into partial eclipse, won the USA Club Cross Country Championship men's title in a thrilling homestretch duel against former Arkansas Razorback star Daniel Lincoln.

Webb, who had endured injury, indifferent results and this summer's emergency appendectomy since beginning of his post-collegiate racing career, followed Lincoln until the final straightaway before launching his kick and edging ahead of the three-time NCAA steeplechase champion. Webb won his first national title in 30:13.1 over the hilly, three-loop, 10K course. Lincoln was close behind in 30:13.4.

In other action, Missy Buttry, the Wartburg College junior who has won the last two NCAA Division III harrier titles, out-kicked former Yale star Kate O'Neill to win the women's title. Buttry clocked 19:59.9 over the 6K course on a breezy day with temperatures in the mid-forties. Hanson's-Brooks/Team USA Michigan's men's team added a third jewel to its string of consecutive team titles with a decisive win over the Wisconsin Runner Race Team. The Farm Team of Palo Alto, Calif. won its second straight women's crown.

But Webb was the news of the day. He and Lincoln broke away from the rest of the field after the 5K mark. Lincoln pressed Webb hard through the fourth mile - both runners audibly huffed up the course's major hill - but could never shake the star miler, who finished 11th in his only NCAA cross country outing in 2001 during his abbreviated college career at Michigan. After the winding turns that led into the finishing straightaway, Webb and Lincoln kicked hard for the finish, but Webb gained the lead in the final 10 meters.

"I was just trying to hang on, I knew if I could be there going into that last straight, I knew I could get him," Webb said of Lincoln. "He ran a hard fourth mile it sort of shook my legs a little bit and literally that last two miles I was hanging on for dear life. Dan definitely did most of the work. It's a good day. I'm happy."

Following Webb and Lincoln were last year's runner-up David Cullum of the Farm Team, third in 30:34.4; Peter Julian of adidas, fourth in 30:35.7 and Matt Thull of the Wisconsin Runner Race Team, fifth in 30:41.0

The 21-year-old Webb's performance augurs well for his day job - middle distance running. Webb's best track racing has often come in tandem with success in cross country. In high school, Webb finished second at the 2000 Footlocker Nationals (to recent NCAA cross country champ Dathan Ritzenhein) prior to setting his indoor and outdoor high school records in the mile.

"When I run my best is when I'm running great in the longer events," Webb remarked. "I know I can turn on my speed in terms of in the training. It's given me a great measuring point."

It's no surprise that Webb's 2004 focus is on the Olympics. In preparation for the Olympic Trials and a hoped-for trip to Athens, Webb plans to compete the 4K event at the USA Winter Cross Country Championships, set for Indianapolis on February 7 and 8.

Sunday's women's winner has a bit of the phenom to her as well. The home-schooled, small college star has dominated Division III running - easily winning the last two harrier crowns and possessing a shelf full of golden hardware from the track. Buttry used this event, where she finished third a year ago, to test herself against stiffer competition than she can find among her
non-scholarship brethren.

Buttry ran in stride with O'Neill much of the race. O'Neill, who lives in New Haven, Conn. and continues to train with her college coach Mark Young, put a bit of daylight between herself and Buttry on the final uphill, but couldn't match Buttry's kick.

"I wanted to take the lead by the 800 mark," Buttry explained, "but our pace was going good, so I decided to stay with her because I was getting tired then and I thought it would be better than moving too early. It was an awesome race and Katie's an awesome runner."

"Our coach is really good about finding me meets," Buttry said of Wartburg coach Steve Johnson. "He took us to Griak and put us in the Division I race. During the track season he's got it so pretty much every meet is a big meet for me. All my training and races are going to be based on the upcoming Olympic Trials."

Rounding out the top-five were Katherine Newberry, third in 20:20.1; Ann McGranahan, fourth in 20:33.0; and Laura O'Neill, twin sister of Kate, fifth in 20:51.0

The Hanson's-Brooks squad earned their Club championship three-peat with a balanced attack. Two-time USA Chiba Ekiden representative Richie Brinker led the squad with an 7th place finish, followed closely by Marty Rosendahl in 8th. Also scoring for Hanson's Brooks were Nick Cordes, 9th; Clint Verran, 11th and Trent Briney, 12th overall. Hanson's-Brooks tallied 30 points, beating
Wisconsin Runner's 49 and 2002 runner-up Farm Team's 74.

"We're strength training right now so this kind of course suits our strength," Hanson's-Brooks co-coach Keith Hanson said of his team. "And, the guys ran a nice, smart race. They didn't get out too fast, ran real smart and grouped up together well. We knew the guys were pretty close together and pretty interchangeable."

The Farm Team's women's second straight Club Cross title was powered by Elissa Riedy, 5th (team scoring); Sarna Becker, 6th; Chris Lundy, 8th; Heather Tanner, 10th and Mari Chandler, 11th. The Farm Team scored 40 points. The Boston Athletic Association and the adidas-Raleigh Track Club each scored 84, but the BAA prevailed in the tie-breaker - having the better fifth runner.

In the masters 10K championship, Bob Winn (33:15.5) of the Greater Lowell Road Runners won a brave, close wire-to-wire victory, narrowly beating Peter Magill (33:17.0) and Dave Olds (33:20.9) over 10K. Kate Padden (40:00.7) of the Woodbridge Running Company won in similar, if less dramatic, fashion the women's 10K over Kelly Kruell (40:39.5) and Regina Joyce (41:14.3).

USATF National Club Cross Country Championships
Greensboro, NC, Saturday, December 7, 2003

MEN
1. Alan Webb, 21, Fairfax, VA, 30:13.1
2. Daniel Lincoln, 23, Fayetteville, AR, 30:13.4
3. David Cullum, 30, Cupertino, CA, 30:34.4
4. Peter Julian, 33, Boulder, CO, 30:35.7
5. Matt Thull, 28, Wauwatosa, WI 30:41.0
6. Jared Cordes, 26, Madison, WI, 30:43.6
7. Richie Brinker, 28, Rochester, MI, 30:54.5
8. Martin Rosendahl, 25, Rochester, MI, 30:55.6
9. Nick Cordes, 24, Rochester Hills, MI, 31:04.9
10. Karl Savage, 24, Lenoir, NC, 31:05.3

WOMEN
1. Missy Buttry, 20, Shenandoah, IA, 19:59.9
2. Kate O'Neill, 23, New Haven, CT, 20:01.4
3. Katherine Newberry, 25, Williamsburg, VA, 20:20.1
4. Ann McGranahan, 25, Lenoir, NC, 20:33.0
5. Laura O'Neill, 23, New Haven, CT, 20:51.0
6. Christina Wells, 29, Owensboro, KY, 20:57.8
7. Mary Jayne Harrelson, 25, Blacksburg, VA, 21:06.8
8. Bethany Brewster, 24, Madison, WI, 21:09.3
9. Kimberley Thalman, 24, Providence, RI, 21:09.8
10. Melissa White, 22, Rochester Hills, MI, 21:10.1

TEAM MEN
1. Hansons-Brooks, 30
2. Wisconsin Runner RT, 49
3. Farm Team, 74

TEAM WOMEN
1. Farm Team, 40
2. Boston Athletic Assn, 84
3. adidas Raleigh TC, 84
Note: BAA won the tiebreaker.

For complete Open, masters and team results, go to the USATF website: http://www.usatf.org

Source Running USA wire