Charlottesville Fall Classic 10K Road Championship: A view from the Front!
The Charlottesville Fall Classic 10K Road Championship attracts world caliber runners who come to compete for the over $2000 cash prize. Many runners from all over the world train and race in the United States.
This year, the field included male and female competitors from Kenya, Ethiopia and Russia- who swept the master’s race (Sergey Kaledin and Ilona Barvanova). All the Kenyan runners, who include Nicholas Kurgat (last year’s champions and course record holder) and Kirui Kipyegon, this year’s champion, are trained by Ben Kurgat, an UVA alumnus and former UVA runner. Ben also coaches the second and third female finishers, Hellen Jemutai and Divina Jepkogei. The third finisher in the men’s race (Abiyot Endale) and the women’s winner (Aziza Aliyu) are part of the Ethiopian team. This is the first race of this caliber in Charlottesville.
Driving the pace car provides a first hand view of the speed, tactics and grace of the front runners: what a treat! In Fall Classic tradition, the prerace was overcast with light rain. The air temperature was warm, in the high 60s-low 70s, something the Kenyan and Ethiopian runners were very happy about. Not so much for the russian competitors. Up front, much like last year., the kenyans and ethiopians took it out down Market Street - this year hitting the first mile about ten seconds slower than last year (4:40), as it was probably about 30 degrees warmer and much more humid. The lead women were right behind the lead men at this point. At the turn into Riverview Park ,the lead pack was 2 kenyans, 1 ethiopian and the russian masters runner (really inspiring!). Exiting the park, and just before the 4th mile, it was the 2 kenyans and ethiopian.
The pack hit the hill, from mile 4 to 4 and a half - where the race was broken open last year by the eventual winner ( Nicholas Kurgat of Kenya). This year, the ethiopian broke free and put about ten yards on the kenyans by the top, seemingly going for the win. But knowledge of the course must have helped, since defending champion Nicholas laid back on the hill and was able to reel in the ethiopian on the ensuing flat of Locust Ave., overtaking him by 5 miles and pulling away. Nicholas was soon to be followed by his team mate, who not only retook second but ended up overtaking first for a Kenyan 1,2 sweep.
A truly exciting race to watch unfold.