Pending U.S. Age-Group Record For Somers Smith
- By Mario Fraioli
- Published Oct. 5, 2010
Linda Somers Smith. Photo: PhotoRun.net
Former Olympian runs fastest half marathon by a 45-49 year old at Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose.
Linda Somers Smith. Photo: PhotoRun.net
She didn’t win the race, but 49-year old former U.S. Olympian Linda Somers Smith–runner-up to 2008 U.S. Olympian Blake Russell at last Sunday’s Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon–set a pending U.S. women’s 45-49 year old age group record with her 1:13:32 clocking.
Russell, running her first race since the birth of her first child last year, won the race in 1:11:55. De Reuck, 45, ran 1:16:30 earlier this year at the Houston Half Marathon.
Somers Smith, who represented the United States in the marathon at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, qualified her for the 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon with her most recent effort. She also set a pending age group record for 20K en route during the race, passing 12.4 miles in 1:09:42, ahead of the existing record of 1:14:13. She will run the Dodge Rock ‘n’ Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon on October 24.
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FILED UNDER: News TAGS: 2010 Rock n Roll an Jose Half Marathon / 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon / American Record / Blake Russell / Susan Somers Smith
Mario Fraioli
Mario Fraioli is a senior editor at Competitor magazine. A cross-country All-American at Stonehill College in 2003, he now coaches the Prado Women's Racing Team in San Diego and was the men's marathon coach for Costa Rica's 2012 Olympic team. His first book, The Official Rock 'n' Roll Guide To Marathon & Half-Marathon Training (VeloPress, 2013) is available in bookstores, running shops and online.