Busy Labor Day Weekend for Rebecca

Recently Rebecca was ranked 7th in the Running Times magazine’s weekly rankings. She will put that ranking on the line and more when she travels to New Haven this weekend for the 2009 USA 20km Championships. So much for it being Labor Day Weekend because Rebecca will have a full slate of activities. On Saturday, the girls’ team from State College High School opens up their season at the Big Valley Invitational. With 6 of their top 7 back from last year, the girls from State High will look to improve on last year’s runner-up finish as they continue to build for the PIAA Championships in November where they finished 8th in 2008. After the Big Valley Invite, Rebecca will head east for the New Haven 20k which also serves as the US Championship. The top two female finishers will be offered a position to represent the USA at the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham, England on October 11. So while we are all enjoying the extra day off, make sure you take time to cheer on Rebecca and wish her safe travels.

Rebecca is 7th in the debut of Run the Roads Power Rankings

Run the Roads will rank the top ten U.S. athletes in each event every week from now until the end of the track and field season (the IAAF World T&F Championships).

Complete Run the Roads Power Rankings

Women’s 10,000m
1. Shalane Flanagan (Nike)
2. Amy Yoder-Begley (Nike)
3. Katie McGregor (Reebok)
4. Sara Slattery (Nike)
5. Desiree Davila (Brooks)
6. Lisa Koll (Iowa State)
7. Rebecca Donaghue (New Balance)
8. Kate O’Neill (Strands)
9. Amy Hastings (adidas)
10. Clara Grandt (West Virginia)

Rebecca tied for 23rd

Running Times’ Weekly Competitive Rankings

Top 25 US Women

1    2890    Kara Goucher (OR)
2    2874    Shalane Flanagan (OR)
3    2850    Jennifer Barringer (CO)
4    2792    Amy Begley (OR)
5    2777    Kathryn McGregor (MN)
6    2766    Jennifer Rhines (CA)
7    2763    Emily Brown (MN)
8    2747    Elva Dryer (CO)
9    2737    Molly Huddle (IN)
10   2733    Sara Slattery (CO)
11   2730    Julie Culley (VA)
12   2730    Magdalena Lewy (CA)
13   2724    Sally Meyerhoff (AZ)
14   2720    Lauren Fleshman (CA)
15   2719    Colleen deReuck (CO)
16   2714    Kate O'Neill (CA)
17   2711    Melissa White (MI)
18   2708    Lisa Koll (IA)
19   2707    Brianna Felnagle (NC)
20   2702    Renee Metivier (CO)
21   2695    Tasmin Fanning (VA)
22   2694    Deena Kastor (CA)
23   2687    Blake Russell (CA)
24   2687    Rebecca Donaghue (MA)
25   2684    Racheal Marchand (IA)

Rebecca is ranked 22nd on the US List

Running Times’ Weekly Competitive Rankings

Running Times explains the method for of their rankings:

“Our lists are based on a computer algorithm that we’ve developed over the years with the help of statistician Ken Young. The algorithm takes into account variables like how competitive the race is, how recently a runner has raced and how many times a runner has been beaten by higher or lower ranked runners.

All these things are quantified and when each week’s race results are run through the algorithm, each athlete ends up with a point total. The point totals are ranked from highest to lowest and we have our rankings. We often find that two athletes are neck-in-neck for one position but then a large point gap exists back down to the next ranked athlete. The point totals allow you to see just how close the number 1 and number 2 athletes (or the number 43 and 44 athletes) are each week, and who has to do a good bit of racing to pick up some places on the list.

We consider distance races in all disciplines — Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Road Racing and Cross Country. “Distance” races are considered anything 3000m or longer.”

US Women’s Rankings

1    2890    Kara Goucher (OR)
2    2874    Shalane Flanagan (OR)
3    2850    Jennifer Barringer (CO)
4    2792    Amy Begley (OR)
5    2785    Kathryn McGregor (MN)
6    2766    Jennifer Rhines (CA)
7    2763    Emily Brown (MN)
8    2747    Elva Dryer (CO)
9    2743    Molly Huddle (IN)
10    2736    Melissa White (MI)
11    2733    Sara Slattery (CO)
12    2730    Magdalena Lewy (CA)
13    2726    Lauren Fleshman (CA)
14    2719    Colleen deReuck (CO)
15    2708    Renee Metivier (CO)
16    2708    Lisa Koll (IA)
17    2707    Brianna Felnagle (NC)
18    2707    Julie Culley (VA)
19    2705    Kate O'Neill (CA)
20    2701    Tasmin Fanning (VA)
21    2697    Deena Kastor (CA)
22    2695    Rebecca Donaghue (MA)
23    2693    Blake Russell (CA)
24    2688    Desiree Davila (MI)
25    2685    Sally Meyerhoff (AZ)

Top Indoor Marks

USA Top Marks Lists

3000 METERS
8:46.65	1	Kara Goucher	Nike	02/07	Reebok Boston
8:53.27	1	Amy Begley	Nike	02/28	USATF Ind
8:53.72	?	Sara Hall	Asics	02/28	USATF Ind
8:55.62	3	Julie Culley	New York AC	02/28	USATF Ind
8:55.74	1	Shalane Flanagan	Nike	02/07	Reebok Boston
8:56.92	4	Lindsey Gallo	Reebok	02/28	USATF Ind
9:01.08	5	Rebecca Donaghue	New Balance Boston	02/28	USATF Ind
9:02.50	6	Delilah DiCrescenzo	Puma	02/28	USATF Ind
9:04.35	7	Nicole Bush	unat	02/28	USATF Ind
9:04.58	1	Brianna Felnagle	North Carolina	02/07	Armory Coll
9:04.67	5	Amy Mortimer	Reebok	02/07	Reebok Boston
9:07.68	1	Desiree Davila	Hansons	02/14	Allendale
9:08.77	1	Tasmin Fanning	Virginia Tech	12/05	App Inv-Boone
9:10.04	2	Bridget Franek	Penn State	01/31	PennSt Natl
9:10.54	2	Liz Maloy	unat	02/13	Valentine Inv
9:10.91	2	Melissa White	Hansons	02/14	Allendale
9:11.19	9	Jen Rhines	adidas	02/28	USATF Ind
9:13.79	10	Kristin Anderson	unat	02/28	USATF Ind
9:14.32	11	Lindsay Allen	McMillan Elite	02/28	USATF Ind
9:14.78	2	Erin Bedell	Baylor	02/28	Big 12 Ind
9:15.49	12	Jennifer Donovan	New Balance Boston	02/28	USATF Ind
9:16.10	4	Amanda LoPiccolo	Syracuse Chargers	02/13	Valentine Inv
9:18.02	2	Frances Koons	Villanova	02/07	Armory Coll
	1	Natalie Sherbak	Virginia Tech	02/07	Va Tech Elite
9:18.57	1	Emily Brown	unat	01/24	Minneapolis

Oversized Track:
8:53.88	1	Jenny Barringer	Colorado	01/31	Washington Inv
9:08.15	1	Laurynne Chetelat	Stanford	02/28	Mtn Pac Ind
9:08.50	2	Marie Lawrence	Washington	02/28	Mtn Pac Ind
9:09.92	1	Lisa Koll	Iowa State	01/24	Ames
9:10.12	2	Gwen Jorgensen	Wisconsin	02/07	Meyo Inv
9:10.99	2	Lauren Centrowitz	Stanford	01/31	Washington Inv
9:11.24	3	Alex Kosinski	Oregon	02/28	Mtn Pac Ind
9:11.31	1	Sarah Bowman	Tennessee	01/17	Ky Inv
9:11.62	3	Angela Bizzarri	Illinois	02/07	Meyo Inv
9:14.98	3	Alicia Follmar	Stanford	01/31	Washington Inv
9:16.01	2	Katie Follett	Washington	02/14	Seattle
9:16.90	4	Lennie Waite	Rice	02/07	Meyo Inv
9:17.10	1	Lesley Van Miert	unat	03/07	Notre Dame LC
9:17.28	4	Nicole Blood	Oregon	02/28	Mtn Pac Ind
9:17.49	6	Mattie Bridgmon	Oregon	01/31	Washington Inv
9:17.86	8	Becky Guyette	McMillan Elite	01/31	Washington Inv
9:18.56	4	Veronica Pohl	Northern Arizona	02/14	Seattle
9:19.16	1	Kim Conley	Cal-Davis	03/07	Wash LC
9:19.25	5	Lindsay Scherf	Oregon	02/14	Seattle

Top 3k marks for 2009 Indoor Season

3000 METERS
8:46.65	1	Kara Goucher	Nike	02/07	Reebok Boston
9:02.58	2	Amy Begley	Nike	01/31	Glasgow
9:04.58	1	Brianna Felnagle North Carolina	02/07	Armory Coll
9:04.67	5	Amy Mortimer	Reebok	02/07	Reebok Boston
9:07.03	1	Rebecca Donaghue unat	01/31	PennSt Natl
9:07.68	1	Desiree Davila	Hansons	02/14	Allendale
9:08.77	1	Tasmin Fanning	Virginia Tech	12/05	App Inv-Boone
9:10.04	2	Bridget Franek	Penn State	01/31	PennSt Natl
9:10.54	2	Liz Maloy	unat	02/13	Valentine Inv
9:10.91	2	Melissa White	Hansons	02/14	Allendale
9:16.10	4	Amanda LoPiccolo Syracuse Chargers 02/13 Valentine Inv
9:16.40	2	Delilah DiCrescenzo	Puma	01/23	Terrier Cl
9:16.45	3	Nicole Bush	unat	02/14	Allendale
9:18.02	2	Frances Koons	Villanova	02/07	Armory Coll
	1	Natalie Sherbak	Virginia Tech	02/07	Va Tech Elite
9:18.39	3	Erin Bedell	Baylor	02/07	Armory Coll
9:18.57	1	Emily Brown	unat	01/24	Minneapolis
Oversized Track:
8:53.88	1	Jenny Barringer	Colorado	01/31	Washington Inv
9:09.92	1	Lisa Koll	Iowa State	01/24	Ames
9:10.12	2	Gwen Jorgensen	Wisconsin	02/07	Meyo Inv
9:10.99	2	Lauren Centrowitz Stanford	01/31	Washington Inv
9:11.31	1	Sarah Bowman	Tennessee	01/17	Ky Inv
9:11.62	3	Angela Bizzarri	Illinois	02/07	Meyo Inv
9:14.98	3	Alicia Follmar	Stanford	01/31	Washington Inv
9:15.57	4	Alex Kosinski	Oregon	01/31	Washington Inv
9:16.01	2	Katie Follett	Washington	02/14	Seattle
9:16.70	5	Laurynne Chetelat Stanford	01/31	Washington Inv
9:16.89	3	Marie Lawrence	Washington	02/14	Seattle
9:16.90	4	Lennie Waite	Rice	02/07	Meyo Inv
9:17.49	6	Mattie Bridgmon	Oregon	01/31	Washington Inv
9:17.67	7	Lindsay Allen	McMillan Elite	01/31	Washington Inv
9:17.86	8	Becky Guyette	McMillan Elite	01/31	Washington Inv
9:18.56	4	Veronica Pohl	Northern Arizona 02/14	Seattle
9:19.25	5	Lindsay Scherf	Oregon	02/14	Seattle
9:19.56	6	Kim Conley	Cal-Davis	02/14	Seattle