Amy Cragg finished a terrific third in her comeback race from injury at the US 5K Championships, the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line, in New York City on Saturday morning.

In a race won by Emily Sisson in 15:34, Erika Kemp finished second in 15:50 with Cragg coming home third in 15:54.

“It felt really hard and really fast,” Cragg said. “A shock to the system, but I’m very happy with it.”

The 34-year-old Bowerman Track Club athlete last raced when finishing third in the Tokyo Marathon in February, then bypassed a fall marathon after injury troubles, telling Runner’s World this week: “I hurt my hamstring, and it was pretty bad, but as it healed and I started running again, we figured out that I had some biomechanical issues and other injuries I was probably just running through.

“The main goal right now is to just get back to where I was before all this happened. Once we solidify that I’m completely healthy and ready to move forward, that’s when we’ll start making those decisions.”

Fellow Kimbia athlete Jessica Tonn finished 11th in the same race, the Brooks athlete clocking 16:14.

Watch Cragg’s interview below with Letsrun.com:

Shalane Flanagan will return to the scene of her greatest triumph this weekend when taking to the start line in Staten Island to defend her title at the New York City Marathon.

The Bowerman Track Club athlete has had a low-key year so far, coming home sixth in dire conditions at the Boston Marathon in April, the last race she completed. But the 37-year-old is confident of a stout title defence this weekend.

“My fitness is good, I couldn’t ask for better,” said Flanagan, who admits she has made no career plan beyond this Sunday. “Over the past two years I’ve acted as if each marathon is my last, not knowing where it’s going to take me. Until I cross the finish line, I honestly don’t know.”

In an interview with Runner’s World, Flanagan revealed she expects to be in contention with the leading elites, who include Vivian Cheruiyot, Mary Keitany and fellow American Des Linden.

“I feel like I can take big risks this year. That’s the beauty of being the defending champion. I’ve already accomplished what I really wanted, so now I have the ability to really do whatever I want,” Flanagan said. “I don’t feel the panicky desperation to win—I am calm and calculated, but also willing to do big things.

“If I have a presence and I’m a factor in the race, that to me is a winning scenario. I really just want to be an ultimate competitor up front.”

Shalane Flanagan is set to return to the scene of her greatest triumph by competing in this year’s New York City Marathon.

The 37-year-old will line up in the Big Apple on November 4 ready to take on the world’s best once again.

Lopez Lomong (photo by Jeff Benjamin) produced another powerful performance on Friday night to take victory in 3:53.86 over a mile at the Sir Walter Miler meeting in North Carolina, clocking the second fastest time ever run in the state to defeat Johnny Gregorek and Sam Prakel. Lomong led 13 men under the four-minute barrier.

“I held good position and was able to take advantage of it,” said the Bowerman Track Club athlete, who also noted how near he came to the North Carolina State Record (he missed it by 0.03), and his hopes to be able to break that record himself. “Next time,” said the newly minted Sir Walter Miler Champion.

It continues a resurgent 2018 for Lomong, who earlier this summer became US champion over 10,000m and has since competed across a range of distances, finishing fifth at the US road 10K championships before a second-place finish at the Morton Games in Ireland where he ran a 3:56.58 mile.

Full result below:

1 Lopez Lomong NIKE/Bowerman 3:53.86 3:39.40 1500m
2 Johnny Gregorek ASICS 3:54.53 3:39.91 1500m
3 Sam Prakel Unattached 3:54.64 3:39.52 1500m
4 Pat Casey Under Armour 3:54.66 3:39.80 1500m
5 Ben Blankenship NIKE/Oregon Tr 3:54.88 3:40.34 1500m
6 Craig Engels NIKE/Nike Oreg 3:55.12 3:40.44 1500m
7 Sean McGorty Unattached 3:55.21 3:39.97 1500m
8 Hassan Mead NIKE/Oregon Tr 3:55.91 3:40.35 1500m
9 Charlie Marquardt Bryn Mawr Runnin 3:55.97 3:40.96 1500m
10 Robert Domanic Unattached 3:56.66 3:41.40 1500m
11 Graham Crawford HOKA NJNYTC 3:56.79 3:41.80 1500M
12 Jacob Thomson adidas/Boston At 3:57.07 3:41.08 1500m
13 Cristian Soratos adidas 3:59.16 3:43.20 1500m

ongrats to Lopez Lomong, on his 3:53.86 mile win, leading 13 Under 4:00, and setting State record!!