There’s nothing better than surveying the previous fifty-two weeks of your life and realizing how fun and gratifying they were. Here’s a look back at just a handful of the memories we at KIMbia Athletics will take away from 2011. If you had your own memory from the year that included us or our athletes, please share it below!

10. Tim Nelson Steps Down and Beats Top-Flight 3000m Field in Seattle
Who doesn’t love a good underdog story? Nelly shocked American running fans when he dispatched middle-distance specialists German Fernandez, Alan Webb, and World Championship bronze-medalist-to-be Matt Centrowitz in a 3000m far below his comfort zone distances… and with a blistering kick, to boot. Read the full article

It may be just a pair of “our” legs in the New York Times, but what a speedy set they are. The Times sent out a reporter named Michael Tanier to cover six professional sporting events in the New York area in just twenty-four hours, and the New York Diamond League stop was on his itinerary. The lens of his photographer captured Delilah DiCrescenzo navigating the water jump — and showcasing her Puma footwear for the camera.

The race may not have been everything Delilah was hoping for — 9th in 9:50.61 — she still sits as the 7th-seed at the upcoming US Championships, and defeated two higher-seeded women in New York.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Lineth Chepkurui won the Kenyan Armed Forces 5000m over Sharon Cherop (third at this year’s Boston Marathon), a win of determination for the star who continues to battle leg pain.

On Day One of the Prefontaine Classic, Shalane Flanagan turned in the best performance of any KIMbia athlete, logging a 14:49.68 to place 6th in an absolutely stellar field. At the bell, it looked like Flanagan had a very real shot at the American Record of 14:44.76, but she fought home with a tough 69-point final lap — a circuit featuring what she called “the worst rigging ever.” However, her performance was still good for a World Championships and Olympic “A” standard and the fifth-fastest American clocking ever… and she owns three of the other four. Afterwards, she spoke with LetsRun.com and admitted that she was a little disappointed that the early pace was slower than expected and, thanks to the altitude training phase the team is currently in, that she had “limited speed” to bring into the furious finish she knew the slow start had ensured. Meanwhile, Lineth Chepkurui ran 15:15.15 — a numerical anomaly, for sure, but also an agonizing point-one-five outside of the “A” standard in the 5000m. In all likelihood, this race will conclude Lineth’s 2011 campaign, a season that saw impressive wins at Bolder Boulder and Bay to Breakers, and also a return to the track to prepare for a bid to London in 2012. Standout Vivian Cheruiyot won the race.

In the Men’s 10,000m, the Hayward Field crowd was treated to the best 10,000m field ever assembled in the United States… and, it turns out, arguably in the whole of history. Read the full article

Although Haron Keitany is already a distinguished international performer, he is a relatively new addition to the KIMbia roster — but he has very quickly shown why we are so proud to have him in our family. On Sunday in Hengelo, the man they call “Land Cruiser” clocked 3:31.86 to take second place behind Mohammed Shaween, a mere four-hundredths away from the win. Left in his wake were thirteen men, including a sub-3:30 rising star in Silas Kiplagat, and the reigning Olympic Champion (steeple), Brimin Kipruto. The time is Keitany’s third-fastest all time, and was just a few tenths away from Nixon Chepseba’s world lead.

One day later, Lineth Chepkurui won Bolder Boulder by over four seconds, claiming an enjoyable victory in the town where she sets up shop for her US season, each year. Along with runner-up Mamitu Deska, Chepkurui broke away from the rest of the field in the third mile, only securing her win over the Ethiopian — and two-time defending champion — with a final kick. Read the full article

As defending Bay to Breakers Champion, Lineth Chepkurui had all eyes on her Sunday in San Francisco. But by using her credentials to help raise awareness for the Daraja Academy — an all-scholarship girls’ secondary school in Kenya, that was fundraising at Bay to Breakers — Chepkurui and Daraja became a compelling human interest story that got the attention of local media in all mediums, in the days leading up to the race.   The following is a compilation of some of the press mentioning the partnership:

San Francisco Examiner: Lineth Chepkurui fights injury to prevail again at Zazzle Bay to Breakers

San Francisco Sentinel: 2010 Race Winner and Other Bay Area Supporters Run for Kenyan Girls Education

San Jose Mercury News: Dogged determination marks 100th Bay to Breakers run

KGONewstalkAM810: Live Coverage of Bay to Breakers [Lineth Interview begins around 48:00]

A veteran of post-race, post-victory interviews, Lineth also had the chance to make a special in-studio appearance on KCBS, Saturday morning:

Asked why it was important to support girls in their education, Lineth replied:

“They’re so vulnerable. In Africa, they’re getting early marriage if they’re not taken care of. You know, our culture, in Africa, the girls chose not to be educated in the old culture. And that’s why we’re [now] taking much concern on girls.”

Photos from pre-race press conference, and in the KCBS studio with local student Paige Whistler and Daraja Academy co-founder Jason Doherty, both courtesy of Daraja Academy / Carr Educational Foundation. A full gallery of photos can be found on Daraja’s Facebook page, linked here.

Check back later this week, as we share an exchange of notes between Lineth and the Daraja student with whom she was paired — her “little sister” — in this partnership.