KIMbia Athletics

James Carney placed sixth at yesterday’s U.S. Cross Country Championships to earn a spot on the team for next month’s World Cross Country Championships, to be held in Edinburgh, Scotland on March 30.

Carney ran 35:56 for the 12-kilometer course in San Diego’s Mission Bay Park. Carney’s former training partner, Dathan Ritzenhein, won in 35:03. On the last lap, Carney was closing fast on Olympic Marathon Trials champion Ryan Hall, who placed fifth in 35:50.

Fasil Bizuneh placed 16th in 36:49. In the women’s 8K, Nicole Aish had an off day and finished 27th in 28:43.

Results | Carney Post-Race Video

Nicole Aish, Fasil Bizuneh and James Carney will take on the rest of the best U.S. cross country runners at San Diego’s Mission Bay Park on Saturday. We’ll have post-race reflections from them here this weekend. In the meantime, a few pre-race thoughts from Fasil and James.

What are your main goals for the race?
Fasil: I am going to get in there and mix it up with some of the best runners in the country and give myself the best possible chance to win my first national title.
James: Be assertive and aggressive. When the dust settles…hopefully I’ll be in the top 9.

If you make the team, will you run Worlds?
Fasil: I definitely plan on running Worlds after I qualify for the team on Saturday.
James: If I make the team, I would like to to make the trip to Scotland.

Are you in specific cross country shape, or just good general racing shape? (Or do you think there’s much of a difference between the two?)
Fasil: I don’t see too much of a difference between the two; nevertheless, I feel very strong and ready to compete over 12K.
James: When you’re fit, you’re fit. It doesn’t matter much if its a cross country course, a track, or a road race. I’m in base phase right now. I’m strong as hell, but maybe not that sharp yet.

The course in San Diego seems pretty straightforward. What’s the craziest cross country course you’ve raced on?
Fasil: When I ran World Jr XC in Belfast back in 1999, it was very muddy. There was a hill where you were running up a sidways slope, and people were sliding off that thing like crazy. I think my teamate Adam Tenforde fell three times and was covered in mud from head to toe at the end of it.
James: The XC trials in Houston 2003 was pretty crazy. You would sink up mid shin into the mud. However, I’d like to run Cinque Mulini in Italy sometime.

Twenty-four hours of travel, freezing weather, the first site of snow, and thick mud didn’t slow the Singore Girls cross country team at the 4th annual Nike Team Nationals in Portland, Oregon. The only element that prevented the girls from scoring a perfect sweep in the open race was a cavity, which caused Emmy Kerich to have an off day.

After winning their qualifying race in Kenya, the Singore Girls punched their ticket to Portland - a rare trip outside of Kenya. Arriving just a few days before the race, the girls were greeted by cold, wet conditions and enthusiastic and curious American high school runners. Running in the open race Valentine Koech, Naomi Kipkemboi, Vivian Chelagat, and Mercy Kosgei took the first four spots running over one minute faster than the fifth-place finisher, Jessica Barnard of Little Branch. Emmy Kerich finished 45th, giving the Singore Girls a 31-point victory over second-place team Dana Hills (55 to 86). (Full coverage of the meet can be found here.)

The girls had a great time in Portland, capped by an impromptu standing ovation given by the hundreds of high school athletes, coaches, and parents in attendance at the post-race awards ceremony. They returned to Iten with great stories, new friends, and an experience they’ll never forget. Congratulations girls. We’ll see you in Iten soon!