USATF Indoor Championships 2014Feb 21, 2014 by Mitch Kastoff
USATF Indoor Championships: Women's 3k preview
USATF Indoor Championships: Women's 3k preview
It’s all the three B's in the women’s 3k: Brooks, Brooks Beasts, and Boulder. And, well, the Nike Oregon Project.
Gabe Grunewald has the top seed and is one of two women who have gone sub-9 in the 3k this winter. The 1500m specialist has run three races this season, with just one in her main discipline. First, Grunewald ran 9:55.21 for two miles at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, where she finished fifth. A week later, she took to the Millrose Games 3k and ran an indoor personal best of 8:53.87, again placing fifth.
Her main challenge, on paper, is from the Nike Oregon Project’s Jordan Hasay. It should be the other way around (Hasay’s main challenger is Grunewald), but we’re being technical here and going along with the seed times. Hasay, like the woman seeded in front of her, also has run an indoor PR this season. At the NBIGP, Hasay passed 3k in 8:54.30 en route to her 9:36.00 finish for two miles.
A personal best and then another lap? In reality, it’s Hasay who is favored. In addition to her 3k all-time best, Hasay has set PRs at the indoor 800m, 1500m, and mile. With all of these under-distance events, she should be ready for a slow pace in Albuquerque, New Mexico. With that being said, I would never discount the speedy Grunewald, who ran 4:01.48 for 1500m last summer.
Then there’s the entire Brooks Beasts crew. The quintet of Brie Felnagle, Deb Maier, Jessica Tebo, Jamie Cheever, and Angela Bizzari are all in attendance in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Let’s narrow things down. At the JDL Fast Track 3k, it was Maier who emerged over Tebo, 9:02.79 to 9:04.52. Then at the ISU Classic Mile, it was Tebo who showed Maier a clean pair of heels, 4:34.73 to 4:35.10.
The other two Brooks athletes, Cheever and Bizzari, have been a step behind the other two this winter. What about the lone adidas member of the group, Felnagle?
She’s run one race this season, which was the Millrose Games 3k. Felnagle finished ninth in New York, NY in 9:01.57.
Then there’s the last “B” of the group, Boulder Track Club’s Laura Thweatt. The former University of Colorado standout has run two consecutive 3k PRs this winter. The first came at the Husker Invitational, where she took a 1:26 win with her 9:15.87 finish. A week after that, she won the Husky Classic 3k in 9:01.58.
Just for reference, her PR before this season was 9:33.56. New face in the 3k? Yes. Upset alert in ABQ? We’re on call.
Before we leave, we should mention the other NOP member, Shannon Rowbury. The 2009 World Championship bronze medalist has gotten off to a slow 2014, but had run 9:52.16 for two miles. If it's a slow early pace, which it should be, then Rowbury will be a factor.
Before we leave, we should mention the other NOP member, Shannon Rowbury. The 2009 World Championship bronze medalist has gotten off to a slow 2014, but had run 9:52.16 for two miles. If it's a slow early pace, which it should be, then Rowbury will be a factor.
| Women 3000m | ||||
| Name | Affiliation | Mark | Status | Declaration |
| Gabriele Grunewald | Brooks / Team USA Minnesota | 8:53.87 | qualified | declared |
| Jordan Hasay | Nike | 8:54.30 | qualified | declared |
| Brie Felnagle | adidas | 9:01.57 | qualified | declared |
| Laura Thweatt | Boulder Track Club | 9:01.58 | qualified | declared |
| Deborah Maier | Brooks | 9:02.79 | qualified | declared |
| Jessica Tebo | Brooks | 9:04.52 | qualified | declared |
| Shannon Rowbury | Nike | 9:11.74 | qualified | declared |
| Clerc Simpson | Brooks | 9:12.25 | qualified | declared |
| Sara Hall | Asics | 9:12.26 | qualified | declared |
| Sara Vaughn | Brooks | 9:17.96 | qualified | declared |
| Jamie Cheever | Brooks | 9:19.21 | qualified | declared |
| Angela Bizzarri | Brooks | 9:20.01 | qualified | declared |
| Maggie Callahan | HTS Elite | 9:20.86 | qualified | declared |
| Carmen Graves | Roanoke Valley Elite | 9:21.69 | qualified | declared |
| Lindsey Drake | Bowerman Athletic Club | 9:22.00 | qualified | declared |
| Kristen Rohde | Bowerman Athletic Club | 9:24.40 | qualified | declared |
| Rochelle Kanuho | Boulder Running Company/adidas | 15:59.13 | qualified | declared |
| Catherine Beck | Central Park Track Club (CPTC) New Balance | 9:17.73 | qualified | scratched |