Kara Goucher’s comeback from injury came full circle on Sunday as she toed the line at the Run Rock n Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon. The 36-year-old Goucher, competing in her first race since June 2013, ran 1:11:40 and placed 6th, right in line with the goal time she set before the race. Goucher’s race plan was to stick with her splits regardless of what pace the field set, and she stayed well back as the leaders went through 5k at 16:04. 

Outside of the top-10 at 5k, Goucher’s plan to pick off runners throughout the race was executed as she moved into 8th place at 10k. Aliphine Tuliamuk Bolton, the former Wichita State All-American, was among those who Goucher swallowed up after 10k, as Bolton suffered to a 1:13:21 after leading the race 3.1 miles in. 

Goucher’s final time (avg. 5:29/mile) was of course well off her 66:57 half marathon PB, but she leaves Philly healthy and with 15 months of rust finally busted. It cannot be overstated that Goucher should be applauded for sticking with her race plan, as the hyper-competitive Goucher had to put her instincts in check in order to accomplish the all important goal of staying healthy. Goucher took a positive step in her return, and will now turn her attention to the New York City Marathon on November 2nd. There, Goucher will stick to her split-adherent approach, but she has the much more ambitious goal of 2:28. With Philly now in the books, Goucher will have just under a month and a half to prepare for her first marathon since Boston 2013. 

Perhaps overshadowed by Goucher’s return, 41-year-old Deena Kastor was seeking a masters world record in the half marathon on Sunday. Running aggressively from the front, Kastor smashed the previous record of 69:56 by running 69:36 and finishing 3rd, behind only Aberu Kebede and Caroline Rotich. Kebede blew open the race after 10 miles, and won by an astounding 41 seconds in 1:08.40. 

On the fast Philly course, Kastor ran her fastest time since 2010, and set a remarkable two minute season’s best after she ran 1:11:38 in April. This race has to put more energy into Kastor’s consideration of running the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials, and Sunday suggests that making that team is not too unreasonable of a goal.