In a time of year when the competitive running scene begins to slow down, athletes from across the country threw down standout performances to earn this week’s FloAwards. From Courtney Frerichs’ indoor 5K at BU Opener to Kara Goucher’s victory at the San Antonio Half Marathon, the first weekend of December showed great progress for many athletes.

Flo Performer

Courtney Frerichs (Unattached - New Mexico)
The grad student at New Mexico capped off a breakthrough cross country season with a significant personal best in the 5K at the Boston University Indoor Opener. After winning an NCAA team title just a couple weeks ago, Frerichs and her teammates took to the track to secure a trio of standout early season performances. While running unattached, Frerichs won the indoor race in 15:31, 16 seconds faster than her previous personal best. Teammates Molly Renfer and Whitney Thornburg trailed in 16:02 and 16:24, respectively.

Flo Elite

Kara Goucher (Oiselle, Skechers)
In her second half marathon of 2015, Kara Goucher walked away with another victory in the distance Sunday morning at the Rock ’n’ Roll San Antonio race. Against top marathon competition Amy Hastings Cragg, Shalane Flanagan, Kellyn Taylor and Sasha Gollish, Goucher started to put distance on the field just two miles into the 13.1-mile race. Her finishing time of 1:11:10 was her second sub 72-minute effort this year and was a season’s best for the Boulder-based athlete. 10 weeks away from the Olympic Marathon Trials in Los Angeles, Goucher is looking the most fit in years while on her way to contend for her third Olympic team this February.



Kim Conley (New Balance)
At the inaugural Pacific 10000m Pursuit, Conley stole the show at Hornet Stadium with a solo victory in a winning time of 31:58, 17 seconds below the Olympic qualifying mark. The race was paced perfectly from the beginning by Conley’s NorCal Distance Project teammates Lianne Farber and Alycia Cridebring, and Conley took full advantage of the assistance. By the time the pacers left at 3K, Conley was completely alone up front, but that didn’t stop her from powering through a full 25-lap race with the victory on her home track. After a difficult year that included an injury in her foot, Conley was relieved to finally make her way back to the track and secure the time heading into the 2016 Olympic year. 



13 Women Who Qualified for the Olympic Trials at California International Marathon
Sacramento, Calif. was buzzing Sunday morning after 13 women ran under the Olympic Trials qualifying standard at the California International Marathon. In the 2.5-year window for athletes to run under the qualifying standard of 2:43:00, CIM has had a total of 45 Olympic Trials participants earn their times at the Northern California race. The fastest American to punch her ticket on Sunday was Jane Kibii who finished third in 2:37:00. Oiselle team's own Sarah Robinson was also able to nab her Olympic Trials spot with a 2:42:36 finishing time.

When you know you're going to the Trials!! #runCIM #OTQfactory #oisellevole pic.twitter.com/RLiW6jHI9b

— sarah [mac] robinson (@thatsarahmac) December 6, 2015

Marvin Blanco (Venezuela)
Blanco took control of the Pacific 10000m Pursuit men’s race with a winning time and a new Venezuelan national record of 28:31 Sunday night in Sacramento. The performance broke the previous national record by 10 seconds and led Blanco to a significant personal best in the distance. Blanco won the competition by making a hard move with 600m remaining in the race, leaving former Stanford runner Erik Olson trailing for second by just a few steps. 

Flo Prep

Katie Rainsberger (Air Academy High School)
In a stunning kick to the finish, high school senior Katie Rainsberger ran away with her first Nike Cross Nationals title Saturday in Portland, Oregon. The distance phenom, who announced her commitment to run for the University of Oregon next year, claimed the victory at Glendoveer Golf Course in a winning time of 16:56, 23 seconds faster than 2014 winner Allie Ostrander ran on the same course last year. The performance completed an undefeated 2015 cross country season in dominant fashion, leaving runner-up Ella Donaghu trailing by 13 seconds.

Katie Rainsberger drops the hammer to crush the field winning Nike Cross Nationals right at 17min!! #NXN pic.twitter.com/HhdsU2V7Ib

— MileSplit US (@milesplit) December 5, 2015

Casey Clinger (American Fork High School)
In one of the most exciting kicks to the finish all weekend, Casey Clinger of American Fork High School stole the show at Nike Cross Nationals with the win in 15:03. The junior sprinted away from 2014 top returner Ben Veatch who trailed by just one second. The performance makes Clinger the first non-senior to win the championship since 2009 when now professional runner Craig Lutz won the title.

Casey Clinger wins the boys race in an EPIC kick over @bveatchxc06 #NXN pic.twitter.com/KAZwH8nH5A

— MileSplit US (@milesplit) December 5, 2015