USA Track & Field – News – Quotes from top finishers at .US National Road Racing Championships

First place, .US Men’s 12km National Championships
 
“The record wasn’t on my mind. The win was number one priority. Hindsight is 20/20. I could have kicked a little harder but I’m just so happy to have my first national title. That was what was most important today.
 
(Winning will) go a long way towards taking care of my little girl Mackenzie, hopefully getting a house over her and my wife.
 
This was a great race, a great experience and who knows what 12 months will hold but if it opens up, I’d love to come back. It was an awesome race.
 
Shadrack Biwott,
Second Place, .US Men’s 12km National Championships

“I’m glad this is over. “It’s been a long season. I really wanted to win the championship series but these guys were awesome. They’re both champions.
 
Tyler Pennel
Third Place, .US Men’s 12km National Championships

“It was fantastic. I came in knowing I was in good shape. I had a good, solid block of training and wanted something big and I got it. 
 
Molly Huddle
First Place, .US Women’s 12km National Championship
 
“That’s pretty crazy. I never thought I’d be saying I’d have a world best. 12k is one of those distances that’s not run too often, so I’ll take it. I have a world record I can add to my name.
 
“That’s special and I hope Shalane’s and my battle got some good attention for the race and it got people excited to train for next year so they’ll show up big. I think the race came off really well. I think it can only get better from here.
 
“I’m going to take a little bit of a break and then put in some mileage in the winter and focus on staying healthy. I may be running a half marathon or something this winter. I want to try for World Half next year.
 
Shalane Flanagan,
Second Place, .US Women’s 12km National Championship
 
“I’ve been trying to gain fitness each week and so I was shocked to go through the 5k at the same time as I ran in New York two weeks ago. So then I knew it was either going to be a really great race or a really bad race, considering the pace.  I assumed the course was legitimate and it really was a fast course.

"We were rocking and rolling and I knew if we kept this up, for Molly that’s close to her track PR. I didn’t feel the need to press any more than that because we were running 5:05 on average. Molly is probably the fittest she’s been and was able to hang on. I thought I didn’t need to do much because the pace was so legitimate.

"In hindsight, I probably should’ve thrown in a little bit of a surge but I was hurting a little bit and my fitness is coming along but by no means am I in the best fitness I’ve ever been. I was just kind of hoping Molly was feeling the same but she was hurting less than me. She has those nice track legs and was able to pull away.”