See Jane Run wins USATF Club Cross Country title

December 4, 2004 – See Jane Run, an elite woman's racing team based in Santa Monica, California, earned top honors at the USATF National Cross Country Championships held Saturday, December 4th in Portland, Oregon. In the three years since its inception, the See Jane Run team has continued to rise through the competitive ranks to achieve its first national championship title with a 76 point win, narrowly beating the defending champion Nike Farm Team by three points.

"At the beginning of our season we stated very aggressive goals, and our top priority was to focus on working together as a team," said Tania Fischer, See Jane Run's coach and team member. "This allowed us to inspire the best from each member, and I truly believe this collective energy and dedication made all the difference at the finish line. There are so many variables that come into play in any given cross country season or race, requiring that we support each other, remain flexible and constantly redefine what is possible as a team. As the team coach I've had the opportunity to guide a group of hard working, dedicated women who have inspired me to achieve my personal best as a team athlete as well. I'm very proud of what we have been able to accomplish in just three years."

The USATF National Club Cross Country Championships features the elite clubs from across the United States vying for top honors and bragging rights as the nation's best cross country teams. More than 60 clubs and 900 competitors took part in the event, which features 10K open and master's men's races and a 6K open and master's women's race.

Distance coach Jacqueline Hansen added, "I am proud to witness the cohesive effort of all members in this crowning achievement. The beauty of this victory is that every member did her part, to her best ability, to contribute to the success of the whole team. The gratifying part is that they prevailed over some of the most competitive teams in the country and under some tough conditions.

Erika Aklufi led the team with a 15th place finish, followed by Linn Schulte-Sasse coming in 25th, Tania Fischer in 31st place, Mary Colburn placing 34th and Kirsten O'Hara coming in 38th place. Grace Torres and Cambria D'Amico rounded out the top seven finishing 51st and 93rd respectively.

"The proudest moment of my life so far was to lead in the Jane Train at Nationals," said top team finisher Erika Aklufi. "Despite the cold, wet conditions on the course we came out on top by the narrowest of margins. It was the mental strength of every single member of our team that made the difference in that race. To say it plainly, we had the best focus, spirit and determination of every single team out there. Not only did we prevail as a team, we also prevailed over the elements. That's how strong we are!"

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About See Jane Run: See Jane Run is an elite women's running team based in Santa Monica, California. Formed in August 2002, the team set out to create a supportive training and racing environment for each member to achieve their personal best. The team has since grown to 15 members who work together, striving toward athletic and professional goals while promoting healthy spiritual well being. For more information about See Jane Run please visit our website at www.thejanes.net.