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4,300
women, including many of the top runners from the New York City
area, participated in the 33rd running of the Mini. (Photo:
Greg Cross/NYRR)
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2004 U.S. Olympian Jen Rhines waves to the crowd during athlete introductions.
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The 2004 Mini highlighted some of America's very best distance runners in a 2004 Olympic year celebration of women's fitness and achievement.
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Pre-race favorite Deena Kastor grabbed the lead after a pedestrian opening mile and never looked back.
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Kastor rolled away from the chase pack, increasing her lead all
the way to the finish.
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Kastor has run in New York City on several occasions; many of the spectators along the course now know her by name.
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There
was talk that Kastor might try to break Lynn Jennings' American
record of 31:06, but it wasn't meant to be.
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Further back, Kate O'Neill separated herself from a three-woman chase pack and ran to a second-place finish in 32:38.
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Colleen De Reuck set her second American masters record in a week, finishing fourth in 32:50.
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Kastor won in 31:44, the fastest American time ever at the Mini.
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Katie McGregor lost her shoe in the last half-mile, but still managed to finish fifth in 33:38.
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Heather
Hanscom was a late addition to the professional athlete field; she
finished eighth in 34:34. (Photo: Greg Cross/NYRR)
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1984 Olympic marathon gold medallist Joan Benoit Samuelson, nursing a sore ankle, finished 24th in 38:12.
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The
top three of O'Neill, Kastor, and Rhines pose with NYRR president
and CEO Allan Steinfeld. (Photo: Greg Cross/NYRR)
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