Ekiden Squad Second at Yokohama

USA Track and Field reports that the USA team finished second at the Yokohama International Women's Ekiden today. Defending champions Russia won the marathon-length event in 2:14:48 with the USA clocking 2:16:04. The host Japanese were a fast-closing third in 2:16:07.

The runner-up finish is the best-ever for the USA at Yokohama.

Team USA Minnesota's Katie McGregor and Carrie Tollefson were members of the all-star USA team which also included Deena Kastor, Jen Rhines, Amy Rudolph, and Elva Dryer. Tollefson ran her 6K leg, the third of the event, in 19:30. McGregor clocked 32:59 for the fifth-leg 10K, defeating 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist Catherine Ndereba of Kenya in the process.

Results from the race web-site are here, though a reading knowledge of Japanese is helpful.

Update: Story and results from the IAAF.

And More: Story from Running USA Wire.

Photo courtesy of Team USA Minnesota. From left: Kastor, Tollefson, McGregor, Rudolph, Rhines, alternate Jenny Crain and Dryer.