Tollefson Joins Loaded Ekiden Squad

We reported earlier that Katie McGregor would be part of what is possibly the strongest U.S. women's Ekiden team ever assembled. With the race coming up on Sunday, we just learned of a last-minute line-up change. McGregor's Team USA Minnesota training partner, Olympian Carrie Tollefson, the pride of Dawson, will be joining the already star-studded team.

In an e-mail to DtB, Tollefson reports that she originally turned down a spot on the Yokohama squad, intending to focus on this weekend's U.S. Indoor Championships. "I was up in the air as to where my fitness level would be, and if I was running indoors I didn't want to miss our national championships," Tollefson wrote. After a training stint in Phoenix, "and some really long hard workouts, my fitness has come around and the opportunity came up again."

According to Tollefson, Sara Slattery had to withdraw from the team due to injury and the opportunity was too good to pass up a second time. "I am so excited to be on the team with all of these ladies. I will be running the 6k as of now, and I just hope I can run hard and smart for this great group of gals and of course the USA!"

Photo courtesy of USA Track & Field.