Four Team USA Minnesota Runners to Compete at USA 15K Championship

Katie McGregor, Andrew Carlson, Jason Lehmkuhle, and Chris Lundstrom of Team USA Minnesota will compete Saturday at the USA 15K Championship held in conjunction with the Gate River Run in Jacksonville, Florida.

McGregor, who was third in the event last year, and Carlson (pictured) will use the event as part of their build-up for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships later this month. Lehmkuhle and Lundstrom have incorporated race into their training for the Boston Marathon.

Carlson and Lehmkuhle hope to extend the success they've had together at USA Championships road races. The duo went finished 4th and 5th, respectively, at the USA Half Marathon Championship in Houston, with both notching PRs. In 2006, the pair finished in the top-5 of both the USA 10 Mile Championship and USA 20K Championship.

One feature of the USA 15K is an "equalizer" format that has the top 25 women getting a five-minute head-start on the men. Race winners receive $12,000 plus a $5000 "equalizer bonus" for the first to cross the finish line.

In Addition: Former Team USA Minnesota and Brainerd High School athlete Turena Johnson Lane is listed on the USA 15K startlist. Johnson Lane is using the race as part of her build-up for the Boston Marathon in April.

Photo courtesy of Team USA Minnesota.