Katie McGregor Wins USA 25K

Michigan was good to Katie McGregor again ...

The Team USA Minnesota star won the USA 25K Championship on Saturday in Grand Rapids, Michigan with a time of 1:25:53. Her time was the fifth fastest performance ever for a U.S. woman over the distance.

Averaging 5:32 per mile, McGregor (pictured), a University of Michigan alum, ran unchallenged throughout the race held in conjunction with the Fifth Third River Bank Run. Tatiana Chulakh of Russia finished second in 1:28:33; Alicia Craig was the runner-up in the USA Championship in 1:29:30, third overall.

"I was hurting about mile 12 or 13," McGregor told the Grand Rapids Press shortly after the race. "This is the second-longest race I've ever done. I was really glad to just see the crowd and downtown."

McGregor's longest race was the ING New York City Marathon held last November; the 25 km was her debut at the distance.

The wins marks the fourth national championship for McGregor, who is the 2005 and 2006 USA 10K road champion as well as the 10,000-meter champion in 2005. The University of Michigan standout, who has been training with Team USA Minnesota since 2001, also obtained her 10,000 meter Olympic qualifying mark at the Cardinal Invitational on April 29.

McGregor's Team USA Minnesota teammate Jason Lehmkuhle, attempting a quick return to racing after running the Boston Marathon, finished 20th in the men's race in 1:21:58.

Former Gopher star Chad Johnson, who runs with the Hansons-Brooks program, finished 4th in the USA Championships in 1:17:55.

Photo by Victor Sailer, courtesy of Team USA Minnesota.