Gacek Qualifies for Olympic Marathon Trials

Melissa Gacek, the 8th place finisher at Grandma's Marathon last June, qualified for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Women's Marathon with a 2:45:06 performance at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Sunday.

Gacek finished 8th in Toronto as well. The Run N Fun star split 38:25, 1:22:11, and 1:57:24 for 10K, half-way, and 30K en route to her PR performance.

Gacek had clocked 2:47:59 in difficult conditions at Grandma's -- 59 seconds off the Olympic Trails standard of 2:47:00. (DtB chatted with the St. Thomas graduate after that effort HERE.)

Gacek's Toronto performance ranks her 75th on the list of Trials qualifiers. She is the seventh Minnesotan to punch a ticket to the Trails by running sub-2:47.

Other Minnesotans qualified for the race are: Katie McGregor and Michelle Lilienthal of Team USA Minnesota, Turena Johnson Lane a Brainerd native, Stephanie Herbst-Lucke a Chaska native, Johanna Olson a Wadena native, and Jenna Boren of the TC Running Company.

Also qualified for the Trials, by virtue of her 10,000 meter performance on the track, is Kara Goucher.

The Olympic Trials will be held in Boston on April 20, 2008 -- one day before the Boston Marathon.