Investment in Brown Already Paying Dividends

We're just speculating here, but we're pretty sure the folks who invest in up-and-coming athletes for the Minnesota Elite Athlete Development Program like the dividends that Team USA Minnesota's Emily Brown is already paying out.

Brown (pictured), one of five Minnesota distance runners to earn stipends from Minnesota's generous development program this year, won the loaded 3000 meter event at Saturday's Jack Johnson Minnesota Classic with a 17 second PR of 9:10.60.

A nice return in these recessionary times.

Brown beat fellow Gopher alum Rasa Troup, 2nd in 9:21.81, University of Iowa star Diane Nukuri, 3rd in 9:24.25, and current Gopher Jamie Cheever, 4th in 9:24.82. Team USA Minnesota teammate Mandi Zemba was 6th in 9:28.03; Gopher Ladia Albertson-Junkans was 10th in 10:14.27.

Brown established a new fieldhouse record bettering Sabrina Dornhoefer's 9:15.95 mark from 1990. Brown did, however, forfeit her school record to Cheever in the race.

"I was planning on letting some of the other runners lead it out since I had talked to a few of them and we were all kind of on the same page as far as pace goes," Brown said in a Team, USA Minnesota media release. "But 100 meters into it, I knew I wasn't comfortable back there and had to get out in front. It is something that hasn't always worked for me, but I feel most comfortable when I have the freedom to run my own race and that is how it worked out so I was pleased."

"As soon as I got through the first 400 meters, I wasn't really focused on the competitive aspect of the race," the former Big Ten steeplechase champ admitted. "I was more focused on holding a steady pace between 36-37 for each 200. I didn't hear specific 200 splits but I knew I was on pace at the mile and just wanted to keep that going. I wasn't so much concerned about pulling away from the field as I was about pushing the pace and feeling strong."

Brown's fast opening mark was a nice return on the $1250 she was recently awarded by MEADP to advance her development in the sport. Also receiving stipends from MEADP, a program funded through contributions from Austin-Jarrow Sports, Grandma’s Marathon-Duluth, Inc., Minnesota Distance Running Association (MDRA), and Twin Cities Marathon , Inc., were Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier Melissa Gacek ($1250), Team USA Minnesotan Antonio Vega ($1250), Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier Eric Hartmark ($750) and USATF co-Runner of the Year Jeremy Polson ($500).

Photo by Gene Niemi.