Emily Brown Kicks Off 2009 Early, Often

Emily Brown is starting off her 2009 season like ... well, like she lost the better half of her 2008 season to injury.

The Team USA Minnesota distance runner, who is currently in Great Britain preparing for Saturday's BUPA Great Edinburgh International Cross Country 5K has already raced twice since New Year's Eve.

Shortly before the big ball dropped in Times Square on Wednesday night, Brown (pictured) finished a close second in New York City's Emerald Nuts Midnight Run 4 Mile held in Central Park. The Golden Gopher alum clocked 21:22 but was edged by a second by Ethiopia's Aziza Aliyu who outkicked her in the race's final meters.

On Saturday, Brown finished 4th in Northern Ireland's Antrim International Cross Country meet. Brown ran 18:35 for the 5.6K course. Stephanie Twell of Great Britain won the race in 18:25.

Brown, of course, had her inaugural professional season cut short by injury last year. After scorching PRs of 9:45.38 in the 3000 meter steeplechase and 15:19.57 for 5000 meters in the spring, Brown suffered a stress fracture in her sacrum which slowed her at the Olympic Track and Field Trials.

A recurrence of the injury last August ended her fall racing plans, which at one point included the USA 10 Mile Championships held in conjunction with the Medtronic Twin Cities 10 Mile.

Photo by Gene Niemi.