Minnesotans heading to Florida in March isn't exactly news. It's not a bad way to shorten an endless winter, after all.Still, the exodus of Minnesota distance runners to the Sunshine State this weekend is rather remarkable. No fewer than 13 Minnesotans -- including 11 members of Team USA Minnesota -- are scheduled to compete in tomorrow's Gate River Run, the USA 15K Championship.
The race features a $65,000 individual prize purse, with the men's and women's champions earning $12,000 each. An equalizer bonus of $5,000 is awarded to the first athlete to cross the finish line, with female elites starting 5 minutes before the men.
In addition, a team competition will award $20,000 in prize money with the top three male and top three female athletes scoring. The first place prize is $6,000 for each male and female team.
Carlson to Defend Title ... Headlining the snowbird contingent is defending men's champion Andrew Carlson. The University of Minnesota alum, who is now based in Arizona, seeks a repeat of last year's breakthrough victory. Carlson was the runner-up recently at the USA Club Cross Country championships.
He'll face competition from 2001 Twin Cities Marathon champ Dan Browne and fellow Olympians Ian Dobson, Anthony Famiglietti and Jorge Torres, as well as reigning TCM champ Fernando Cabada. Team USA Minnesota's Jason Lehmkuhle, making his 2009 racing debut, should challenge as well.
Other top Minnesota men in the field include Team USA Minnesota's Antonio Vega, Matt Gabrielson, Josh Moen, Chris Lundstrom, and Mike Hanlon and Carleton College alum Matt Hooley.
McGregor Seeks 15K Crown ... Team USA Minnesota's Katie McGregor, the women's runner-up at the USA 15K in 2008, returns this year. McGregor, a USA champion at 10,000 meters on the track, at 10K on the roads (twice), and at 25K, has a 15K best of 49:56.
Olympians Amy Yoder Begley, the USA indoor 3000m champ, Elva Dryer, and Amy Rudolph are McGregor's most likely competition, along with teammate Emily Brown, the reigning USA Cross Country champ.
Joining McGregor and Brown, are teammates Kristen Nicolini Lehmkuhle, Meghan Armstrong, and Michelle Lilienthal.
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