Abdi and Fam Headline Medtronic TC 10 Mile

Three-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman, the 2007 USA 10 Mile champion, and 2008 Olympic Trials steeplechase champion Anthony Famiglietti will headline the USA 10 Mile Championships to be run in conjunction with the Medtronic TC 10 Mile on October 4.

Abdirahman, who is coming off a 4th place finish at the the NYC Half Marathon in August in 1:02:51, returns to the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul where he ran 47:34 to win the last USA Men's 10 Mile title over runner-up Jason Lehmkuhle of Team USA Minnesota.

Abdirahman (pictured winning in 2007), a Somali-born naturalized American citizen, has represented his adopted country in the 10,000 meters at the last three Olympic Games. He sports PR of 27:16 for the distance and a 2:08:56 PR for the marathon.

Famiglietti, who was the runner-up to Meb Keflezighi at the USA 7 Mile Championship at the Bix 7 in July, will preview his form this weekend in the USA 5K Championship. "Fam," was the pre-race favorite at this spring's USA Road Mile Championship, held in conjunction with the Medtronic TC 1 Mile, but was a late scratch.

The Long Island, New York native is known for his range as a runner. Famiglietti has run 3:55 for the mile and 27:27 for 10,000m. He sports a steeplechase PR of 8:17.34.

Other contenders for the USA 10 Mile title and the $10,000 winner's check that accompanies it include Lehmkuhle, who set a PR for 20K earlier this month, Team USA Minnesota teammates Josh Moen, Patrick Smyth, and Chris Lundstrom, and USA 20K runner-up Mohamed Trafeh.

2008 Medtronic TC 10 Mile Champion Josh Glaab will return to the race. Former Golden Gopher all-American Chris Rombough will make his USA road championship debut in the race.

A complete list of elite entrants in the race is available HERE. (Note: Brett Gotcher, the USA 20K champion, although listed among the entrants, has withdrawn.)

Photo courtesy of TCM and Paul Phillips, Competitive Image.