Smyth Second at Manchester Road Race

In another strong run in his budding road racing career, Team USA Minnesota's Patrick Smyth finished second at the Manchester Road Race held on Thanksgiving Day in Connecticut.

Smyth (pictured running the TC 10 Mile) clocked 21:41 over the 4.748 mile course. The Notre Dame alum was edged at the finish by Kenya's Haron Lagat who ran 21:40. Smyth earned $2500 for his efforts.

Teammate Matt Gabrielson was 14th in the race in 22:39.

After a flat open mile run in 4:30 and an uphill second mile split in 5:02, Smyth found himself in a pack of about a dozen runners nearing the race's half-way point.

"It was all down hill on the third mile," Smyth explained in a Team USA Minnesota media release. "My game plan was to take the lead during the downhill which I did. I put a little gap on the field but by mile three they overtook me again."

"After that I stayed in contention," he continued. "[I] was in the final three toward the finish, and picked it up down Main Street. But Lagat had an extra gear and beat me by a second."

Smyth, who is currently based in Chicago where he is attending graduate school, has had a sterling half-year on the roads since graduating from college in June. He finished 5th at the USA 10K Championship, 11th at the USA 20K and 3rd at the USA 10 Mile held in conjunction with the Medtronic TC 10 Mile.

Smyth will compete next at the USA Half Marathon Championships in Houston on Jan. 17, which will be his debut at the distance.

Complete results of the Manchester Road Race are HERE.

Photo by Gene Niemi.