Dorniden to Open Pro Career on Saturday

Heather Dorniden begins a new chapter in her racing life on Saturday when the University of Minnesota alum opens her professional career at the Minnesota Open at the U of M.

Dorniden (pictured), who's name is synonymous with the Golden Gophers' emergence as a Big Ten women's track and cross country power, will compete in the women's mile run as a member of Team USA Minnesota, which she joined in December.

Sporting a 4:38.80 personal best in the mile, Dorniden will use the race around the familiar U of M oval as one of a series of races to prepare her for the USA Indoor Championships, which are set for February 27 & 28 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

A nine-time all-American, the Rosemount High School alum was the 2006 NCAA Indoor Champion at 800 meters.

Lots of Team USA Action ... Dorniden is but one of eight Team USA Minnesotans competing this weekend. Six members of the team will compete at Sunday's USA Half Marathon Championships in Houston, Texas.

Antonio Vega, Matt Gabrielson, Josh Moen and Patrick Smyth will compete for the men's title at the race, while Meghan Armstrong and Michelle Frey will compete in the women's championship.

Gabrielson, who has a 1:04:06 PR at the distance, was the runner-up at the 2005 USA Half Marathon and has three top-10 finishes in his four USA Half Marathon attempts.

Vega returns to Houston after running a PR 1:02:55 last year to finish 7th in the championship.

Moen, who sports a 1:04:37 PR, hopes to build on his scintillating runner-up race at the USA 10 Mile held in conjunction with the Medtronic TC Ten Mile last fall. Moen ran the 5th-fastest 10 mile in U.S. history at 46:38 in his narrow loss to three-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman.

Smyth, who was a strong 3rd at the USA 10 Mile in 47:09, will make his half marathon debut in the race.

Armstrong ran 1:14:57 in Houston in 2009 to finish in 16th in her debut at the distance. Frey, running as Michelle Lilienthal, ran 1:15:46 for 19th last year. Frey has a best of 1:12:43 which she set at the championships in Houston in 2007 to place 3rd.

McGregor at Penn State ... Team USA Minnesota's Katie McGregor will compete at Penn State's Northwest Challenge. McGregor is using the indoor meet to begin her preparations for the USA Cross Country Championships, to be held in Spokane on February 13.

She has a best of 8:59.64 in the 3000m.

Photo by Gene Niemi.