Kara Goucher 3rd at NYC Half Marathon

Duluth native Kara Goucher finished third at yesterday's NYC Half Marathon running the Central Park to Lower Manhattan course in 1:09:12.

Ethiopia's Firehiwot Dado won the race in 1:08:35. New Zealand Olympian Kim Smith was runner-up at 1:08:43.

"Going for the win was a little bit out of my league today," Goucher (pictured) admitted," but I decided to kind of run my own race and take over the second pack at about five miles, and that was aggressive for me because I usually wait a lot longer."

The race was Goucher's first since qualifying for the USA's London team with a a third-place at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Trials in Houston in January.

Olympic teammate Desiree Davila finished 9th in 1:10:44.

"I just wanted to come and run a hard, aggressive race," the Duluth East graduate said. "The race went out really quick, the women's race. I think my coach told me at about four miles I was the same distance behind Kim that I was at the finish."

Next up for Goucher is her build-up for the Olympic Games. The Portland, Oregon resident will decamp to Mammoth Lakes, California to point for the London race.

"Yeah, I travel to Mammoth ... April 1st, and that's a four-month dedication I've committed to with my coach," Goucher said, "four months out from the Olympics, so this was really just a lot of fun for me and a chance to dip down to 100 miles a week and have some fun."

Goucher finished third at the NYC Half a year ago as well. Read about that performance, HERE.

Find complete results of this year's race HERE.

Photo by Victor Sailor/Photo Run.