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Van Alstine Aiming For Podium At Freihofer's Run For Women - RRW

Published by
RunnerSpace.com/RoadRacing   May 31st 2014, 12:45am
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VAN ALSTINE AIMING FOR PODIUM AT FREIHOFER'S RUN FOR WOMEN
By Chris Lotsbom, @ChrisLotsbom
(c) 2014 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - Used with permission.

ALBANY, NY (30-May) -- American Amy Van Alstine is prepared and ready heading into Saturday's 36th Freihofer's Run for Women here in the New York State capital, full of confidence and anticipation. The 26-year-old originally from New Jersey is riding a wave of personal bests, and looks to continue what has been the best year of her professional career.

"I'm pretty excited about it," Van Alstine told Race Results Weekly following a gathering of race dignitaries. "The goal is to be top-three hopefully, maybe win. We'll see."

A member of the newly formed Team Northern Arizona Elite training group in Flagstaff, Ariz., Van Alstine has progressed well in 2014. In February, the University of Richmond alum earned her first national title over eight kilometers in cross country, then transitioned to the roads, where she'd set personal bests of 49:49 for 15-K and 15:30 for 5-K. At the Carlsbad 5000 on March 30 --where she set her 5-K personal best-- Van Alstine finished as the second American and fifth woman overall, a race that gave her a boost of confidence.

"Carlsbad was really good for me. I wanted to run 15:30 and I ran exactly 15:30," she said. Just over a month later, Van Alstine raced 5000m on the track at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational, again setting a personal record. Her time of 15:22.98 was only a glimpse of what she hopes is in store the rest of this season.

"Payton Jordan was good, too. I actually was hoping to run faster there. I ran 15:22 and got the [U.S. Championships] standard. I was hoping to run 15:10 or under. But I'm feeling confident."

Van Alstine credits her positive outlook on Team Northern Arizona Elite and the support system that she has found at high altitude in Flagstaff. Since joining the group in January, Van Alstine has done much of her training with Kellyn Johnson, a 15:21.93 5000m runner.

"We're really good for each other, we push each other really well," she said with a grin, adding that coaching from Ben Rosario and support from teammate and mother-to-be Stephanie Rothstein Bruce had created an extra special team chemistry. "It's just a really positive environment, which is really conducive and great for training."

Here in Albany, Van Alstine is aiming for a podium finish, hoping to better her fourth place showing from a year ago. With another twelve months of training under her belt and added knowledge of the rolling, out and back course with a blazing fast downhill finish, Van Alstine strongly believes a good time and high finish is in store.

"I don't know if I can run a road PR because Carlsbad is pretty fast and I ran 16:02 last year here, but hopefully a fast time. Hopefully a top three, but obviously the goal is to win," she said.

She continued: "It's my favorite distance by far. I don't know what I love about it, but I feel like it's just a great distance. I'm excited to do it on the roads because I was just on the track. Road racing is definitely my favorite."

With a field that includes two-time champion Mamitu Daska --whose personal best stands at 15:14-- and the likes of Olympians Lucy Kabuu and ZemZem Ahmed, Van Alstine is quick to point out that it wouldn't be smartest to try and stick with the leaders early on.

Rather, she plans to conserve energy in the opening kilometer (a gradual uphill) before increasing the pace and hopefully picking athletes off one by one in the middle and latter stages. With a downhill last kilometer, Van Alstine is prepared to dig deep and hopefully break into the top three. If everything goes well, she could even become the first American since 2004 to claim first place.

"Just looking at the field, I know they are going to go out pretty hard. Last year I didn't [kick] quite as early as I should have, and the finish is downhill. I will definitely go a little bit earlier," she said. "It's a pretty tough field but I'm going to go into it confident and trying to be positive about it."

ENDS



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