Who is Kara Goucher

Kara Goucher, nee Grgas-Wheeler, grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, and ran her first track race in sixth grade. She ran for East Duluth High School and helped to lead East Duluth to a string of State Cross Country Titles. As an individual, she was often behind Carrie Tollefson, who she now acknowledges she wasn't mentally prepared to run with at that age.

After graduating high school in 1996 she attended the University of Colorado. She had a solid freshman year, finishing 12th at the Big-12 Cross Country Championships and running a best of 18:25. On the track she ran personal bests of 4:59.42 for the mile and 9:55.89 for 3000m. She finished 9th in the Big-12 Championships 3000m.

Kara's sophomore season saw her improve to 3rd at the Big-12 Cross Country Championships in a time of 17:40. On the track she won the Big-12 Championships 3000m in 9:32.55, and placed 7th at the NCAA Championships over the same distance, running a PR of 9:23.45.

Kara red-shirted cross country her junior year. She did improve on the track, though, running a personal best of 9:16.53 for 3000m. She finished 3rd at the Big-12 Outdoor 3000m (9:41.38) and 4th in the 5000m, running a personal record 16:57.31. She finished in second place in the NCAA Outdoor 3000m (9:29.89).

As a red-shirt junior, Kara won the Big-12 Cross Country Championships in 16:48. She then placed 9th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships (16:58.40). On the track, Kara dominated collegiate running. Kara won both the 3000m (9:02.15) and 5000m (15:54.30) at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She finished 8th at the US Olympic Trials in 15:34.47.

In her senior season, Kara won the Big-12 Cross Country Championships (19:38 - 6k), and then won the NCAA Cross Country Championships on a day in which the wind-chill reached -17 degrees. On the track, she struggled to regain her form from the year before and finished 7th at the NCAA 5000m. She again competed at the US Outdoor Championships and finished 7th over 5000m.

Kara's collegiate PRs were 4:12.15 (1500m), 8:54.82 (3000m), and 15:28.78 (5000m).

Sources: Wikipedia, USATF

"I hate the word 'fluke,' and since last year with my bronze medal my name has been associated with it. But Shalane showed that the strength of U.S. running is no fluke." --Kara Goucher, after the Olympic 10k in Beijing

Kara had a rough start to her professional career, spending most of 2002 injured. She came back in 2003 and ran bests of 4:11.17 for 1500m and 15:42.97 for 5000m. 2004 saw more injuries, and she did not run any personal bests, finishing the year with season bests of 4:16.48, 9:14.77, and 16:30.35.

With both Kara and her husband Adam struggling with injuries, the couple made the decision to leave Boulder and move to Eugene, Oregon to train under Alberto Salazar. They both started to find their form again, with Kara running 4:12.31 for 1500m and 15:17.55 for 5000m.

2006 saw Kara take large steps toward becoming an elite runner. She ran personal bests across all distances, with a 4:05.14 in Rieti, an 8:41.42 at the IAAF World Cup, a 15:08.13 at Naimette-Xhovemont, and a 31:17.12 in Helsinki. She finished 2nd to Lauren Fleshman at the US Outdoor Championships in the 5000m and finished the year ranked #1 in the US at 10,000 meters and #2 at 5000m and 3000m.

In 2007, Kara had her best year yet. She ran a big PR in the 3000m in Rieti (8:34.99), ranking her the second fastest American runner over that distance all-time. She also clocked 14:55.02 for 5000m in Berlin, putting her 4th all-time in the US*. She placed second at the US Outdoor championships at 10,000m and then won the bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, making her the first American woman to ever medal in the event.

Kara's biggest surprise victory came just one month later at the Great North Run Half Marathon in England, where she beat Paula Radcliffe (the reigning world record holder). Her time of 1:06:57 was the fastest ever run by an American by 37 seconds, but it will not count as the record because of the downhill course.

2008 has seen Kara prepare for the Olympic Trials by winning the prestigious Millrose Games mile (4:36.03), run 14:58.10 for 5000m at the Prefontaine Classic (her second fastest time ever) and run the Olympic "A" standard at the Border Duel Track meet. At the US Olympic Trials, she finished 2nd to Shalane Flanagan in the 10,000m with a time of 31:37.72 and earned a spot on the US Olympic team. She won her prelim of in the 5k (15:32.22) three days later. Kara followed that with her first US Title as she won the 5k over Jen Rhines and Shalane Flanagan in 15:01.02.

Kara finished 10th in the 10k in Beijing, running a personal best time of 30:55.16. She was the second US finisher, behind Shalane Flanagan, who finished 3rd. She qualified for the final of the 5k running 15:00.98. In the final, Kara finished 9th, running 15:49.39.

In her first race post-Beijing, Kara ran 53:15 to win the Medtronic 10-mile in Minneapolis. She then finished 3rd in her first full marathon, running 2:25:53 at the NYC Marathon.

Kara opened 2009 with a double victory at the Washington Indoor Preview, running 4:39.51 for the mile, and 9:03.47 for 3k. She then won the Millrose Games Mile in 4:33.19, and the Reebok Boston Indoor Games 3000m in 8:46.65. She won her first road race at the Lisbon Half Marathon, running 68:30. She then finished 3rd in the Boston Marathon, running 2:32:25, just 9 seconds from the win.

Kara put in some work on the track, doubling at the Nike Mile meet on May 30th, where she ran 4:37.58 for the mile and a personal best 2:06.79 for 800m. The races were just 15 minutes apart. She followed that up with a 2000m at the Pre Classic, where she finished 7th in 5:41.28 and a 1500m at the Harry Jerome Track Classic, clocking 4:09.77. Despite announcing she will focus on the marathon in Berlin, Kara won the 5000m at the USA Championships, clocking 15:20.94.

In a tune up to the Berlin World Championships marathon, Kara won the Chicago Half Marathon in 68:04. She won the race outright, beating all of the male competitors as well as female. In the World Championships marathon, Kara finished 10th in 2:27:48.

*I have excluded Regina Jacobs from this list.

Sources: Wikipedia, USATF, All-Time Athletics

Championships

2000 NCAA Championships 3000m
2000 NCAA Championships 5000m
2000 NCAA Cross Country Championships
2008 US Olympic Trials 5000m (15:01.02)
2009 US Outdoors 5000m (15:20.94)

Personal Records

2:06.79 - 800m - Beaverton (2009)
4:05.14 - 1500m - Rieti (2006)
4:33.19i - mile - New York (2009)
5:41.28 - 2000m - Eugene (2009)
8:34.99 - 3000m - Rieti (2007)
9:41.32 - 2-miles - Carson (2007)
14:55.02 - 5000m - Berlin (2007)
30:55.16 - 10000m - Beijing (2008)
32:46 - 10k roads - Boston (2006)
1:08:04 - half-marathon - Chicago (2009)
2:25:53 - marathon - New York City (2008)

* Kara ran a 1:06:57 half-marathon in Newcastle in 2007, but it was a net downhill course and the time does not qualify to be the American Record.

Sources: Wikipedia, USATF, All-Time Athletics

3,000 Meters

1. 8:25.83 - Mary Slaney - Rome (1985)
2. 8:33.25i - Shalane Flanagan - Boston (2007)
3. 8:34.99 - Kara Goucher - Rieti (2007)
4. 8:35.02 - Libbie Hickman - Gateshead (2000)
5. 8:35.03 - Jen Rhines - Monaco (2007)
6. 8:37.25 - Vicki Huber - Seoul (1988)
7. 8:38.60 - Cindy Bremser - Zurich (1984)
8. 8:39.36 - Marla Runyan - Eugene (2002)
9. 8:39.56* - Regina Jacobs - Edwardsville (1998)
10. 8:39.86 - Amy Rudolph - Zurich (2000)
11. 8:40.98 - PattiSue Plumer - New Orleans (1992)
12. 8:41.28 - Shelly Steely - New Orleans (1992)
13. 8:41.43 - Joan Hanson - Los Angeles (1984)
14. 8:41.97 - Annette Peters - London (1994)
15. 8:42.03 - Jenny Barringer - Stillwater (2009)
16. 8:42.59 - Deena Kastor - Zurich (2000)

5,000 Meters

1. 14:44.80 - Shalane Flanagan - Walnut (2007)
2. 14:45.35* - Regina Jacobs - Sacramento (2000)
3. 14:51.62 - Deena Kastor - Stockholm (2000)
4. 14:54.29 - Jen Rhines - Oslo (2008)
5. 14:55.02 - Kara Goucher - Berlin (2007)
6. 14:56.04 - Amy Rudolph - Stockholm (1996)
7. 14:56.07 - Annette Peters - Berlin (1993)
8. 14:58.48 - Lauren Fleshman - New York City (2008)
9. 14:59.20 - Marla Runyan - Boston (2004)
10. 15:00:00 - PattiSue Plumer - Stockholm (1989)
11. 15:01.36 - Shayne Culpepper - Palo Alto (2004)
12. 15:01.70i - Jennifer Barringer - Seattle (2009)
13. 15:03.56 - Elva Dryer - Oslo (2001)
14. 15:03.07 - Carrie Tollefson - Palo Alto (2004)
15. 15:06.48 - Suzy Favor Hamilton - Long Beach (2000)
16. 15:06.53 - Mary Slaney - Eugene (1985)

10,000 Meters

1. 30:22.22 - Shalane Flanagan - Beijing (2008)
2. 30:50.32 - Deena Kastor - Palo Alto (2002)
3. 30:55.16 - Kara Goucher - Beijing (2008)
4. 31:13.78 - Amy Begley - Berlin (2009)
5. 31:17.31 - Jen Rhines - Palo Alto (2007)
6. 31:18.96 - Amy Rudolph - Palo Alto (2005)
7. 31:19.89 - Lynn Jennings - Barcelona (1992)
8. 31:21:20 - Katie McGregor - Helsinki (2005)
9. 31:21.92 - Elva Dryer - Palo Alto (2005)
10. 31:27.12 - Molly Huddle - Palo Alto (2008)
11. 31:28.92 - Francie Larrieu-Smith - Austin (1991)
12. 31:30.89 - Annette Peters - Philadelphia (1997)
13. 31:34.37 - Kate O'Neill - Palo Alto (2004)
14. 31:35.25 - Blake Russell - Carson (2005)
15. 31:35.3 - Mary Slaney - Eugene (1982)

Half-Marathon

*. 1:06:57** - Kara Goucher - Newcastle (2007)
1. 1:07:34 - Deena Kastor - Berlin (2006)
2. 1:08:04 - Kara Goucher - Chicago (2009)
3. 1:08:23 - Joan Benoit - Boston (1983)
4. 1:09:14 - Olga Appell - Tokyo (1994)
5. 1:09:39 - Cathy O'Brien - Philadelphia (1990)
6. 1:09:54 - Sylvia Mosqueda - Austin (2004)
7. 1:10:00 - Colleen de Reuck - Duluth (2003)
8. 1:10:03 - Anne Marie Lauck - Philadelphia (1994)
9. 1:10:08 - Lisa Weidenbach - Seattle (1990)
10. 1:10:09 - Amy Yoder Begley - Birmingham (2009)

Marathon

1. 2:19:36 - Deena Kastor - London (2006)
2. 2:21:21 - Joan Benoit - Chicago (1985)
3. 2:25:53 - Kara Goucher - New York City (2008)
4. 2:26:26 - Julie Brown - Los Angeles (1983)
5. 2:26:40 - Kim Jones - Boston (1991)
6. 2:27:10 - Marla Runyan - New York City (2002)
7. 2:27:35 - Francie Larrieu-Smith - London (1991)
8. 2:27:51 - Patti Catalano - Boston (1981)
9. 2:27:53 - Desireé Davila - Berlin (2009)
10. 2:27:59 - Olga Appell - Minneapolis-St. Paul (1996)
11. 2:28:01 - Colleen De Reuck - Chicago (2003)
12. 2:28:15 - Lisa Weidenbach - Chicago (1989)
13. 2:28:18 - Christine McNamara - London (1997)
14. 2:28:34 - Libbie Hickman - Chicago (1999)
15. 2:28:53 - Maria Trujillo - Boston (1990)

*Caught using performance enhancing drugs
**Downhill course, does not qualify as American Record

Sources: All-Time Athletics

10,000 Meters

01. 29:31.78 - Wang Junxia (CHN) - Beijing (1993)
02. 29:54.66 - Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) - Beijing (2008)
03. 29:56.34 - Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR) - Beijing (2008)
04. 30:01.09 - Paula Radcliffe (GBR) - München (2002)
05. 30:04.18 - Berhane Adere (ETH) - Saint-Denis (2003)
06. 30:07.15 - Werknesh Kidane (ETH) - Saint-Denis (2003)
07. 30:07.20 - Sun Yingjie (CHN) - Saint-Denis (2003)
08. 30:12.53 - Lornah Kiplagat (KEN) - Saint-Denis (2003)
09. 30:13.37 - Zhong Huandi (CHN) - Beijing (1993)
10. 30:13.74 - Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) - Oslo (1986)
11. 30:17.49 - Derartu Tulu (ETH) - Sydney (2000)
12. 30:18.39 - Ejegayehu Dibaba (ETH) - Sollentuna (2005)
13. 30:22.22 - Shalane Flanagan (USA) - Beijing (2008)
14. 30:22.48 - Gete Wami (ETH) - Sydney (2000)
15. 30:22.88 - Fernanda Ribeiro (POR) - Sydney (2000)
16. 30:23.07 - Alla Zhilyayeva (RUS) - Saint-Denis (2003)
17. 30:24.36 - Xing Huina (CHN) - Athens (2004)
18. 30:26.20 - Galina Bogomalova (RUS) - Saint-Denis (2003)
19. 30:26.50 - Linet Masai (KEN) - Beijing (2008)
20. 30:30.26 - Edith Masai (KEN) - Helsinki (2005)
NR. 30:55.16 - Kara Goucher (USA) - Beijing (2008)

Marathon

01. 2:15:25 - Paula Radcliffe (GBR) - London (2003)
02. 2:18:47 - Catherine N'dereba (KEN) - Chicago (2005)
03. 2:19:12 - Mizuki Noguchi (JPN) - Berlin (2005)
04. 2:19:19 - Irina Mikitenko (GER) - Berlin (2008)
05. 2:19:36 - Deena Kastor (USA) - London (2006)
06. 2:19:39 - Sun Yingjie (CHN) - Beijing (2003)
07. 2:19:41 - Yoko Shibui (JPN) - Berlin (2004)
08. 2:19:46 - Naoko Takahashi (JPN) - Berlin (2001)
09. 2:19:51 - Zhou Chunxiu (CHN) - Seoul (2006)
10. 2:20:42 - Berhane Adere (ETH) - Chicago (2006)
11. 2:20:43 - Tegla Loroupe (KEN) - Berlin (1999)
12. 2:20:43 - Margaret Okayo (KEN) - Boston (2002)
13. 2:20:47 - Galina Bogomalova (RUS) - Chicago (2006)
14. 2:21:06 - Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) - London (1985)
15. 2:21:21 - Joan Benoit (USA) - Chicago (1985)
16. 2:21:29 - Lyudmila Petrova (RUS) - London (2006)
17. 2:21:30 - Constantina Dita (ROU) - Chicago (2005)
18. 2:21:31 - Svetlana Zakharova (RUS) - Chicago (2002)
18. 2:21:31 - Assale Tafa Magarsa (ETH) - Berlin (2008)
20. 2:21:34 - Getenesh Wami (ETH) - Berlin (2006)
NR. 2:25:53 - Kara Goucher (USA) - New York (2008)

Sources: All-Time Athletics