Fifth Annual Run as One, TGL Classic Presented by JPMorgan Chase

Westchester Track Club stars Beyi and Misganaw take race top honors as the NYRR team points competition continues

[Video] [Photos] [Event Gallery]

New York, Sunday, April 29, 2007—After a detour through Brooklyn for the recent NYRR Half-Marathon Grand Prix: Brooklyn, the NYRR team points competition returned to familiar territory in Central Park for the Fifth Annual Run as One, Thomas G. Labrecque (TGL) Classic Presented by JPMorgan Chase.

 

A total of 5,707 runners, many team members from local running clubs, lined up at the start on East Drive near 68th Street to build awareness and raise money for lung cancer research in support of the Thomas G. Labrecque Foundation.

 

After Doug Labrecque, son of the late Tom Labrecque, Sr., sounded the starting horn, the race came down to two men: Worku Beyi and Demesse Tefera of the Westchester Track Club (WTC). Spectators were treated to a photo finish as Beyi, 20, raised his arms in victory as he broke the tape and narrowly defeated teammate Tefera, 24, by less than one second. The clock read 18:43 as both runners crossed the finish line. The friendly competition seemed to have helped both runners as they beat out third-place finisher John Henwood, 34, of the New York Athletic Club (NYAC), who finished in 19:16.

 

“He’s my best friend and a great teammate,” said Beyi, who pocketed $400 for his victory. “We train together, we live together, and he really helped me run today.”

 

The big finish by Beyi and Tefera clearly helped WTC take the men’s open team title as they beat out Nike Central Park Track Club (CPTC) 39-97. Finishing strong for WTC were Kassahun Kabiso, 23, in 20:20 and Retta Feyissa, 31, in 20:27.  The West Side Runners placed third with 103 points.

 

In the women’s race, Alemtsehay Misganaw, 26, of WTC, dashed across the finish line in 21:21 to beat second-place finisher Aileen Conlon, 25, of CPTC, by more than one minute. Conlon finished in 22:24. Former Columbia University standout Caroline Bierbaum, 23, placed third in 22:44.

 

Misganaw, who also received $400 for her efforts, previously won the Washington, DC version of the TGL Classic in 2006, as well as the New York titles in 2006 and 2005. Earlier this year, Misganaw was the winning female at Coogan’s Salsa, Blues, and Shamrocks 5K in March.

 

Bright white tank tops dotted the landscape of top female finishers as NYAC took the women’s open team crown, beating out CPTC 36-64. Moving Comfort NY (MCNY) placed third with 177 points.

 

The team victory for NYAC represents their second straight team title after winning the NYRR Half-Marathon Grand Prix: Brooklyn earlier this month. Five NYAC runners placed in the top 12. They were led by Catherine Robbie, 26 (22:46), Erin Flynn, 27 (22:57), Michelle Rorke 23, (23:11), and Abbi Gleeson, 25 (23:22).

 

“We all came together as a team,” said Gleeson, who recently won the NYRR Half-Marathon Grand Prix: Brooklyn. “We didn’t finish in the usual order. Individually we didn’t each have our best race, but the team effort really helped.”

 

In the masters category, Jose Rivera, 40, of College Point Road Runners, ran a sensational 20:57 and took home $150 in prize money, while Steve Calidonna, 52, of Taconic Road Runners clocked in at 22:06 as the top over-50 runner.

 

On the women’s side, Marie Wickham, 52, of MCNY ran an impressive 26:43.

 

The NYRR team points competition continues in the coming months with two highly competitive races: the Healthy Kidney 10K on May 19 and the NYRR New York Mini 10K on June 9 for women only.

 

Complete Results: Fifth Annual Run as One, TGL Classic Presented by JPMorgan Chase

 

NYRR's Women's 20-29 2006 Runner of the Year, Alemtsehay Misganaw, cruised to victory in 21:21, more than a full minute ahead of second place finisher Aileen Conlon.