8/14/08

Deena Kastor has been America's top female distance runner for a decade, running strongly through many cross country seasons, setting an American record for 10,000 meters (since beaten by Shalane Flanagan) and becoming the first and only American woman to break 2:20 in the marathon (2:19:36, London, 2006). Kastor also holds American road records for the 5K and 15K. Her race in the Beijing Olympic Marathon will be her third Olympic start. She ran the 10,000 meters in Sydney, and of course claimed the bronze medal in the Athens Marathon, behind Mizuki Noguchi, who has an injury that will apparently prevent her from running Sunday morning, and Kenya's Catherine Ndereba, who's definitely a Beijing favorite.