University of Iowa’s Marchand leads women

08 July 2009

By Brian Heinemann, For The Gazette

CEDAR RAPIDS — Last week, Racheal Marchand was running against gold medalists and Boston Marathon champions at the USA Track and Field National Championships in Eugene, Ore.

The four-time All-American from the University of Iowa finished sixth in the 5,000 meters at that meet, 17 seconds off the winning pace. She just missed qualifying for the USA team headed to the World Championships.

Undeterred, she won the Alliant Energy Fifth Season 8K on Saturday morning in downtown Cedar Rapids by 24 seconds in 26 minutes, 18 seconds — a 5:17 mile pace.

“It’s just not really a pressure situation,” she said of this race. “Last week, running with gold medalists in my race, and people that are Olympic caliber, Boston Marathon champions, I get nervous for those.”

Marchand, 23, said she ran with the lead pack the entire race, with the goal of pushing herself in the last mile “because I have a lot of speed in me right now.”

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