Roots Running Project athlete seeks first sub-32 effort against exceptional lineup, which includes 10 athletes who have already eclipsed the career barrier, plus American 10-mile record holder D'Amato and new Under Armour pro Kelati

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The last time Maggie Montoya competed in a 10,000-meter race at a Sound Running event, the Roots Running Project professional and former Baylor All-American enjoyed a breakthrough performance Aug. 29 at the Sunset Tour by winning in a lifetime-best 32 minutes, 11.48 against an elite field that included former NCAA Division 1 champions Sharon Lokedi and Natosha Rogers, in addition to Atsede Baysa, a marathon winner in Boston, Chicago and twice in Paris.

Montoya’s journey to achieve another potential highlight Saturday in the 10,000 at the Sound Running Track Meet has been an emotional one, both physically and mentally, including racing opportunities being taken away and work off the track increasing with each week as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

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But despite not being allowed by USATF to travel to Poland to compete Oct. 17 at the World Half Marathon Championships over Coronavirus concerns, and her demands as a pharmacy technician in Colorado preventing her from racing Oct. 27 in the Michigan Pro Half Marathon, Montoya remains grateful for the support of her Roots Running teammates and to be racing against another exceptional group of competitors in California.

“I am looking forward to another stacked and even deeper field in the 10k this weekend. I am hoping to better my time with the goal of getting under 32 and as close to the Olympic Standard as possible,” Montoya said. “I’ve now had nearly three months of stressful 40-plus hour weeks, increasing demands from upper management, and staffing shortages, which was the reason I couldn’t go to the Michigan Half Marathon, sadly. But it was for the best not to race.”

All participating athletes will have to adhere to strict COVID-19 protocols, including two negative tests in the week prior to their race.

Air Force World Class Athlete Program standout Jaci Smith, who produced the fastest 10,000 time by an American in a women’s-only race this year by clocking 32:10.31 on Oct. 23 at Icahn Stadium in New York, is also entered in the top section Saturday, which features 10 athletes with sub-32 performances.

The HOKA ONE ONE Northern Arizona Elite trio of Kellyn Taylor, Stephanie Bruce and Lauren Paquette, all of whom ran under 32 minutes in a mixed gender race Sept. 1 in Santa Barbara, Calif., are also scheduled to compete, along with teammate Dani Shanahan. Taylor’s 31:07.60 from that event would rank No. 5 in the world this year.

Brenda Flores, Alia Gray, Sarah Pagano, Elaina Tabb and Rogers are among the veteran athletes entered with sub-32 credentials. New American 10-mile record holder Keira D’Amato, who boasts a 10,000 personal-best 32:33.44 from July, is also entered, along with the returning Lokedi.

And late additions to the top section include Bowerman Track Club athletes Gwen Jorgensen and Vanessa Fraser, who is competing in her first outdoor race of the year following recovery from knee surgery. Fraser last raced in February and Jorgensen in early August.

The two target standards every athlete will be pursuing are 31:25 for the Olympics and 32:25 for the U.S. Olympic Trials following the qualifying window reopening Dec. 1.

In addition, new Under Armour professional Weini Kelati, representing the Dark Sky Distance team in Flagstaff, will look to improve on her personal-best 32:09.10 achieved last year while competing for New Mexico, before capturing the NCAA Division 1 title in Austin, Texas.

Montoya, who did participate as a member of the Roots Running Project team on the 6.1-kilometer leg Oct. 21 at the Michigan Pro Ekiden mixed relay, has even more motivation to perform well Saturday after the biggest opportunity of the year was missed due to restrictions outside of her control.

“It was quite devastating not being able to go with my teammate Willie (Milam), especially seeing others living in the U.S., but competing for other countries going,” Montoya said. “It was hard being sidelined from that opportunity but I am hopeful for future opportunities and the fact that we were chosen for it in the first place.”

Montoya and her Roots Running Project teammates, who have also had to adjust training in Colorado in recent months as a result of poor air quality due to several fires, are continuing to train with a vision beyond this weekend in preparation for the Marathon Project event Dec. 20 in Chandler, Ariz.

“Training has been getting better. I hit a bit of a patch after the 10k in August where things weren’t clicking. I was struggling with my breathing through the fires here, and work started picking up,” Montoya said. “We are very grateful for the end-of-the-year opportunities to compete a few last times. Especially for the marathon crew that just saw race after race being cancelled that now get to participate in the Marathon Project.”

Although Kelati has turned professional, several talented athletes with remaining college eligibility are scheduled to compete in the 10,000, including Fiona O’Keeffe, an All-American at Stanford who transferred as a graduate student-athlete to New Mexico to reconnect with young sister Olivia O’Keeffe.

“We won’t be racing in uniform as we’re not technically ‘in season’ at the moment. However, this is my first race since making the move to New Mexico, and it wouldn’t be possible without the support of my coaches Joe (Franklin) and Laura (Bowerman) and everyone else here,” Fiona O’Keeffe said. “We’ve been focusing on longer, aerobic work, and I’ve been interested in the 10k for quite a while, so now seemed like a great opportunity.

“I’m just excited to race, since opportunities are limited these days, and see what I can do. Achieving the (Olympic Trials) standard would be great, but the focus is on competing and executing the race plan. Hopefully I can take down my PR (33:36.25) from my only prior 10k, my sophomore year at Pac-12s.”

Both O’Keeffe sisters, including Olivia competing Friday in the 5,000 meters, are excited to return to California – both attended Davis Senior High – and compete closer to sea level after an extended fall training schedule at 5,300 feet elevation or higher.

“Training has been solid this fall. Albuquerque is a great place to train, since it’s located at 5,000 feet and has miles and miles of trails. We’ve been in smaller groups this fall due to COVID, but I’ve enjoyed getting to know the other women on the team. People come from very diverse backgrounds here and have interesting perspectives,” Fiona O’Keeffe said. “Having my sister as a teammate again has been awesome as well. We haven’t run this much together since high school. We’re both very grateful to have a safe opportunity to compete, and being able to get in a quality race at sea level will be a great way to wrap up this training block.”

Iowa State senior Cailie Logue, who captured her third consecutive Big 12 cross country title Oct. 30, is also looking to improve on her personal-best 33:36 from winning the 2019 conference 10,000 championship.

“Since the Big 12 Championships my training has been going well. In this past month, we incorporated some track work with pace-specific reps, and started to sharpen a bit for the race. I’m excited to capitalize on a very good training block,” Logue said. “While a PR is always something to celebrate and a definite goal of mine, I have aspirations to run under 32:25. It has been a goal of mine since high school to run at the Olympic Trials. My coach and I thought this would be an excellent race opportunity to take a crack at it.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to race, especially among many exceptional competitors. At first my coach and I were unsure if the meet would be allowed to continue, however, Sound Running has worked to make the meet a safe possibility. I’m very thankful for their efforts and excited to toe the line with so many great athletes this weekend.”

Arkansas graduate student-athlete Katie Izzo and North Carolina State fifth-year senior Elly Henes are also entered, both competing in their first career 10,000 races.

“I feel like the 10k is the best fit event for me this weekend because I have been building up some good mileage after the cancelation of all NCAA track meets, and into summer and fall. Since I have never raced the 10k, my goal is to give it my all, not place any limits on myself, and simply enjoy racing again,” Izzo said. “It has been about 10 months since I last raced, so I am excited to finally lace up again. I am so grateful to have this opportunity to compete at such a special meet with great competition, especially during these pandemic times.”

A pair of 5,000 races Friday will provide the opportunity for female athletes to chase the Olympic standard of 15:10 and the U.S. Olympic Trials cutoff of 15:20.

The top section is headlined by American record holder Shelby Houlihan and Elise Cranny, both late additions to the field representing Bowerman Track Club.

Houlihan clocked 14:23.92 on July 10 at Jesuit High in Portland to set the record, with Cranny running a personal-best 14:48.02 on June 30 as part of the Bowerman Track Club schedule of summer intrasquad meets. Both athletes will be racing for the first time since early August.

New Balance athletes Kim Conley and Stephanie Garcia are also entered in the top section, along with adidas standout Emily Lipari, Boston Athletic Association athlete Dana Giordano, Saucony Freedom Track Club’s Helen Schlachtenhaufen, Golden Coast Track Club’s Heidi See and the On Athletics Club duo of Leah Falland and Emily Oren.

Adams State sisters Eilish Flanagan and Roisin Flanagan, both NCAA Division 2 All-Americans who compete internationally for Ireland, are also scheduled to compete, as well as Sweden’s Yolanda Ngarambe, representing Atlanta Track Club, and Mexico’s Laura Galvan, a HOKA ONE ONE professional.