Grotenhuis Runs Lifetime Best 28:24.36 To Win Men's Race; Logue Hughes Completes Late Comeback In Women's Race In 32:21.54

Story and photos by Keenan Gray of DyeStat

RESULTS

WALNUT, Calif. - Through the misty rain under the lights of Mt. San Antonio College's Hilmer Lodge Stadium, nothing slowed down Cael Grotenhuis and Cailie Logue Hughes.

The first champions of the inaugural Save the 10,000 With Des and Kara both ran lifetime best performances over 10,000 meters on a chill Saturday night in Southern California.

Grotenhuis, a junior at Northern Arizona competing unattached, clocked 28 minutes, 24.36 seconds in the men's race, earning a 25 second victory.

Logue Hughes, representing Minnesota Distance Elite, completed a late comeback the final 1,200 meters to overtake Katie Izzo in the women's race in 32:21.54.

Grotenhuis controlled much of the men's race in the latter half after Latvian Arturs Medveds fell off pace. Over the next 12 laps, Grotenhuis raced the wave lights, continuing to clock splits of 67-68 seconds per lap, including a final 400 meters in 66.82 seconds.

"It's hard when you are by yourself to keep pushing yourself," Grotenhuis said. "It helps to have the lights a little bit. I was just thinking about hanging on and trying to win the race."

Grotenhuis improves her personal best by a little over a second, having run 28:25.90 two weeks ago at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

Medveds, representing Performance Elite Running, followed in 28:49.4 for second and Jorge Cruze, representing Maraton Track Mexico, finished third in 29:07.84.

Izzo, representing adidas, appeared to be in total control after the first half of the women's race was complete, building herself a lead by as much as 12 seconds over Logue Hughes.

Logue Hughes, a former Iowa State standout, managed to maintain her distance over the next 10 laps. With three laps to go, she began to reel in Izzo.

"It looked like early on (Katie) was gone," Logue Hughes said. "But then as we kind of worked over that second half of the race, I heard my coach say, 'You can win this.' I just started to go for it to see how close I could get to her as soon as possible."

Approaching the penultimate lap, Logue Hughes made her charge past Izzo. 

"Besides my own fatigue, I was just trying to finish as hard as I could," Logue Hughes said. "In the back of my head, she's not going to give up. I know Katie; she's a tough competitor."

Izzo showed some fight, but a 71.80 second final 400 for Logue Hughes ultimately pulled her away for a nine-second win. Izzo finished in 32:30.75.

Danielle Polerecky, representing Mckirdy Trained, finished third in 32:37.67.