With 600 meters remaining, Ben True took the lead in the BAA 5K in Boston on Saturday, and when the finish line clock came into his view on the final straightaway through Boston Public Garden, he knew his American 5K road record was within reach.
True, 31, of Hanover, New Hampshire, mounted a furious final kick and finished in 13:20, two seconds better than the 13:22 record he set here in 2015.
Stephen Sambu, a Kenyan living in Phoenix, was second in 13:22. James Kibet of Kenya was third in 13:28.
More From Runner's World
In the women’s race, Buze Diriba, 23, of Ethiopia, was the winner in 14:54. Molly Huddle of Providence, Rhode Island, was second in 14:56, and Kalkidan Gezahegne of Ethiopia was third in 15:04. Marielle Hall, a U.S. Olympian last year in Rio in the 10,000 meters, was fourth in 15:08.
True has been a regular at this early season race, winning in 2011, 2012 and 2015, and he was second here last year.
“[The record] was in the back of my mind,” True said. “It was definitely something that would be good to get. It wasn’t something I was actually aiming for at the start of the race. Coming down the homestretch and I saw the clock at 13:10, I dug a little deeper.”
The weather, he said, cooperated, as there was no wind at all. Crowds all along the course were shouting for the New Englander who grew up in Maine, a state that—along with Massachusetts— observes Patriots’ Day.
After a disappointing 2016 racing season, during which True failed to make the U.S. Olympic team in the 5,000 meters or 10,000 meters, he is taking a new approach with his training and racing this year, he said.
“I think people know my racing strategy pretty well by now, where I like to sit and hide for most of the race and [sprint] in the last 200,” True said. “This year I’m trying to change things up a bit, put my nose in the front a bit more and grind it out a little further out. So today I was going to try to do that and it worked pretty well.”
True says he will avoid the 10,000 meters on the track this year and focus on the 5,000 meters. His next race is on May 5 in Doha, where he will race 3,000 meters.
Finishing second was a rare loss for Huddle, who has won this event three years in a row and also established the American road record here in 2015, when she ran 14:50.
But today, she made a rare tactical error in the final straightaway, which she said cost her the win.
Huddle was shoulder to shoulder with Diriba as they rounded the final turn. But Diriba took the inside line to the finish and Huddle swung wide to get around some male runners.
“My legs were really tired,” Huddle said. “So I thought, ‘Stay right behind her, don’t make your move yet.’ We got scattered by a couple of the guys. I was trying to go around on the left, she went on the right. Maybe I should have just tried to take that inside corner and just go for it.”
Although she was satisfied with her time for this point in her season, Huddle said the loss will bother her for a few days.
“I obviously hate to lose,” she said. “That stings a lot more than the five minutes you’re hurting out there. I try to tell myself that when I’m racing: It will hurt a lot for two minutes or like chronic regret for two or three days. That’s a really good run by Buze.”
Huddle next plans to race at the Prefontaine Classic on May 26 and perhaps regain the American 5,000-meter track record of 14:38.92, set last year by Shannon Rowbury.
“I hope to take two or three shots at it this year,” Huddle said.
Sales & Deals is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World Runners World 2023 Calendar, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
