Molly Huddle Wins Third Straight US Road 10k Title at Tufts Health Plan 10k for Women

USATF Communications

American record holder Molly Huddle (Providence, R.I.) sprinted home in 32:00 at the Tuft's Health Plan 10K for Women to win her third consecutive USA Women's 10 km title Monday.

A near record field of 6,725 women started the 34th edition of the Columbus Day race, with Huddle, Katie McGregor (Saint Louis Park, Minn.), Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) and Genoveva Kigen of Kenya leading the field through the first mile in 5:08.

As the field raced along Memorial Drive in Cambridge, Huddle and Kigen controlled the pace with Rhines and McGregor maintaining close contact.

After passing 5 kilometers in 16:14, McGregor began to fall back from the leaders and as the race turned onto the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge after four miles McGregor was 20 meters down from the leaders, and by four and a half miles, Huddle and Kigen pulled away from Rhines as they raced down Commonwealth Avenue.

Over the final mile, Huddle and Kigen were stride for stride and as they made the final turn on to Charles Street, Huddle found one more gear, pulling away from Kigen for a four second win.

Rhines held on for third overall, running 32:16 to claim the runner-up position in the championship. McGregor rounded out the U.S. top- three, taking fourth overall in 32:44