Rojas, Kieffer Top Huge Field at 48th Statesman Capitol 10,000

<Image Above> Puerto Rico’s Alexander Torres and Texas A&M’s Jonathan Chung duke it out at the Capitol 10,000. <Image Above>

 

Word circulated among the Statesman Capitol 10,000’s elite field that Puerto Rico’s Alexander Torres was entered and that he had the fastest time of anyone with a 28:46 10K best. Stands to reason that if he were in top form, he’d run away with the race.

That’s exactly what happened.

More than 24,000 runners enjoyed cool, overcast 46 degree skies on Sunday morning April 6, up about 5,000 from last year.

Shortly after the start on Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, Rojas and Texas A&M track and cross-country star Jonathan Chung moved to the front of the huge field, in a pack that included Austin’s Mitch Ammons along with San Antonio’s Kevin Heeman and Calahan Warren. Headed north on Congress Ave., they sped through mile one in four minutes and 58 seconds. But turning on to a small hill on 15th Street, Rojas and Chung broke away with Heeman a few seconds back.

The first three miles of the Cap 10 are notoriously hilly, but the pair flattened out Enfield Boulevard’s climbs with a speedy 9:54 split at two miles. Heeman tried to hang on as they passed 5K on Winsted Lane in 15:44 but couldn’t keep up when Rojas and Chung flew down the hill on Veterans Drive with a four mile split of 19:50.

The pair ran stride for stride at a 4:54 per mile pace on West Cesar Chavez Street over the last two miles, speeding in the shadow of Austin’s constantly developing skyline. But just as he hit the South First Street bridge, Rojas accelerated.

Still, Chung didn’t flinch. The two sprinted to the finish on West Riverside Drive, with Rojas nipping Chung at the tape by two seconds, 30:24 to 30:26. Heeman took third in 30:43, followed by 2023 Cap10K champ Ammons in 30:47 and Warren in 31:03 for fifth.

“I decided to make a move with about a mile to go,” said Rojas, who lives and trains in Puerto Rico, often on hilly courses. “I came to Austin just to run this race. The first 5K was hard. It was windy. But the second 5K was fast.”

“I just tried to hang with Rojas as long as I could, but he opened up a gap coming across the South First Street bridge,” said Chung, who has a 29:17 10K track best.”

In the women’s race Allie Kieffer, Austin’s number one female runner, showed up to defend her title, but also had her eyes set on Natalie Nalepa Linam’s 1997 33:43 course record.

She jumped into the lead from the get-go, hitting 11:06 at two miles. Shannon Gaden, who often trains with Kieffer along with Austin’s Johanna Gretschel and Sarah Jackson were just a few seconds back at that point.

Kieffer hit the 5K in 17:39, as Gaden trailed about eight seconds behind. Using the hill on Veterans Drive to her advantage, Kieffer picked it up, dropping Gaden for good.

“I was hoping to close the gap on the last 5K, but Allie’s a really strong runner so I didn’t quite get there,” said Gaden.

Kieffer broke the tape in 34:18, a 5:32 minute per mile pace and 13 seconds faster than her 2024 win. Gaden held on for second in 34:47, with Gretschel and Jackson third and fourth in 35:13 and 35:19 respectively. Albuquerque’s Jennifer Sanderson rounded out the top five, posting a 36:47.

“To get the record I knew I’d have to go fast through the first half,” said Kieffer. “So I went for it and I paid for it. I was hurting really bad towards the end. I really wasn’t that far ahead and I was kind of running scared the second half.”

Both Rojas and Kieffer pocketed $1,500 for their victories, with second place collecting $800 and third place $200 each.

Upcoming Races: Saturday April 19 at 8:00 a.m., the Pirate 5K, 10K, & Half Marathon at Bohls Park in Pflugerville. Saturday April 19 at 11:00 a.m., Texas Brewery Running Series 5K at Austin Beerworks. Sunday, April 27,at 8:30 a.m., Racing Minds Earth Day 5K at Lakeline Park in Cedar Park.