SISSON RETURNS TO ARAMCO HOUSTON HALF-MARATHON AS DOUBLE AMERICAN RECORD HOLDER

SISSON RETURNS TO ARAMCO HOUSTON HALF-MARATHON AS DOUBLE AMERICAN RECORD HOLDER
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2022 Race Outcomes Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission. (04-Jan) — Practically 4 years in the past, in near-freezing situations, Emily Sisson ran the Aramco Houston Half-Marathon and achieved what was then a stunning outcome.  Behind Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei, who would run what was the fastest-ever half-marathon on American soil (1:05:50), Sisson clipped via the 10-kilometer mark in a quick 31:49 and went on to complete in 1:07:30, good for fifth place.  Her time was simply 5 seconds wanting Molly Huddle’s then-USATF document of 1:07:25.

Instantly after the race, Sisson felt an odd mixture of satisfaction and disappointment.  She got here into the race in nice form however stated she had made an vital tactical error: she determined to not put on her GPS watch and, as an alternative, go off the break up occasions on the course.

“That’s one of many errors I made,” Sisson informed reporters after the race.  “I talked to my coach, Ray (Treacy), about carrying a GPS watch or not.  We thought it could be higher to go off the splits on the course (which she had bother seeing).  I believe we went out a bit too sluggish, and it value me a while.”

On that chilly day in Houston, Sisson had no approach of understanding {that a} pandemic would sweep the world a yr later, and it could take her almost two extra years to run one other quick half-marathon.  In Valencia, Spain, in December 2020, Sisson clocked 1:07:26, only one second wanting Huddle’s document.

“Undoubtedly bittersweet,” Sisson informed Race Outcomes Weekly through textual content message simply after exiting drug testing in Valencia that morning. “Was upset to fall wanting my objective however making an attempt to maintain issues in perspective.”

She wouldn’t take one other swing at Huddle’s document till Might 7, 2022, when –regardless of windy situations– she ran away with the USATF half-marathon title in Indianapolis, clocking 1:07:11 and eventually breaking Huddle’s document.

“Mission completed,” a smiling Sisson informed sideline reporter Chris Nickinson in her post-race broadcast interview on USATF.television.

Sisson, 31, who represents New Steadiness, plans to return to Houston to run the Aramco Houston Half-Marathon on Sunday, January 15.  When she strains up for the beginning simply earlier than daybreak in Downtown Houston, she’ll be the USATF half-marathon document holder and the marathon document holder.  Final October in Chicago, she clocked 2:18:29 to topple Keira D’Amato’s document of two:19:12 set on the Chevron Houston Marathon solely 9 months earlier.  Sisson is worked up to race once more in Texas after she and her husband, Shane Quinn, bought their residence in Phoenix and moved to Flagstaff, the place she enjoys altitude coaching.

“I’ve actually loved racing right here previously and am excited to begin my 2023 season in Houston,” Sisson stated via a media launch yesterday.  “I felt good popping out of Chicago and am actually wanting ahead to a different alternative to race.”

In Houston, Sisson will face a powerful area of girls, seven of whom have damaged 68 minutes for the half-marathon.  The quickest is Ethiopia’s Hiwot Gebrekidan (1:06:47) and Tirunesh Dibaba (1:06:50).  Gebrekidan, 27, a marathoner, has twice damaged 2:20 and has gained marathons in Milano, Guangzhou, and Tiberias (Israel).  Dibaba, 37, is a three-time Olympic gold medalist with a 2:17:56 marathon private greatest.  Nevertheless, she hasn’t competed in over 4 years.  It had been extensively assumed that she had retired.

“Houston is a well-known race, and my coaching has been going nicely,” Dibaba stated in a press launch.  “It appeared the easiest way to check myself and see what might occur subsequent.”

Additionally working can be three-time World Athletics Championships 1500m medalist Jenny Simpson.  Simpson, 36, can be making her half-marathon debut as she continues her transition from observe to street working underneath her new sponsor, Puma.  The longest race of her profession to this point was the Credit score Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile in Washington, D.C., in September 2021, the place she clocked a powerful 52:16.  That’s equal to a 1:09:47 half-marathon.  Most just lately, she ran 16:07 to complete seventeenth on the USATF 5-Okay Championships final November hosted by the Abbott Sprint to the End Line 5-Okay.

“The entire racers I’m studying from converse so extremely of their expertise with the Aramco Houston Half-Marathon,” Simpson stated via a press release.  “It’s the proper place for me to make my half-marathon debut as a result of the timing, course, and group are so well-tested.”

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The 2023 Aramco Houston Half-Marathon and Chevron Houston Marathon can be broadcast dwell by ABC-13 (KTRK) in Houston on Sunday, January 15, at 7:00 a.m. CST (8:00 a.m. EST) at https://abc13.com/.