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CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) — Edward Cheserek of Kenya tied the IAAF world 5K road mark when he won the Carlsbad 5000 in 13 minutes, 29 seconds Sunday.
Cheserek, who ran at Oregon and trains in Flagstaff, Arizona, had a lead of some 80 meters when rabbit Craig Nowak slipped off the course 6:44 into the race.
"I was racing against the clock," Cheserek said.
He was running so hard that he nearly stumbled when he made the 90-degree left-hand turn from Carlsbad Boulevard to the downhill stretch on Carlsbad Village Drive.
"I was going for it. I was going to have a good time here today," said Cheserek, who matched the mark set by Switzerland's Julien Wanders in Monaco in February.
Cheserek's girlfriend, Sharon Lokedi, a senior at Kansas who won the NCAA 10,000 meters last year, pulled away shortly after the first mile and won the women's pro race in 15:48. She soaked up the applause and then darted into the elite athletes' VIP tent, changed shoes and hustled back to cheer on Cheserek.
Cheserek averaged 4:21 per mile. Countryman David Bett was second in 13:54. Reid Buchanan of Mammoth Lakes, California, took third in 13:56.
In the women's race, Charlotte Arter of Wales was second in 16:00 with Danielle Shanahan of Flagstaff taking third in 16:03.
Cheserek and Lokedi each earned $5,000.
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