Those Are Some Fast Legs

Not that I should be at all surprised, but sheesh...Kara Goucher is a speed demon at the half marathon distance. She didn't even need padding--like those starts at the NYC Marathon in years past or the SkirtChaser 5K where the women have a head start on the men--to be the first person across the finish line at Sunday's Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon. If you were lucky enough to be in Grant Park Sunday morning to watch the finish--I missed it unfortunately, cooling off after a debacle of a race at Steelhead (more to come on that one)--you saw Kara Goucher sprint to the finish line in 1:08:05 mere seconds ahead of male overall winner Chad Ware (1:08:24).

Not only did the win keep Goucher undefeated at the half-marathon distance--she won in Lisbon earlier this year in 1:08:29 and debuted at the distance in 2007 at England's Great North Run running 1:06:57--but her 5:12 per-mile pace set her 13 minutes ahead of the female finishers. No question they were fast too, with second and third finishing in 1:21:50 and 1:22:28, respectively (I only wish I could hold paces like that). These guys and girls make running look easy. I'm jealous! For more results click here. Photo grabbed from Stewart Dawson at flickr. Posted by Kate