Kara Goucher

KARA GOUCHER
UNITED STATES

BIRTHDATE:
9 July 1978

PERSONAL BEST:
2:25:53 (New York City, 2008)/2:24:52w (Boston, 2011)

WORLD MARATHON MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS:

18Apr11 Boston Marathon 5th 2:24:52w
23Aug09 IAAF World Championships, Berlin 10th 2:27:48
20Apr09 Boston Marathon 3rd 2:32:25
02Nov08 ING New York City Marathon 3rd 2:25:53

CAREER NOTES:

Kara Goucher returned to marathon running at Boston in 2011 after taking 2010 for maternity reasons. While she could not match the final breakaway of contenders, Goucher hung on to score a WMM point for 2011-12 by virtue of her fifth place finish.

Much was expected for Goucher's marathon debut at the 2008 ING New York City Marathon. She ran with eventual winner Paula Radcliffe for much of the race and finished third in 2:25:53. That set a new American debut record by 65 seconds and made her the fastest American woman ever at New York.

Goucher came into the race as America's fastest half-marathoner (1:06:57 at the 2007 Great North Run) and having set a 10,000 PR of 30:55.16 at the Beijing Olympics. In 2007 she won the 10,000 bronze medal at the Osaka World Championships.

She had a stellar collegiate career winning the 2000 NCAA championships at 3000 and 5000 meters and the NCAA cross-country championships.

Goucher won one of the world's most competitive half marathons, the Lisbon Half-Marathon (1:08:30) in March 2009 as she prepared for her Boston Marathon debut in April. Seeking to become the first American woman champion in 24 years, Goucher dictated the pace until the final mile before finishing third.

PERSONAL NOTES:

The former Kara Grgas-Wheeler is married to world-class American distance runner Adam Goucher. She was born in Queens, New York, went to high school in Duluth, Minnesota and graduated from the University of Colorado in 2001. Goucher’s hobbies include cooking, reading, and making cards and scrapbooks. The Gouchers, who reside in Portland, Oregon, continue to help support and promote running on the national youth level.