INDIANAPOLIS -- Team USA ultrarunner Camille Herron earns USATF Athlete of the week for the third time in 2015 after she claimed gold Friday, Dec. 4 at the inaugural IAU 50 km World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
 
“I am shocked and stunned,” said Herron of winning USATF AOW.  “I am very honored, and it’s just a testament of all the hard work I’ve put in over the years and the positive support team around me.”
 
Herron (Warr Acres, Oklahoma) led wire to wire, giving her a dominant first-place finish in 3:20:59, more than seven minutes ahead of the 3:28:15 posted by silver medalist Marija Vrajic of Croatia.
 
“I knew it was the first IAU 50K World Champs, and to be the first to win the championship was obviously a huge huge thrill.”
 
Leading straight out of the gate, Herron maintained a 20-minute lap pace through the first half of the race, as she hit the midway point at 1:38:28. Post-25 km, she extended the gap for a sizeable victory.
 
“With two laps to go, I was losing my focus because I knew I was going to win,” Herron continued. “It was a life changing moment to cross the finish line, and it was just a huge team effort between Team USA and my husband, who coaches me.”
 
Herron recently earned USATF AOW honors Oct. 28 after winning the 50 Mile title in American and world record time; however, the October event was not record eligible due to the separation in the course layout. She was also given the same honor on Sept. 18, following her gold medal performance at IAU 100K World Championships.
 
Other notable performances of the week included:
 

• Kara Goucher (Boulder, Colorado) won the Rock ’n’ Roll San Antonio Half Marathon in 1:11:10.
   
• Katie Rainsberger (Colorado Springs, Colorado), a University of Oregon commit from Air Academy High School, won the 2015 Nike Cross Nationals in Portland by 16 seconds with a new 16:56.8 course record.


• Casey Clinger (Pleasant Grove, Utah) of American Fork High School, won the Nike Cross Nationals boys title in Portland with a finish of 15:03.21.
   
• Kim Conley (Sacramento, California) ran under the Olympic A standard (32:15) in the 10,0000m, with her 31:58.54 finish at the Pacific 10,000m Pursuit in Sacramento.

Now in its 14th year, USATF’s Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on www.usatf.org. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.
 
2015 Winners: January 15, Chris Derrick; January 21, Demi Payne; January 28, Casimir Loxsom; February 4, Anselm LeBourne; February 11, Jenny Simpson; February 18, Brycen Spratling; February 25, Maksim Korolev; March 4, Shannon Rowbury; March 11, Mary Norckauer; March 18, Daloria Boone; March 25, Irene Obera; April 2, Michael Stigler; April 8, Allen Woodard; April 15, Joe Kovacs; April 22, Vashti Cunningham; April 29, Jasmin Stowers; May 6, Sanya Richards-Ross; May 13, Bernard Lagat; May 20, Christian Taylor; May 27, David Oliver; June 3, Joe Kovacs; June 10, Grant Fisher; June 17, Ben True; June 24, Candace Hill; July 1, Justin Gatlin; July 8, Evan Jager; July 15, Christian Taylor; July 22, Shannon Rowbury; July 29, Anthony Bailey; August 5, Harrison Williams; August 12, Flo Meiler; Sept. 2, Ashton Eaton; Sept. 18, Camille Herron; Sept. 24, Don Pellmann; Sept. 30, Deena Kastor; Oct. 7, Molly Huddle; Oct. 14, Deena Kastor; Oct. 28, Camille Herron; Nov. 4, Tatyana McFadden; Nov. 11, Judy Pendergast; Nov. 18, Molly Huddle; Nov. 27, Erin Taylor-Talcott; Dec. 10, Camille Herron.
 
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About USATF
USA Track & Field is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the country’s No. 1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States. For more information on USATF, visit http://www.usatf.org.
 
We welcome your nominations!
To nominate an athlete for Athlete of the Week, please send a detailed email about his/her performance to Communications@usatf.org.