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Gargiulo Goes the Distance to Win 5,000

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

After concentrating on road racing and cross-country for the last three years, Tim Gargiulo of the Reebok Racing Team made a successful return to the track in the Asics Twilight Distance Classic at Birmingham High on Friday night.

Gargiulo, a 1990 graduate of Southern Methodist, ran a personal best of 13 minutes 46.12 seconds to win the 5,000 meters by more than 25 seconds.

With a goal of 13:45--an average of 66 seconds per 400--Gargiulo took the lead after 600 meters and never relinquished it.

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“All I was thinking about was running 66 every lap,” Gargiulo said. “Everything I’ve been doing in practice has been at that tempo, whether it’s 1,000s, 800s or 400s, so I felt like I could run that fast.”

After coming through the first 1,000 meters in 2:46.0, Gargiulo ran successive kilometers of 2:45.7, 2:46.8 and 2:46.3 before running the final 1,000 in 2:41.3.

Gargiulo’s time, which lowered his previous best by four seconds, was particularly impressive because there was no one to push him for the last nine laps.

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“I was hoping that there would be some other guys with me because it’s always easier to run fast when you’re in a pack, but I was confident I could do it on my own,” said Gargiulo, the United States’ top finisher in the World cross-country championships in Budapest, Hungary, in March.

The meet continues with races in the collegiate-open division tonight at 7:30.

Meredith Rainey of Footlocker, fifth in the women’s 800 in last year’s World Championships, won that event in 2:02.91.

The Harvard graduate followed Regina Jacobs of the Mizuno Track Club through the first 400 in 60.5 before moving into the lead with 250 meters left and pulling away.

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Jacobs, a 1981 graduate of what is now Campbell Hall High and a two-time Olympian in the 1,500, finished second in 2:05.79.

Christian Cushing-murray of the Santa Monica Track Club was favored in the men’s 1,500 after running 3:39.96 to win last week’s Occidental Invitational, but the former North Hollywood High standout finished 13th in 3:45.0 after leading the field through 1,200 meters in 2:58.5.

Mark Dailey of Reebok was in fourth place entering the final homestretch, but finished strongly to win in 3:40.39.

Jamey Harris of Fresno State was second in 3:40.86, followed by Jim Sorensen (3:40.91), who was competing unattached.

Fran ten Bensel of New Balance won the women’s 1,500 in 4:17.48, followed by Cathy Palacios (4:18.91) of Asics.

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