Jordan Hasay to Make Half Marathon Debut at AACR Rock ‘n’ Roll Philly

Jordan Hasay, who has run 15:28 in the 5K and 31:39 in the 10K, makes her half marathon debut on Sept. 18 in Philadelphia. Photo: PhotoRun.net

Thanks to the movie Rocky, the city of Philadelphia has enjoyed a reputation as the home of the underdog. On Sunday, at the AACR Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon, 24-year-old Jordan Hasay will be playing this role.

The Arroyo Grande, Calif., native who broke several national records in high school and garnered 18 All-American honors while at the University of Oregon before becoming a professional 10,000m runner, has decided to “move up” in her racing distance and off the track—taking on the 13.1-mile distance competitively for the first time. (Hasay has non-competitively run the 2014 and 2015 Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco, in which she claimed a first place finish of 1:21:53 with fellow Nike athlete Alexi Pappas in 2015.)

She’s a two-time runner-up in the 10,000m at the U.S. championships and has a PR of 31:39 on the track and 31:58 on the roads. The Rock ‘n’ Roll race in Philly will be twice as long as she’s ever raced before, but her fitness and 10K times suggest she could run in the 1:08-1:11 range if things go as planned.

“I’m really happy with my training leading up to this,” says Hasay, who is coached by legendary marathoner Alberto Salazar. “I’ve been doing over 100 miles a week and some long progression runs to get ready.”

Once the track and field poster child of her generation, Hasay has had some rough patches in recent years as she’s moved up from the 1,500m and 5,000m on the track. Last year, she struggled with a nagging plantar fasciitis injury and she admits that it affected her training and prevented her from a real chance at qualifying for the U.S. team at the Olympics. (She placed ninth in the 10,000m final at the U.S. Olympic Trials in July.)

“(The last year) was frustrating,” Hasay says. “But I’m confident that this race will be a good stepping stone to the marathon.”

Hasay says that fellow Nike Oregon Project teammate Galen Rupp has been an inspiration to her. The 30-year-old Rupp won the bronze medal in the marathon at the Olympics in Rio.

“I used to see him heading out to train on these long runs and feel sorry for him,” she says. “But now I’m doing them and I realize they aren’t that bad.”

The “City of Brotherly Love” is an unknown venue for Hasay. She admits she’s never raced in Philadelphia before.

“I hear it’s a super-fast course and I’m thrilled to be there this weekend.”

Hasay’s half-marathon debut will also be her first Rock ‘n’ Roll series race. “I hear it’s going to be fun and I can’t wait to hear all the bands.”

Hasay’s favorite musician is Grammy-award-winning singer Adele.

“I’m not sure she counts as rock and roll, but I’d love to hear some of her songs out there on the course,” she added.

Among those joining Hasay on the starting line in front of the iconic Philadelphia Museum of Art within sight of the Rocky statue will be Ethiopian Buze Diriba along with Americans Susanna Sullivan and Neely Spence-Gracey, who finished second in Philadelphia last year.

“I hear that the leaders want to head out at 1:10 pace,” Hasay says. “That sounds about right to me and I hope to be up there with them so we can push each other.”

Elite women aside, several big-name male competitors will be taking to the streets of Philadelphia as well. Wearing bib No. 1 is Stephen Sambu. The former University of Arizona star and Kenyan national won the New York City Half Marathon back in March. Like many competitors, Sambu will be using the AACR Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon as a tune-up race for his full marathon debut in Chicago this fall.

Expected to give Sambu a good race will be fellow Kenyan Augustine Choge, who is racing his first half marathon after clocking a blistering 12:53 5,000m personal best. A pair of top-tier Americans—Tyler Pennell and Jeffery Eggleston—should also be in the mix for the win. Pennell owns a 1:01:44 half-marathon personal best and a fifth-place finish in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, while Eggleston has triumphed at previous Rock ‘n’ Roll races and has run 1:02:41 for the half marathon and 2:10:52 for the marathon.

The AACR Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon has always been the fastest “go-to” place for the start of the fall marathon season. The race, which was historically known as the Philadelphia Distance Run, dates back to 1978 and has been the site of five World Half Marathon Records and three American Records.

Fast times aside, plenty of fun is in store for participants just out for a rockin’ good time. Bands and cheer zones line the scenic course, which routes through downtown Philadelphia and then out along the beautiful Schuylkill River. The excitement begins with the opening of the Health and Fitness expo at the Philadelphia Convention Center on Friday and continues with a 5K race on Saturday near the famous steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The culminating event, the half marathon, takes place on Sunday with alternative rock band Guster headlining the post-race concert. Race weekend registration for all distances will be available at the expo.

PHOTOS: Scenes from the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon

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