Each year, the New York Mini 10K attracts some of the best runners from across the world. This year is no exception: On June 10, the start line will be packed with Olympians, major marathon winners, and track standouts who will be vying for the $45,000 prize pool.
Originally a six-mile race called the Crazylegs Mini Marathon, the event has been going strong since 1972, and its current name, according to the New York Road Runners, is “named after a symbol of women’s liberation, the miniskirt.” The 2023 edition will be the largest in the race’s history with over 9,000 women set to run through Central Park.
Senbere Teferi, last year’s winner, is back again to defend her title. Her toughest competition might come from Hellen Obiri who, after a dominant career on the track in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, is coming off a win at the Boston Marathon in April. Obiri, of Kenya, owns the fastest 10K personal best in the field (30:15) and could dip under the course record of 30:29, set by Asmae Leghzaoui in 2002.
Sharon Lokedi, however, could easily spoil the party—she’s no stranger to the hills of Central Park. The 2022 New York City Marathon champion will attempt to improve on her second place finish at the Mini last year.
If you’re a fan of U.S. women’s marathoning, you’re in for a treat. Nearly all of the top Americans are running the race this year, including the current American record holder, Emily Sisson, and the former owner, Keira D’Amato. Both women raced the Mini last year, with D’Amato winning the battle to finish third.
Nell Rojas, Susanna Sullivan, and Des Linden will look to get some speed under their belt too, as all are coming off Spring marathons. And Emily Durgin, Marielle Hall, and Kellyn Taylor have all run the 10,000 meters at the USATF Championships in recent years. Don’t count them out.
In the wheelchair division, the race is Susannah Scaroni’s to lose. The 32-year-old has won the Mini 10K every year since 2018, when the wheelchair division was first added. She’ll seek to improve on her course record of 21:20 from 2022.
You can catch all the race-day action on USATF.TV (subscription required). The wheelchair division will kick things off at 7:50 a.m. ET, followed by the professional field at 8:00 a.m. ET.
Theo Kahler is the news editor at Runner’s World. He’s a former all-conference collegiate runner at Winthrop University, and he received his master’s degree in liberal arts studies from Wake Forest University, where he was a member of one of the top distance-running teams in the NCAA. Kahler has reported on the ground at major events such as the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials, New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. He’s run 14:20 in the 5K, 1:05:36 in the half marathon, and enjoys spotting tracks from the sky on airplanes. (Look for colorful ovals around football fields.)
