SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, California — A pair of high quality 10,000 meter races with very different complexions offered a thrilling conclusion Saturday night to the sixth edition of Sound Running's The TEN, the first stop on the 2026 USATF Tour.
Three distinct packs formed almost immediately in the women's race, with the lead trio glued to wavelights set at American record tempo as the two pacers took the mental pressure off 10K debutante Shelby Houlihan for a little while. Houlihan had said before the race that she would like to break the American record of 30:03.82 that was set at this meet in 2023 by Alicia Monson, but she was left on her own just before the ninth lap when the final pacer dropped off, and from there she lost ground lap-by-lap on the AR pace.
At 4K in 12:08.80, Houlihan continued to lead by a large margin as her pace slowed some more, but the group behind her also slowed noticeably. Jessica McClain and Allie Buchalski were running with Germany's Lisa Merkel in the nearest chase group, and there was another 20-second gap to the third pack. Over the next kilometer Houlihan continued knocking out sub-75 laps and she passed 5K in about 15:15 with a 28 second lead over her nearest challengers.
The stress of running alone started to really show in the next two trips around the oval for Houlihan and she started to run laps over 75 seconds, with McClain and Buchalski cranking up their pace a tad to get back in 75 second range for each circuit. Houlihan went through 6K in 18:22.83, 30 seconds ahead of the chase pack that was becoming a twosome of McClain and Buchalski.
With 3K to go Houlihan was still churning out 75s and was getting close to lapping a large group. That target encouraged her to up her tempo and go back under 74 for a lap, and she passed 8K in 24:38.39, 29 seconds in front of McClain and 36 up on a fading Buchalski. Seema of India made an interesting move after Houlihan had passed the big group, surging forward and taking up residence on the leader's heels despite being a lap behind. Over the final 2K Houlihan stayed steady, and she closed with a 69.52 to stop the clock in a world-leading 30:50.10 and take over the No. 10 spot on the all-time U.S. performer list. McClain was even quicker on her final 400 with a 68.82 that put her across the finish line in 31:15.49, and Buchalski grabbed third in a lifetime best of 31:29.06.
In the final event of the evening five men settled into the lead pack behind a pair of pacemakers, and that quintet included Australia's Ky Robinson and Ahmed Muhumed, a two-time World Cross Country team member and third place finisher at the USATF Half Marathon Championships on March 1 who set his PB of 27:03.19 here last year. Also in that group were India's national record holder Gulveer Singh and Mohamed Abdilaahi of Germany. By the two mile mark in just under 8:40, the lead group was down to four and clicking off sub-65 circuits. Robinson led past 4K in 10:48.22 and his three nearest challengers were within a second in single file behind him. A small gap opened up between Robinson and Singh and the other two men, but Muhumed moved past Singh in an effort to close the gap on third. Pacer Dylan Jacobs dropped out at 5K in about 13:28, leaving Robinson to make the pace ahead of Abdilaahi and Muhumed.
Sixteen seconds behind the lead trio a group of five men included Woody Kincaid, who won here in 2023 and has a sub-27:00 PB. As Abdilaahi eased past Robinson to the lead, Muhumed slowly dropped back and was out of contention by 7K. The Australian retook the lead as the top two seemed to be trading off pace duties, and they went by 8K in 21:38, eight seconds in front of Muhumed. Singh was gamely hanging onto fourth as he battled cramps, but the chase group behind him reeled him in lap by lap and passed him with three to go. With one kilometer remaining Robinson was a stride up on Abdilaahi and Muhumed was 80 meters behind that duo. At the bell Robinson needed a sub-62 last 400 to crack 27:00, and Abdilaahi had just a bit more finishing speed. The German passed the Aussie down the final stretch and used a 58.33 to clock 26:56.58 and smash the German record. Robinson went 59.02 on the last lap and also set a national record with his 26:57.07 for second.
Mike Foppen and Woody Kincaid caught Muhumed on the final lap and Foppen outkicked the American to set a Dutch record of 27:20.52 in third, with Kincaid fourth in 27:20.84 and Muhumed fifth in 27:22.93.
Earlier in the evening, Gabbi Jennings set a meet record in the women's 1500 with a 4:07.69 to beat Sweden's Mia Barnett, and Australia's Olli Hoare out leaned Waleed Suliman to win the men's 1500 by .06 seconds in 3:35.82.