Heidi Westover to Represent the U.S. in the World Half Marathon Championships on Sunday, October 11, 2009
10/9/2009
Heidi Westover (nee Westerling) has been named to the U.S. Team for the World Half Marathon Championships to be held in Birmingham, U.K. this Sunday, October 11, 2009. Westover was selected as a replacement for Desiree Davila who will not compete.
Westover has had a stellar year highlighted by victories and personal bests: In March, Westover won the New Bedford Half Marathon and set a new PR of 1:11:35. She ran the Boston Marathon in April and finished in 2:43:11, good for 14th place. Just about a month later, Westover won the Vermont City Marathon in 2:35:02 - another personal best and new course record by 3 1/2 minutes. Just back from her honeymoon, Westover competed in the Falmouth Road Race in August and was 16th in 40:14.
A New Hampshire resident, Westover is a 2004 graduate of the University of Rhode Island where she was an Atlantic 10 Conference champion indoors (5,000m) and outdoors (10,000m), and a runner-up in cross country. A post-collegiate force on the roads, she has won four consecutive Cape Cod Marathon titles as well as numerous USATF New England Grand Prix Titles. A qualifier for the 2008 US Olympic Team Trials, Westover ran 2:41:04 and placed 16th in that event. The 2009 World Half Marathon Championship marks Westover's first selection to a U.S. team.
The IAAF World Half Marathon Championships will air on Universalsports.com on Sunday at 4:00 a.m. ET.
