Kara Goucher

Kara Goucher is an American professional distance runner. She was born as Kara Grgas in Queens, New York on July 9, 1978. Goucher was born in Queens, New York. After he father's death, her mother remarried and Kara took her stepfather's surname - Wheeler. She is married to a fellow American runner Adam Goucher.

Goucher's most notable accomplishment was winning the Bronze Medal at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan, in the women's 10000 meters event. She competed in the 10000-meter event at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, but failed to bring home a medal.

College Career

As a runner for the University of Colorado, Goucher broke out in 2000, becoming the NCAA Indoor Champion in the 3000 m and Outdoor Champion in the 5000 m, the NCAA Cross Country Champion, and also a 5000 m Olympic Trials Finalist (8th). She graduated from the University of Colorado in 2001.


Professional Career

After college Goucher battled injuries for several years, but then came back strong in 2006. After finishing 2nd in the 5k at the USATF Outdoor Championships in 2006, she set PRs at all distances on the international circuit, running the World "A" Standard in the 1500 m, 5000 m, and 10000 m. She finished third in 3000 metres at the 2006 IAAF World Cup in a new personal best time of 8:41.42. Her 3k time led the nation and her 10k time ranked her as the 2nd fastest American woman of all-time. At the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Osaka, Japan she won the bronze medal in the women's 10,000 m event.

In September 2007, she won the Great North Run in 1:06:57, the fastest woman's half-marathon time of the year, setting a new American best time at the distance and beating marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe, on the latter's comeback from pregnancy and injury. The half-marathon was Goucher's first competitive race longer than 10k.

Goucher kicked off 2008 with a win in the prestigious Millrose Games mile with a PR of 4:36:03. At the 2008 Prefontaine Classic track meet in Eugene, Oregon, USA, Goucher ran the 5000 m, the same race as the World Record attempt by Meseret Defar. Goucher ran well to place 3rd behind Defar and Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot in her second fastest ever time of 14:58.10. Defar failed in her attempt but won the race in 14:38.73.

Goucher is a member of the Nike Oregon Project, a project designed to improve standards in American Distance running. There she trains with fellow athletes Galen Rupp, her husband Adam Goucher, Josh Rohatinsky and Amy Yoder Begley.

Goucher raced in the USATF Championships and Olympic Trials on June 27, 2008, in the 5000 m and the 10000 m. The championships were held at Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon. Goucher already had the Olympic A Standard, but achieved it again, recording 31:37.72 at 10000 m, finishing second behind American record-holder Shalane Flanagan's 31:34.81. In the 5000 m, Goucher won her semi final heat with a time of 15:32.32, and won the final race with a time of 15:01.02.

Goucher competed in the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics 10000 m final where she placed 10th with a personal best time of 30:55.16, and the 5000 m where she placed 9th with a time of 15:49.39.

Goucher made her marathon debut at the New York City Marathon on November 2, 2008. She finished in third place in a time of 2:25:53 becoming the first American on the podium since Anne Marie Lauck was third in 1994.

She won the 2009 Lisbon Half Marathon, and placed third in the 2009 Boston Marathon in a time of 2:32:25.

Goucher finished tenth in the marathon at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics, with a time of 2:27:48.

Goucher was chosen as the 2008 Road Runner of the Year in the Open Female division by the Road Runners Club of America.

Goucher was born in Queens, New York. When she was 4 years old her family (mother Patty and sisters Kelly and Kendall) moved to Duluth, Minnesota after her father was killed by a drunk driver on the Harlem River Drive. When her mother remarried, Kara took her stepfather's name, and was known as Kara Wheeler. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, fellow American runner Adam Goucher, and is coached by American running legend Alberto Salazar.