Stephanie Bruce wins her final U.S. 10K Champs in course record time

On Saturday, Stephanie Bruce of Flagstaff, Ariz., won the USATF 10K Championships at the Great Cow Harbor 10K in Northport, N.Y., in a course record time of 31:52, after announcing she will retire after this year’s New York City Marathon.

US Title # 3. Been trying to win this race since 2010. Don’t give up in this sport. Thanks to all my support crew, I hear and feel the love.

This one was for you mom. We did it! Love and miss you❤️ pic.twitter.com/wzkmigKJUa

— Stephanie Bruce (@Steph_Rothstein) September 17, 2022

In January, Bruce announced that she is retiring from professional running at the end of the season, as she has been diagnosed with a congenital heart condition called bicuspid aortic valve disease (BAVD).

Bruce, 38, referred to her win as “special” on social media post-race. Although she has previously competed in this race on four occasions, this was her first career USATF 10K title, and only the third U.S. title of her career. She first ran the race 12 years ago, finishing second, and in her three subsequent attempts, she finished second (twice) and fourth.

USATF 10K Championships results (unofficial):
1. Steph Bruce 31:53
2. Nell Rojas 31:57
3. Annie Frisbie 31:59
4. Ednah Kurgat 32:04
5. Emma Grace Hurley 32:50
6. Amy Davis 32:53
7. Molly Grabill 32:55
8. Erika Kemp 33:00
9. Carrie Verdon 33:06
10. Anne-Marie Blaney 33:22

— Fast Women (@fast_women) September 17, 2022

Bruce’s husband, Ben, and her kids, Riley and Hudson, were on hand to celebrate the win. 

Bruce has had a prolific career in cross-country, representing the U.S. twice at the World Cross Country Championships (in 2017 and 2019). Bruce was the second American behind Emma Bates at the 2019 Chicago Marathon, where she ran her personal best time of 2:27:47.

She is currently in the middle of training for her final race on Nov. 6 at the TCS New York City Marathon.