Greeted by 27°C temperatures and beaming California sun, it was a better day to be on the beach than on the track. The women competing in the 5,000 metres appeared to be California Dreamin' for the first few kilometres of the race - and who could blame them? Unlike Grand Prix races, there's no designated pacesetter. With precious NCAA points and titles on the line, no athlete wanted to sacrifice her chance at glory or coveted All-American status.

Maureen McCandless, who competes for the University of Pittsburgh and qualifies to run for Ireland if she decides to declare, led for the early laps. The entire group of sixteen runners, running three to four abreast, nearly fell over each other, so cluttered was the pack on the track. McCandless crossed the 3,000m mark in 9.52.9. Erin Webster, a junior at Michigan increased the tempo for the next lap or so with favourite Molly Huddle, from Notre Dame behind her and Cullen relaxed on Huddle's hip.

With 1,300m to go, Cullen made a mad break from Webster and Huddle.

Was it too early? Was it to hot? Can I keep the lead? Will I falter as I did at NCAA indoors? Will Huddle catch me as she did at Big East? Does my hair still look lovely? These and other questions had to be going through the Providence senior's mind.

Whether she was running scared or determined, or both, Cullen, from Sligo, never let up on the throttle. She crossed 4-kilometres in 13.05.6 and had opened about a five-metre lead. During the next two laps, the gap widened. Cullen, who will turn 24 just after the European Championships in August, ran her penultimate lap in 70.8-seconds.

In April, Cullen ran the fastest collegiate 1,500m split at the Penn Relays. The confidence that the 4.15.2 time must have given her showed as she now had an almost insurmountable lead with as she rounded the final bend. It was enough of a lead to enjoy the final straightaway and to savour her last run in a Providence vest. As she crossed the crossed line in 16.01.39, there was joy, there was relief and there was a hard-earned victory.

Cullen even showed emotion when crossing the line raising her hand in triumph and her hair looked grand as well!

Cullen covered the last kilometre in 2.55.45, her last 800m in 2.19.7 and her last 400m in 68.9! The time she will never remember, the victory, she will never forget.

Coach Ray Treacy said, "The plan was always to with about three laps to go and to eventually get faster each lap. If she did that, I didn't think that anyone could react, especially with them being preoccupied with the heat."

Cullen was ecstatic, "It's a dream come true to win an NCAA title. I'm delighted. To join all the other Providence champions, it's an honour. I'm so happy."

NCAA Women's 10,000m Results: 1) Mary Cullen, Providence 16.01.39; 2) Molly Huddle, Notre Dame, 16.05.93; 3) Erin Webster, Michigan, 16.06.38; 4) Desiraye Osburn, Wichita State, 16.10.76; 5) Michelle Sikes, Wake Forest, 16.12.14; 6) Alyson Kohlmeier, Michigan, 16.13.09; 7) Maureen McCandless, Pittsburgh, 16.14.10; 8) Katy Trotter, Stanford, 16.15.51; 9) Keira Carlstrom, American, 16.22.20; 10) Jenna Kingma, Arizona State, 16.22.42