kennedy suffered a back injury in an auto accident before the 2000 olympic trials and missed seven weeks of training so that he was not able to make the olympic team that year. in 2001, he was hindered by thyroid problems. he returned to win the usa track & field (usatf) championships 5000 meter race against colorado grad adam goucher, who by then was largely seen to be kennedy's successor. he was able to beat the younger and faster goucher by alternating the pace between each lap, surging then slowing, forcing goucher to come to him after each surge and blunting goucher's finishing kick. in all, kennedy was four time usatf national champion in the 5,000 – 1995, 1996, 1997, and 2001.