Running USA advances the growth and success of the running industry in America.
Partners: The Active Network, Ashworth Awards, Leslie Jordan, Inc. and
MarathonFoto help make this wire possible.
In this edition:
Olympian Kim Smith Headlines Field at Rock 'n' Roll Providence
TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K to Feature World Class Athletes
Competitor Group Launches Incentive Program for Presidential Active Lifestyle Award
Big Sur Marathon Organization Pumps $30 Million into Local Community
UPCOMING EVENTS
Join Running USA today and have your event listed here, as well as on www.RunningUSA.org
TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K, Cape Elizabeth, ME, Aug 6
Atlanta's Finest 5K, GA, August 6
Salinas Valley Half Marathon, Salinas, CA, August 6
Inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Providence Half-Marathon, RI, August 7
Twins TC 4K, Minneapolis, MN, August 7
Step Up for Cancer, Denver, CO, August 7
La Sportiva 10K @ 10,000 Feet & 5K, Vail, CO, August 7
New Balance Falmouth Mile, Falmouth, MA, August 13
Grand Finale 5K, Atlanta, GA, August 13
Panerathon 5K & 10K, Colorado Springs, CO, August 13
New Balance Falmouth Road Race, Falmouth, MA, August 14
The Hottest Half & 10K, Dallas, TX, August 14
Ragnar Relay Great River, La Crosse, WI, August 19
Runstock 5K, Quantico, VA, August 20
Madison Mini-Marathon & 5K, Madison, WI, August 20
Pikes Peak Ascent, Manitou Springs, CO, August 20
Olympian Kim Smith Headlines Field at Rock 'n' Roll Providence
Providence resident holds U.S. All-Comers record for the half-marathon; Rock 'n' Roll Providence to debut as New England's largest half-marathon all-time on Sunday, August 7; post-race concert features Sugar Ray
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - (August 1, 2011) - She is the fastest woman to ever run 13.1 miles on U.S. soil, and on Sunday, August 7 Providence College grad Kim Smith will lead the pack at the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Providence Half Marathon.
A two-time New Zealand Olympian, Smith holds the U.S. All-Comers record for the 13.1-mile distance, with her blazing 1 hour, 7 minute and 36 second performance at the Rock 'n' Roll Mardi Gras Half Marathon last February. She owns six New Zealand national records, making her arguably the best female distance runner in the country's history.
"I'm looking forward to running a Rock 'n' Roll race in my home town. It will be great to see so many people running on the roads and through some of the areas I train in everyday," said Smith. "I've done a few RnR races over the years now and this is a great addition to the New England racing calendar."
Smith followed up her sizzling performance in New Orleans by winning the New Bedford Half Marathon in March before toeing the start line at April's Boston Marathon. She took the lead from the start in Boston, establishing herself in the front gaining as much as a minute over the lead pack through the first 15 miles before a leg cramp forced her to withdraw. After racing in Providence, she will seek redemption this fall at the Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon and then the ING New York City Marathon.
"We are delighted have Kim participate in the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Providence Half Marathon, I know my father was looking forward to watching her run," said Tracy Sundlun, Senior Vice-President of event organizer Competitor Group and son of the late Governor Bruce Sundlun. "Not only is Kim one of the great runners in the world, but she is a Providence resident and I can't think of any runner that we would rather have in this race."
During her years at Providence College, Smith dominated the middle distances, finishing her college career with four NCAA titles. She holds the record for the most NCAA individual championships by any runner at Providence College and still trains in the city with Ray Treacy, who also coaches U.S. 5000m record holder Molly Huddle.
"I really wouldn't trade my Providence College experience for anything," Smith said back in February. "I stayed in Providence to get coached by Ray. I feel comfortable there now and it is home."
In its first year, the Rock 'n' Roll Providence Half Marathon will debut as the largest half-marathon in New England, with more than 7,000 entrants ready to tour the scenic city on foot. The race will start and finish downtown in front of the State House on Gaspee Street and travel past many of Providence's major landmarks and major universities. The course then winds through the historic East Side with beautiful views of the Seekonk River before returning downtown to the finish line near the State House.
As runners cross the finish line, they'll be welcomed into a finish line festival to relax and celebrate at the post-race concert featuring Sugar Ray. Popular local musician Mike Maven will open the show. The post-race concert is free and open to the public. Race week kicks off with a Health & Fitness Expo at the Rhode Island Convention Center on Friday and Saturday, August 5th and 6th.
More race information is available online at: http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/providence
TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K to Feature Top World Class Athletes
14th edition includes U.S. record holder and Olympic medalist Deena Kastor as well as the best in Maine and New England on Saturday; esteemed Cape Elizabeth, Maine road race focusing attention on youth substance abuse prevention, intervention and treatment with race beneficiary Day One
CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine - (August 2, 2011) - Top road racers from around the globe, including U.S. marathon record holder and 2004 Olympic medalist Deena Kastor, will join the best in Maine and New England in Cape Elizabeth on Saturday, Aug. 6 for the 14th running of the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race.
Professional athletes from Africa, Asia and Europe will share the scenic coastal course with thousands of recreational runners who receive cheers and encouragement from excited spectators. The festive atmosphere each year re-affirms the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K's reputation as a world class event with small-town charm.
This year's expected race-day field of 6,000 will include runners from 11 countries and 41 U.S. states. Maine native and Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson is the founder of the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K.
More than $60,000 in prize money is at stake, including a $10,000 prize to each race champion. Also, a $2500 bonus is available for an Open course record and $500 for a course record in the Maine category, providing added incentive in a race that consistently ranks among the fastest and most competitive 10Ks in the world.
The beneficiary of this year's race is Day One, a non-profit agency providing substance abuse prevention, intervention, treatment, and aftercare programs for Maine youth. TD Bank, through the TD Charitable Foundation, will provide a cash donation of $30,000 to the organization, which also is benefiting from fundraising activities and publicity through its association with the race.
"We are proud to continue supporting the TD Bank Beach to Beacon, a special event made possible by the hard work and dedication of everyone involved," said Larry Wold, TD Bank Market President for Maine who has run in every previous TD Bank Beach to Beacon (40:08 in 2010, 342nd overall) and is ready to compete again on Saturday. "This year's race beneficiary organization, Day One, does a remarkable job helping Maine youth avoid and overcome substance abuse and lead happy, productive lives. We are honored to support Day One and its efforts."
American Deena Kastor and Kenyan Catherine Ndereba, Olympic medalists and running legends, headline the women's field for the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K, while the talented men's field could be the fastest ever, even with the late withdrawal of reigning champ Gebre Gebremariam due to scheduling issues with the Ethiopian Athletics Federation (EAF).
Kastor, one of the most decorated American distance runners over the past decade, will make her debut in Cape Elizabeth as part of her selective return to competitive racing after giving birth to her first child in February. The 25-time USA champion is preparing for the Olympic Marathon Trials in January, hoping to chase gold in London in 2012.
Kastor, 38, who won bronze at the 2004 Olympic Marathon, holds the U.S. record in the marathon and half-marathon and finished first at the prestigious Chicago and London Marathons, has always wanted to add the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K to her resume.
"I am finally running Beach to Beacon, which for years has been at the top of my list for races I want to run," Kastor said recently in an interview with Road Race Weekly. "Joan Benoit Samuelson continues to be a hero of mine and a great source of inspiration in running and in life. Not only is the race founded by Joan, but it is not surprisingly also known for its competitiveness and hospitality."
Kastor first broke Samuelson's 18-year-old U.S. marathon record in 2003, then lowered the mark to 2:19:36 in 2006.
Kastor will be joined by Catherine Ndereba, 39, a two-time Olympic silver medalist who also once held the world marathon record (2:18:47). She is a four-time BAA Boston Marathon champ and two-time World champ. Ndereba won five of the first six TD Bank Beach to Beacons and is the former course record holder (31:33). Following a five-year absence, Ndereba returned to the race in 2010 and, rehabbing an injury, finished sixth.
Kastor and Ndereba are not likely to contend for the TD Bank Beach to Beacon title, especially with Ethiopians Wude Ayalew and Aheza Kiros pushing the pace. Another top Ethiopian, Werknesh Kidane, has been scratched due to scheduling conflicts with the EAF.
Other top American women in the race include Adriana Pirtea-Nelson, 31, of Fort Collins, Colo., a former Romanian national champ who recently gained U.S. citizenship, and Rebecca Donohue, 35, of State College, Pa., who recorded top six finishes in 2009 and 2008 in the TD Bank Beach to Beacon.
Top American men in the race include Patrick Smyth, 25, who won the Deseret News 10K (28:11) in Salt Lake City on July 25, and Tim Young, 23, and Paul Hefferon, 25, both of Rochester Hills, Mich.
"I'm quite satisfied with the elite field that we've assembled," said Elite Athlete Coordinator Larry Barthlow. "It's an honor to have Deena and Catherine in the race, and with the men, I'm just so excited to see how it all shakes out with so many really talented athletes with a legitimate shot at winning. With all that speed, if the conditions are right, you're going to see some amazing times."
Maine Road Race Champions to be Crowned
The TD Bank Beach to Beacon is considered the jewel for Maine's top road racers and the winner of the Maine Resident race each year wears the unofficial crown as the Maine Road Race Champion.
In the women's race, the question is whether 22-year-old Erica Jesseman of Scarborough is finally ready to wrest the title away from her two training partners, Sheri Piers, 40, of Falmouth and Kristin Barry, 37, of Scarborough, who have won the past three titles and have each held the course record (Piers' 34:17 is the present record).
The intrigue has been building this summer. Piers won the L.L. Bean 10K Road Race on July 4 while Jesseman, a former University of New Hampshire standout, was busy winning the Bridgton Four on the Fourth. They met head-to-head two weeks later at the Clam Festival 5M and Jesseman won by 14 seconds. Over the weekend, Barry, the reigning TD Bank Beach to Beacon champ, edged Jesseman at the Ocean Park 5K Road Race. The stage is now set for Saturday's showdown.
In the Maine men's race, a new winner will be crowned as defending champ Patrick Tarpy of Yarmouth is not able to take part this year.
That leaves Ellsworth's Louie Luchini as the favorite. Maine's most decorated collegiate athlete ever, Luchini, 30, was a 10-time All-American at Stanford and now serves as a Maine state representative. He will be pushed by Jonny Wilson, 23, of Falmouth, who won the July 16 Pat's Pizza Clam Festival Classic 5 Mile in Yarmouth (24:58) and the Ocean Park 5K (14:56).
Other contenders include Ethan Shaw, 21, of Falmouth; Riley Masters, 21, of Orono; Nick Wheeler, 25, of Rockland and Josh Zolla, 25, of Freeport, who won the L.L. Bean 10K Road Race in July and finished second in the Ocean Park 5K.
TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K Professional Field - as of 08-01-11
MEN
Shawn Forrest, Australia
Tekeste Kebede, Ethiopia
Toshinari Takaoka, Japan
Micah Kogo, Kenya
Mike Kigen, Kenya
Ed Muge, Kenya
Alan Kiprono, Kenya
Hosea Mwok Macharinyang, Kenya
Lani Rutto, Kenya
Lucas Rotich, Kenya
Sammy Chelanga, Kenya
James Koskei, Kenya
Gilbert Okari, Kenya
Patrick Smyth, USA
Paul Hefferon, USA
Tim Young, USA
WOMEN
Benita Willis, Australia
Diane Nukuri-Johnson, Burundi
Bizunesh Deba, Ethiopia
Wude Ayalew, Ethiopia
Aheza Kiros, Ethiopia
Mikister Mekonnin, Ethiopia
Belainesh Gebre, Ethiopia
Kathy Butler, Great Britain
Yumi Sato, Japan
Yosiko Fujinaga, Japan
Yui Sakai, Japan
Catherine Ndereba, Kenya
Jelliah Tinea, Kenya
Deena Kastor, USA
Rebecca Donaghue, USA
Melissa White, USA
Adriana Pirtea-Nelson, USA
For more information about the race, go to: www.beach2beacon.org
Big Sur Marathon Organization Pumps $30 Million into Local Community
First-ever economic impact report provides key information from Big Sur's full and half-marathons
CARMEL, Calif. - (August 2, 2011) - A newly published study of the 2011 Big Sur International Marathon reveals the event's strong economic impact on Monterey County. Race weekend spending and marathon-related income accounted for $18,139,252 in spending and indirect expenses. Combined with Big Sur Half Marathon results of $8,742,666 from a 2010 study, along with estimated figures from the annual Mud Run, the non-profit organization's total economic impact approaches $30 million in annual event-related spending.
"We've known our events have a significant impact on the local community through the sheer numbers of out-of-town runners we draw, but now we have the positive data to support our claims," stated Wally Kastner, race director for the non-profit Big Sur Marathon organization. "Our event, which is ranked as one of the top three marathons in the nation by Runner's World magazine, coupled with an unequalled volunteer organization and total community support, is now measurable in dollar impact."
Both the 2010 half-marathon and 2011 full marathon studies were conducted by Scott Minto, director of the Sports MBA program at San Diego State University. The Sports MBA program at SDSU has performed economic impact analysis reports for numerous endurance events, including marathons and half-marathons in Seattle, San Jose, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, Nashville and Virginia Beach.
"Of the economic impact studies I've overseen for various sporting events, the Big Sur International Marathon is notable for its extraordinarily high average income among race participants," Minto said. "With an average annual household income exceeding $156,000, this is clearly a special event that draws an affluent participant base."
The economic impact analysis included key factors such as the number of runners and the full travel party size, the hotel spend and average stay, daily spending, municipal taxes and fees, revenues and local spending by the Big Sur Marathon organization, local Expo vendor sales, rental car expenditures, and indirect and induced impact from the event.
Lodging figures for the full marathon totaled an estimated $3,100,850, while the half-marathon lodging figures totaled $1,216,336. Collectively the two events accounted for an estimated $4,317,186 and 18,496 room nights. Daily expenditures by out-of-town visitors included dining, groceries and beverages, as well as retail shopping, ground transportation and entertainment. Marathon daily expenditures were $4,776,410 and half-marathon expenditures were $2,413,323. Below is a breakdown of the combined top-line figures calculated:
* Direct Spending = $15,329,845
* Indirect & Induced Impact = $11,552,073
* Taxes & Fees Generated = $1,324,678
* Total Hotel Room Nights = 18,496
* Total Visitors = 20,311
Total Economic Impact = $26,881,918
The indirect and induced figures account for an important percentage of the overall economic impact results. Indirect economic impact is an estimate of the total value of services and supplies necessary to support the tourism-related businesses that serve out-of-town visitors for the event. Induced economic impact is an estimate of the labor income generated by event-related spending.
Of the 9,109 participants queried for the 2011 Big Sur Marathon, 2,587 responded to the online survey, a 28.4% response rate. The 2010 Half Marathon had a similar high response rate of 23.7%.
"The impressively high response rates for the post-race surveys, in addition to providing a statistically significant sample size for analysis, demonstrates that event participants are very committed to follow-up from the event," said Minto.
The non-profit Big Sur Marathon organization will be sharing these findings with city and county officials within the coming months. In addition, the staff will further publicize the "Runner Friendly Community" designation that was awarded to the Monterey Peninsula by RRCA (Road Runners Club of America) this past spring.
Kastner adds, "Though the Big Sur course and logistical constraints prohibit further marathon growth, we will continue controlled growth of both the half-marathon and Mud Run which will further increase our economic impact. We also plan to enhance our operational support of running and fitness events throughout the community."
Additional information including more specific findings from the report can be obtained by contacting the Big Sur International Marathon at (831) 625-6226 or julie@bsim.org. Also, visit the event website at: www.bsim.org
Competitor Group Launches Incentive Program for Presidential Active Lifestyle Award
Take the President's Challenge and "Commit to Fit"
SAN DIEGO - (August 1, 2011) - Competitor Group, Inc. (CGI), the leading media and event resource in the active lifestyle industry, has announced a new platform in support of the fight against obesity through a partnership with the President's Challenge program in support of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) and the First Lady's Let's Move! initiative.
"Commit to Fit" is a pledge to earn the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) by being active for 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week for 6 out of 8 weeks (60 minutes for youth ages 6-17). On September 14, 2010 the Million PALA Challenge was launched with a goal to get one million Americans to earn PALA by committing to daily physical activity and setting realistic goals for a lifetime of fitness. The program ends on September 14, 2011 and offers online tools for tracking your progress, ideas for getting active and more.
"We created to the Commit to Fit program to incentivize people to get out and live an active lifestyle," said Bouker Pool, SVP of Marketing at CGI. "Whether it be changing their diet, losing weight or running a marathon, Competitor Group provides the content and events to support someone's desire to achieve those personal goals."
Through this new program, Competitor.com can outreach to and interact with a large existing audience of people aspiring to lead a more active lifestyle. With 55 endurance events across the world engaging more than 400,000 participants in 2011, and an online presence delivering more than 1.5 million monthly unique visitors, Competitor Group is committed to encouraging participation in PALA and the President's Challenge.
"We are thrilled that the Competitor Group partnered with the President's Challenge Program to promote PALA participation through the 'Commit to Fit' initiative" said Shellie Pfohl, executive director of the PCFSN. "By encouraging their event participants to track their daily activity, the Competitor Group is working towards developing the future of our nation where all Americans can find ways to be active as well as helping us reach the Million PALA Challenge goal."
Those who sign up through Commit to Fit will receive Fit resources such as a Fit tip of the day, Fit articles from Competitor.com and Fit featured events to keep participants excited and motivated. They will also receive a $10 event discount code for Competitor events, a limited edition t-shirt, and official completion certificate signed by PCFSN Co-Chairs Drew Brees and Dominique Dawes. Sign up at: www.presidentschallenge.org/committofit/
Dr. Andy Baldwin, a U.S. Navy physician also known for his appearance on ABC's "The Bachelor," now works to promote physical fitness as ambassador for the ING KiDS ROCK program, a national running series which engages kids in grades K-7 across the country to participate in a cumulative marathon program. Baldwin also recently completed the Dodge Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Half Marathon to Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
"The President's Challenge has a great focus on kids and getting them moving, which is so critical to prevent childhood obesity from continuing generation after generation," said Baldwin. "But adults are a big part of the picture as well, and Commit to Fit is a great, easy way to find the motivation to get moving and to provide people with the tools they need to start."
For more information about how to "Commit to Fit", go to: Competitor.com
Contact Information
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director, ryan@runningusa.org, (805) 696-6232
Quick Links to RunningUSA.org
Go to our conference
New events calendar
More member news
Runners of Interest
Forward email
This email was sent to keithconning@aol.com by ryan@runningusa.org |
Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy.
Running USA | 1631 Mesa Ave., Suite B | Colorado Springs | CO | 80906
No comments:
Post a Comment