Running USA wire 35, April 22, 2012

Running USA advances the growth and success of the running industry in America. Partners: Active Network, Ashworth Awards, Competitor Group, Leslie Jordan, Inc. and MarathonFoto help make this wire possible. In this edition: Focus-N-Fly Announces Performance Guarantee in Celebration of runcoach Rebrand, Enhanced Functionality New Mobile App, Digital Gift Bag Debut for Big Sur Marathon Participants Empire State Half Marathon Named 2012 USATF-Niagara Half Marathon Championship High School Runners Recognized Alongside Colorado Running Hall of Fame Inductees UPCOMING EVENTS Join Running USA today and have your event listed here, as well as on www.RunningUSA.org American Odyssey Relay Race Adventure, Gettysburg, PA, April 27 Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon Weekend, Champaign-Urbana, IL, Apr 27-28 Run for the Trees, Winter Park, FL, April 28 Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon & Half, Louisville, KY, April 28 St. Jude Country Music Marathon & ½ Marathon, Nashville, TN, April 28 FirstMerit Bank Lakefront 10 Mile, Chicago, IL, April 28 35th Get in Gear 10K, Minneapolis, MN, April 28 Eugene Marathon, Eugene, OR, April 29 Big Sur International Marathon, Carmel, CA, April 29 Capital City Half Marathon, Columbus, OH, May 5 Wisconsin Marathon, Kenosha, WI, May 5 Wild West Adventure Race, Dallas, TX, May 5 Greenland Trail Races, Larkspur, CO, May 5 Flying Pig Marathon Weekend, Cincinnati, OH, May 5-6 GoodLife Fitness Toronto Marathon & Half, CAN, May 6 New Jersey Marathon, Long Branch, NJ, May 6 CareFirst Frederick Running Festival, Frederick, MD, May 6 Blue Cross Broad Street Run, Philadelphia, PA, May 6 Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, PA, May 6 Heels & Hills Half-Marathon, Irving, TX, May 6 Divas Half-Marathon at San Francisco Bay, CA, May 6 Focus-N-Fly Announces Performance Guarantee in Celebration of runcoach Rebrand, Enhanced Functionality Runcoach new name, improved training program; Wipro San Francisco Marathon performance guarantee; Nike+ GPS integration SAN MATEO, Calif. - (April 23, 2012) - Focus-N-Fly®, a leading provider of interactive training programs for runners of all levels, has announced an unprecedented performance guarantee for runners who use its improved and rebranded training program runcoach™ to train for The Wipro San Francisco Marathon taking place Sunday, July 29, 2012. In addition to creating a highly personalized online training regimen for each individual, runcoach has added a number of new features for increased functionality. "Runcoach is a training program unlike any other, and our new name underscores what we do and who we are," said Tom McGlynn, CEO of Focus-N-Fly. "Runcoach provides inspiration, energy and expertise to all runners. Our performance guarantee demonstrates the confidence we have in runcoach's ability to help runners achieve their goals and run more." Runcoach has been named the Official Online Training Program of The Wipro San Francisco Marathon. Runners who sign up for runcoach when registering for the race and use the plan to train for The Wipro San Francisco Marathon are guaranteed to achieve their runcoach estimated race time, or have their training plan fees refunded. On average, runners training with runcoach for 12 weeks or longer, see a seven percent improvement in their race finish time over prior races. That equates to an approximate 19-minute improvement for the average marathon finishing time of 4 hours and 28 minutes. Details of the promotion are available on The Wipro San Francisco Marathon's website at: www.sfmarathon.runcoach.com "We are pleased to have runcoach as the Official Online Training Program for The Wipro San Francisco Marathon," said race director Pamela Madigan. "Our race has been referred to as the 'race even marathoners fear,' due to its challenging, hilly course. Using runcoach to train for this event makes sense, because it is adjustable and personalized to the individual." With its patent-pending algorithm, runcoach collects and evaluates 20 key data points including fitness level, event distance, schedule preferences and running background to create a 100% customized training plan which users can access online or via an iPhone application. Unlike standard template programs and other online plans, runcoach is the only online training engine specifically for runners that can instantly recalculate a user's training plan to adjust for missed workouts, a change in goal race, increased fitness levels and more. runcoach also provides personalized, weekly emails and access to plyometric drills and injury prevention videos on its site. Additionally, runcoach has added Nike+ GPS integration giving runners the ability to pull Nike+ GPS data into their training log. Previously known as "Focus-N-Fly," the name of its parent company, runners can take the first step toward improved performance by visiting www.runcoach.com. About Focus-N-Fly Tom McGlynn, an accomplished runner and coach who qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2000, '04, and '08, founded Focus-N-Fly in 2002. In an effort to make proven training methodologies more widely available, he engaged a team of programmers to create a fully adjustable, algorithmically fueled online training technology. The resulting product, runcoach, offers the highest level of customization of any online training solution. For more information about runcoach, go to: www.runcoach.com New Mobile App, Digital Gift Bag Debut for Big Sur Marathon Participants App enhances runner experience; iGiftBag offers special deals for runners CARMEL, Calif. - (April 18, 2012) - Runners hailing from 35 countries to participate in the Big Sur International Marathon can now be connected in advance of their journey to the California coastline. A new mobile app is debuting this week, and the runners' virtual goodie bag will be digitally delivered the week of the April 29 race. Big Sur Marathon's new mobile app features news and events, course maps, frequently asked questions, local restaurants and attractions and runner tracking features. Designed for iPhones and Android smartphones, Big Sur Marathon information will now be at the fingertips of the 11,000 registered runners in six distance events, as well as their families and friends throughout the world. The basic app is free to users with premium features such as runner tracking, push notifications of progress, syncing with runners' Facebook and Twitter accounts, and results being offered for a small fee. Users can enter the words "Big Sur Marathon" or "Big Sur Events" to locate and download the app which includes additional information for the organization's other two signature events, the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay and its annual Mud Run. In addition to the app availability, the Big Sur Marathon will soon be delivering its iGiftBag to runners. The virtual gift bag is full of special offers and coupons for merchandise and services that are available locally during race weekend, as well as discounts for products that are available online from any location. The iGiftBag displays an interactive spinning carousel of offers from such companies as Ghirardelli Chocolate, Dole Foods, Ventana Wines and the Big Sur Marathon Expo store. In addition to the 10 premium offers, an additional 12 coupons are available from participating merchants. The Big Sur Marathon helped pioneer the concept of virtual goodie bags in an effort to reduce paper waste generated by the thousands of coupons that were formerly provided to runners. Several races throughout the country are now offering digital race bags in their efforts to become greener. "We're really excited to be able to offer these tools to our runners," said Julie Armstrong, Marketing Communications Director of the Big Sur International Marathon. "The app will help runners navigate their way around our local area, provide answers to often-asked questions, and for the first time ever, be able to track runners from key areas along our remote course." The new digital offerings were created in conjunction with two offsite companies. The mobile app was developed by XLRun, a division of Innovative Timing Systems. XLRun has developed apps for more than 30 races, most recently the Chevron Houston Marathon and U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston, and the 36,000-person Cooper River Bridge run in Charleston, South Carolina. The virtual goodie bag is a product of iGiftBag which produces digital gift offerings for races, local events and national conventions. In addition to these offerings, the Big Sur Marathon has also just overhauled its website to provide a new look and user experience. The robust website, designed in conjunction with Active.com, offers a wealth and depth of information and images from Big Sur's four key events: the Big Sur International Marathon (April), the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay (November), Big Sur's Mud Run (March) and the JUST RUN youth fitness program (year-round for schools and youth organizations). Visit www.bsim.org for more information. Empire State Half Marathon Named 2012 USATF-Niagara Half Marathon Championship Open and Masters prize money available for October 21, 2012 road race SYRACUSE, N.Y. - (April 17, 2012) - Achieve Fitness, LLC has announced that the Empire State Half Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012 has been selected as the 2012 USATF-Niagara Half Marathon Championship. The designation demonstrates to athletes and the community that the Empire State Half Marathon follows approved guidelines set forth by USA Track & Field. "Last year's inaugural Empire State Marathon was a resounding success, as runners enjoyed the flat, fast course and quality race management," said Bill Quinlisk, president of the USATF Niagara Association. "Our Niagara Association Long Distance Running Committee happily accepted the bid application to return our Half Marathon Championship to Syracuse for 2012." Cash awards will be given to following finishers: Open Male and Female: 1st place: $250, 2nd place: $150, 3rd place: $100, 4th place: $75 and 5th place: $50 (with time performance bonus of $150 for male under 1:08:00 and female under 1:15:00). Masters Male and Female: 1st place: $100 and $100 bonus for age-graded over 89 percent. "We're honored to again host the USATF-Niagara Half Marathon Championship Race, following last year's successful debut," said Brian Collins, principle owner of Achieve Fitness, LLC, management company for the Empire State Marathon and Half Marathon. "This designation helps ensure the depth of talent remains at high level, while also bringing more competition and excitement to the race." The Empire Half Marathon race is one of three Niagara Long Distance Running Road Race Championships offered this year. Others include the Medved Lilac 10K on May 20 and the Jenny Kuzma Memorial Bergen 5K on Aug. 8. Both races are in Rochester, N.Y. Runners eligible for the Niagara Championship Awards must be current 2012 USATF Niagara Association members. Race registration and more is available at: www.empirestatemarathon.com High School Runners Recognized Alongside Colorado Running Hall of Fame Inductees The Colfax Marathon Partnership announces 2012 high school recipients DENVER - (April 20, 2012) - The Colfax Marathon Partnership has announced the 2012 recipients of the High School Distance Runner Achievement Awards that took place Thursday, April 19 at the Colorado Running Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Denver Athletic Club. This year's award recipients are Heather Bates, Karina Ernst, Cerake Geberkidane, Rikki Gonzales, Keifer Johnson and Tanner Ruhl. Heather Bates is a junior at Discovery Canyon High School in Colorado Springs. She is a 2012 Brooks PR Invitational finalist in the mile for her time of 4:54. Heather is also the 2011 USATF National Jr. Olympic Cross Country champion in the 5K (18:14), and placed second at the 2011 AAU National Cross Country Championships, also in the 5K (18:12). She is the 2011 Colorado 4A State champion in the 3200m (10:57) and runner-up in the 1600m (5:08). Heather is involved in a number of academic and volunteer organizations, including the Student Senate, The National Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, all while maintaining a GPA of 4.0. Karina Ernst is a standout cross country and track star from Thompson Valley High School in Loveland. At the 2011 Colorado State Cross Country Championships, Karina ran an 18:59 in the 5000m, placing third, and a 2:14 in the 800m, placing second. Karina also won the 1600m at the 2011 Colorado State Track & Field Championships with a time of 5:02. Karina also won the 1600m (5:15) at the 2012 Nike Championship Series. Ernst has been named the 2011 "Loveland Reporter-Herald All-Area Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year" for her incredible athletic accomplishments. Now completing her senior year, Ernst is planning on attending Syracuse University in the fall. Cerake Geberkidane is an exceptional athlete at Denver East High School. He is the 2011 DPS Cross Country league champion, with a time of 16:31 in the 5000m. Geberkidane also ran a personal record of 16:28 in the 5000m at Colorado 5A Region 1 Cross Country, placing second. At the 2011 Fort Collins Track Club Indoor Invitational, Geberkidane set two personal records: 4:52 in the 1600m, placing third; and 10:23 in the 3200m, placing second. Currently a sophomore, Geberkidane has already begun to make his mark on the Colorado running community. Rikki Gonzales is a prominent cross country and track athlete at Rangeview High School in Aurora. At the 2012 Aurora City Championships, Gonzales placed first in both the 800m (2:19) and the 1600m (5:14). She has been recognized as the Honey Milk Athlete of the Week and participates in the Runner's Roost All-Colorado Team, while maintaining a GPA of 4.124. Gonzales' father is the head football coach and boys' track coach at Rangeview and she will follow in his footsteps as she plans to attend the University of Northern Colorado in the fall on a cross country and track and field scholarship. Keifer Johnson is an exceptional senior at ThunderRidge High School in Highlands Ranch. He is the 2011 Continental League champion in the 3200m (9:30), and the 2011 Continental League Cross Country champion in the 5000m (16:23). Johnson also placed second in the 3200m (9:18) at the 2011 Colorado State Track & Field Championship. Johnson has volunteered at the Denver Marathon and as a coach for Abiding Church Summer Soccer Camp as well as served as a mentor to incoming freshmen athletes in the distance program at ThunderRidge. With offers from the University of Colorado, Western State College, and Metro State College, Johnson's college plans are undecided as of yet. Tanner Ruhl is a notable competitor from Smoky Hill High School in Aurora. Ruhl ran a personal record of 1:54 in the 800m at the 2011 Colorado State Track and Field Championships, placing fourth and also set a new season best time of 49.89 in the 400m at the 2012 Aurora City Championships, placing third. Ruhl also competed at the 2011 Centennial League Meet, placing first in the 400m prelims with a time of 49.88, and second in the 800m at 1:59. At the 2011 Centennial League Cross Country Meet, Ruhl ran a personal record of 49.42 in the 400m, placing 10th. Ruhl is planning on attending the U.S. Air Force Academy in the fall. The Colfax Marathon Partnership, Inc. Board of Directors established the High School Athlete Recognition Program in 2010 to recognize high school distance runners for not only athletic achievement but also community leadership and character. "All of the 2012 athletes are not only tremendous runners but also leaders in the community and the classroom," said John Gregorio, chair of the awards committee. "The athletes must place in either the state cross country or track and field meet in addition to maintaining a GPA of 3.00 or higher and participating in community service." The 3rd annual awards ceremony and reception was held on Thursday, April 19 at the Denver Athletic Club. The event is held in conjunction with the Colorado Running Hall of Fame Ceremony, whose inductees included Danelle Ballengee, Garry Bjorklund, Ken Chlouber, Libby James, Jerry Quiller and Pablo Vigil. The event featured the Colorado Symphony as well as keynote speeches from Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan, Lakewood Mayor Bob Murphy and Kaiser Permanente. To learn more about the High School Athlete Recognition Program and the Colorado Running Hall of Fame, visit: www.runcolfax.org 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. 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