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In this edition:
James, Sutton Win St. Jude Country Music Marathon
Gabrielson Defends Get in Gear 10K Title
Wind and Fog Add to Challenge of Big Sur Marathon 2012
Olympians Goucher, Abdirahman Headline 2012 USA Half Marathon Championships
UPCOMING EVENTS
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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
North Coast Endurance Run, Cleveland, OH, May 5-6
USA 24 Hour Championships
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
National Run a Mile Days, nationwide, May 6-12
ALS 5K / 10K, Miami, FL, May 12
I-Drive 5K, Orlando, FL, May 12
35th Fifth Third River Bank 25K, Grand Rapids, MI, May 12
USA Men's & Women's Championships
Inaugural Thelma & Louise Half Marathon, Moab, UT, May 12
Santa Barbara Wine Country Half, Santa Ynez, CA, May 12
James, Sutton Win St. Jude Country Music Marathon
Sheryl Crow, Grammy award-winning artist, breaks 2 hours running first 13.1-mile race; Kiplagat, Thompson take ½ marathon; Rodney Atkins headlines evening concert; more than 30,000 runners at 13th edition
By Dan Cruz, Competitor Group
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - (April 28, 2012) - Nine-time Grammy Award winner Sheryl Crow joined more than 30,000 runners at the 2012 St. Jude Country Music Marathon & ½ Marathon presented by Nissan. The first ambassador of the St. Jude Music Gives program, Crow ran the Nashville half-marathon in support of the New Hope Academy, finishing the 13.1-mile race in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 14 seconds.
"The bands were great, they were so uplifting and fun and really help take your mind off the pain. People lined the course the whole way, cheering you on saying 'you can do it'," said Crow, 49, who was running her first half-marathon and recently released her seventh album 100 Miles From Memphis. "I can really see how people get hooked on doing marathons."
A pair of first-time marathoners won the 13th running of Nashville's 26.2 mile block party. Berry College sophomore Ryan James of Belfast, Maine crossed the finish line first in 2 hours, 32 minutes and 50 seconds. At 19-years-old he became the youngest marathon champion in the history of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series.
"This was an amazing experience. My plan was to run to completion and run as hard as I could," said James. "Those last couple miles it was getting a little tough. I heard Nashville had hills, but I'm a cross-country runner. A bunch of my teammates are here running to celebrate the end of our season, but this is the highlight of my running career."
Erin Sutton, 24, of Woodstock, Ga. won the women's marathon in 2:54:16 to take home the $1000 first prize after her debut.
In the 11th Country Music ½ Marathon, Dallas-based Kenyan Sammy Kiplagat, who won the Rock 'n' Roll Dallas Half Marathon last month, hit the finish line first outside LP Field, clocking 1:10:08, while Sharon Thompson of Franklin, Tenn., a three-time All-American at the University of Tennessee, won the women's race in 1:19:40.
Along with Crow, other notable runners included national radio host Dave Ramsey (2:16:15), Christian artist Toby Mac (2:18:39), Suzanne Alexander, host of GAC Nights and On The Streets (2:19:58) and Country Music artist Joanna Smith, who sang the national anthem and then completed the half-marathon in 2:22:33 running in support of St. Jude.
"As the official charity partner of this remarkable event, we are grateful to all the participants, especially the amazing group of St. Jude Heroes," said Richard Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC / St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "The true winners are the kids of St. Jude. Every dollar raised will help St. Jude continue our groundbreaking research and care, all while ensuring that no family ever pays St. Jude for anything."
The weekend's schedule of events also included more than 7,100 junior racers competing at ING KiDS ROCK Nashville on Friday evening, a non-competitive, non-timed one-mile fun run for kids grades K-7. Event weekend festivities conclude with a post-race concert Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena headlined by Rodney Atkins.
The 14th St. Jude Country Music Marathon is set for April 27, 2013.
13th St. Jude Country Music Marathon
Nashville, TN, Saturday, April 28, 2012
MEN
1) Ryan James, 19, Belfast, ME, 2:32:50, no prize money, NCAA
2) Steve Slaby, 31, Tucson, AZ, 2:40:16, $500
3) Daniel Smoak, 23, Greenville, SC, 2:41:44, $250
WOMEN
1) Erin Sutton, 24, Woodstock, GA, 2:54:16, $1000
2) Karen Lockyer, 34, Lake Charles, LA, 2:56:22, $500
3) Erin Wachter, 25, Folsom, CA, 3:00:56, $250 CORDOVA HS, RANCHO CORDOVA; SACRAMENTO STATE
11th St. Jude Country Music ½ Marathon
MEN
1) Sammy Kiplagat (KEN), 39, Hidalgo, TX, 1:10:08
WOMEN
1) Sharon Thompson, 32, Franklin, TN, 1:19:40
Complete results, photos and more at: http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/nashville
Gabrielson Defends Get in Gear 10K Title
Brown women's winner at 35th edition
By Pat Goodwin
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - (April 28, 2012) - Defending champion Matt Gabrielson took the win again, while Emily Brown cruised to the women's crown at the 35th Get in Gear 10K in Minneapolis on Saturday morning. Gabrielson, 33, of St. Louis Park, finished in 30 minutes, 1 second in the men's race and Brown, 27, of Minnetonka, clocked 33:28. Both train with Team USA Minnesota.
The men's runner-up was Festus Kigen, Kenya, who crossed the line in 30:22. In third place with a repeat from 2011 was Chris Erichsen, Minneapolis, who finished in 30:31.
In the women's race, second place went to Doreen Kitaka, Kenya, in 34:02 and third went to 2011 race winner Michelle Frey, Minneapolis, who posted 34:04.
Temperatures were in the low 40s with a light rain and windy conditions during the race.
In addition to the signature 10K race, which had 3,654 finishers, the event included a 5K with 1,941 runners and a half-marathon with 1,222 crossing the finish line. All the races began and ended at Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis, including a 2K run held earlier in the morning.
Until Gabrielson won in 2011, Kenyan male runners had won the Get in Gear 10K every year from 1994 through 2010, with the exception of 1996. Although Gabrielson's first mile in today's race had Kenyan runners on either side of him, he began to pull away shortly after mile 3 and then continued to increase his lead.
"I was alone from 5K on which is a little nerve racking yet I just tried to stay as relaxed as possible," said Gabrielson. "I did not feel fast, but I felt strong almost like I could run 4:48-4:50 per mile all day. I wanted this race to be the springboard towards running really well at the USA Half Marathon Championships in Duluth in June. I am right on schedule and needed this little shot of motivation to start doing some solid work over the next month or so.
"The Get in Gear is a fantastic event, fantastic organization and has fantastic runners of all ability levels. The 10K course is challenging with the few hills it does have and you really have to focus and concentrate on taking the tangents precisely. This is my second time running this race so it is two for two with the win."
Brown, the 2009 USA Cross Country champion, previously ran the race in 2010 when she finished second in a time of 34:00.
"I felt pretty comfortable throughout the whole race," she said. "I had gone in with a plan to try for 5:30 pace at least for the first mile. Although I was faster than that through the first two miles, it felt fine and I believed I could keep pushing that same pace all the way through. All in all the race went by pretty fast and I didn't feel too strained until the last 800 meters where it is inevitable to start feeling a little sluggish.
"I had a good idea where the turn to the finish was and after checking my watch I knew I could hold my lead and get in under 34 minutes so I was already pretty pleased with my race at that point. A new road PR was a nice added bonus for a solid effort of running today. It's always nice to do a local race because I get to maintain all the comforts of home while eliminating the nuisances of traveling. And on top of that, I love the support of the Minnesota running community and all the familiar faces that I've gotten to know over the years."
Next up for Brown will be the Lilac Bloomsday 12K in Spokane on May 6 with Gabrielson aiming for the Newport 10,000 road race in New Jersey on May 12.
The Masters 10K winners (40 and older) were John Mirth, 49, Platteville, WI and Amy Halseth, 42, Minneapolis, MN in 33:13 and 38:02 respectively.
The Get in Gear 10K race also served as the USA Track & Field-Minnesota State 10K Championship and is also part of the USATF-Minnesota Team Circuit.
35th Get in Gear 10K
Minneapolis, MN, Saturday, April 28, 2012
MEN
1) Matt Gabrielson (USA / MN), 30:01, $1000
2) Festus Kigen (KEN), 30:22, $500
3) Chris Erichsen (USA / MN), 30:31, $250
MASTERS MEN (40+)
1) John Mirth, 49, WI, 33:13, $500
2) Patrick Billig, 49, MN, 33:25, $250
3) Kenneth Cooper, 40, MN, 34:25, $100
WOMEN
1) Emily Brown (USA / MN), 33:28, $1000
2) Doreen Kitaka (KEN), 34:02, $500
3) Michelle Frey (USA / MN), 34:04, $250
MASTERS WOMEN (40+)
1) Amy Halseth, 42, MN, 38:02, $500
2) Willie Tibbetts, 41, MN, 39:00, $250
3) Kimberly Anderson, 47, MN, 39:27, $100
For complete event results, go to: www.getingear10k.com
Wind and Fog Add to Challenge of Big Sur Marathon 2012
Roach becomes third straight Monterey County resident to win iconic road race; Olaru unchallenged women's winner
By Julie Armstrong, BSIM
CARMEL, Calif. - (April 29, 2012) - In a day that combined sunshine, fog and heavy winds, nearly 9,000 runners braved the elements to compete in the 27th Big Sur International Marathon and shorter distance events on the scenic Big Sur coastline of Central California this Sunday morning.
Adam Roach, 28, a recent transplant to Pacific Grove, won the men's marathon in a time of 2 hours, 32 minutes, 25 seconds. He beat out San Francisco's Christian Mocko (STANFORD 2009) (2:34:11) and last year's Big Sur champion Jesus Campos (2:37:08).
In the women's marathon, Romanian Nuta Olaru, 41, won by nearly 20 minutes, finishing at 2:50:08. A current resident of Longmont, Colorado, Olaru is excited to run for the USA when she becomes a citizen this November. Second place went to Amy Lane, of Lakewood, Colo. (3:09:42) and Cassandra Alred of Menlo Park (3:11:34).
Strong winds of more than 30 miles per hour plagued the runners between miles six and 12, giving Hurricane Point its deserving name. Fog shrouded the course for several miles as well, but runners enjoyed sunshine for the last 10 miles of the race.
"When we started, the fog was out so I couldn't really see where anyone was," Roach recalled. When the fog finally cleared and he could see Mocko and Campos he said, "Hey, I've got a chance. If I can keep up with Jesus, I can maybe catch Chris."
At the mile 19 mark, Roach suddenly surged past Mocko. "I was saving my energy for the downhills. I knew it'd be a tough course."
While the three jockeyed for position, during some stretches they also had to battle winds gusting up to 40 mph.
"It was one of the most windy runs of my life," said Mocko, who was running his third marathon in the last two months, the others being in Napa and Oakland.
Olaru easily earned the women's title at Sunday's 27th Presentation of the Big Sur International Marathon, despite battling stomach pains that twice forced her to completely stop. Her Big Sur debut smashed the competition which included 1,574 women of the total 3,357 finishers.
In addition to other non-competitive events which include the marathon relay, 21, 10.6 and 9 Milers and a 5K, the Big Sur Marathon was host to two additional sub-categories: the Boston2Big Sur Challenge and the Runner's World Challenge. Four hundred runners initially registered for B2B, but the finishing numbers were smaller as several runners had to drop or pass on this year's Boston race. The Runner's World Challenge brought 260 runners from five countries and 42 states to complete in the event, complete with VIP treatment and other amenities.
27th Big Sur International Marathon
Carmel, CA, Sunday, April 29, 2012
MEN
1) Adam Roach (CA), 2:32:25
2) Christian Mocko (CA), 2:34:11
3) Jesus Campos (CA), 2:37:08
WOMEN
1) Nuta Olaru, 41, ROU / CO, 2:50:08
2) Amy Lane (CO), 3:09:42
3) Cassandra Alred (CA), 3:11:34
Full results and more at: www.bsim.org
Olympians Goucher, Abdirahman Headline 2012 USA Half Marathon Championships
Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon hosts event offering $82,000 national championship prize purse with $12,000 for each national champion
DULUTH, Minn. - (April 26, 2012) - The road to London will soon take a journey through Duluth for a pair of U.S. Olympians as Kara Goucher and Abdi Abdirahman officially have registered for the USA Half Marathon Championships to be held Saturday, June 16 in Duluth as part of Grandma's Marathon weekend.
The event will be a homecoming for Goucher, 33, who grew up in Duluth and graduated from Duluth East High School in 1996. Now residing in Portland, Ore., Goucher competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in both the 5000 meters and 10,000 meters, placing ninth and tenth, respectively.
Goucher and Abdirahman earned spots on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon squad by placing in the top three at the Olympic Marathon Trials Jan. 14 in Houston. Both placed third - Goucher in 2 hours, 26 minutes, 6 seconds and Abdirahman in 2:09:47, his fastest marathon since a 2006 personal best of 2:08:56.
The London Games will be the fourth Olympic appearance for the 35-year-old Abdirahman, who resides in Tucson, Ariz. He raced in the 10,000 meters in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
"We are extremely honored to have Kara and Abdi as part of the elite group coming to Duluth for this event. With the Olympic marathon races set for August, the timing is ideal," said Scott Keenan, executive director of Grandma's Marathon. "We expect to add many more quality runners in the coming weeks."
There are currently 158 American athletes signed up to compete in the national championships with a May 15 deadline to register. They will be competing for a prize purse of $82,000, including first-place awards of $12,000 for the men's and women's U.S. champions.
Duluth's history of hosting national championship road racing events includes the 2003 and 2004 USA Women's Half Marathon Championships. The 2003 race was won by Colleen De Reuck in a course record 1 hour, 10 minutes - a mark that remains the fastest women's time on the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon course.
The city also hosted the 1987, 1990 and 1994 USA Women's Marathon Championships as part of Grandma's Marathon, which is currently the country's 13th largest marathon according to Running USA.
For more information, go to: www.grandmasmarathon.com
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director, ryan@runningusa.org, (805) 696-6232
This email was sent to keithconning@aol.com by ryan@runningusa.org |Running USA | 1631 Mesa Ave, Suite B | Colorado Springs | CO | 80906
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