Running USA wire 52, June 20, 2012

Running USA wire 52, June 20, 2012
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In this edition:
Field Set for PRRO Circuit Championship at AJC Peachtree Road Race
Big Sur Marathon Tops Multiple Lists of Destination Races Worldwide
Runcoach Reveals Training Habits of Marathon and Half Marathon Runners
Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 - 5K & 10K at Patriot Place on July 3

UPCOMING EVENTS

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U.S. Olympic Trials - Track & Field, Eugene, OR, June 21 - July 1
2012 London Olympic Games qualifier
Sports 4 Emilie's 5K Run for Women Only, Ottawa, CAN, June 23
Summerfest Rock 'n' Sole Run, Milwaukee, WI, June 23
Undy 5000, Denver, CO, June 23
Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, WA, June 23
B.A.A. 10K, Boston, MA, June 24
Inaugural NY Giants Run of Champions 5K, NY, NY, June 24
Packard Summer Scamper 5K & 10K, Palo Alto, CA, June 24
Stadium Stampede, Denver, CO, June 24
Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5K, CAN, June 24
Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 - 5K & 10K, Foxborough, MA, July 3
Firecracker 5000, Seattle, WA, July 3
Watermelon 5K, Winter Park, FL, July 4
AJC Peachtree Road Race, Atlanta, GA, July 4
4th of July - Free to Run 4 Miler, St. Paul, MN, July 4
Red, White and Boom! TC Half-Marathon, Minneapolis, MN, July 4
Liberty 4 Mile Run, Denver, CO, July 4
Liberty Dash 5K, Lone Tree, CO, July 4
Surf City 4th of July Run 5K, Huntington Beach, CA, July 4






Field Set for PRRO Circuit Championship at AJC Peachtree Road Race
Seven runners are eligible to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Circuit purse at July 4th event in Atlanta


ATLANTA - (June 20, 2012) - With the four 2011-12 PRRO Circuit races now completed, seven runners are eligible to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Circuit purse at the PRRO Circuit Championship at the AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, GA on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Runners qualify to compete for the PRRO Circuit purse by winning any one of the four lead-up 2011-12 circuit events and winning the PRRO Circuit Championship. If any of the qualified runners wins the Championship, he or she will claim the $10,000 circuit purse in addition to the $15,000 first place prize at the AJC Peachtree Road Race for a $25,000 payday. The $10,000 purse is split if qualified male and female runners win at Peachtree. If no qualified runner wins at Peachtree, the purse will be increased by $5000 to $15,000 for the 2012-13 Circuit Championship.



The eligible runners and the races at which they qualified are:



Qualified by winning the Boilermaker 15K (Utica, NY) on July 10, 2011
Male: Ridouane Harroufi (MAR), 43:30
Female: Alice Timbilili (KEN), 48:40



Qualified by winning the World's Best 10K (San Juan, PUR) on February 26, 2012
Male: Sammy Kitwara (KEN), 28:02
Female: Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN), 30:47



Qualified by winning the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile (Washington, DC) on April 1, 2012
Male: Allan Kiprono (KEN), 45:15
Female: Julliah Tinega (KEN), 54:02



Qualified by winning the Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K (Spokane, WA) on May 6, 2012
Male: Allan Kiprono (KEN), 34:29
Female: Mamitu Daska (ETH), 38:26



Kenyan Allan Kiprono won two of the PRRO Circuit lead-up events, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile and the Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K, resulting in a total of seven qualifiers from among the four lead-up events.



The PRRO Circuit purse reset to $10,000 this season after Sammy Kitwara won last year's PRRO Circuit Championship.



The 2011-12 PRRO Circuit included:


Boilermaker 15K
July 10, 2011, Utica, NY
World's Best 10K
February 26, 2012, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile
April 1, 2012, Washington, DC
Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K
May 6, 2012, Spokane, WA
The AJC Peachtree Road Race (2011-12 PRRO Championship)
July 4, 2012, Atlanta, GA



The PRRO Circuit offers world class competition for athletes of all nations in events shorter than the marathon distance. The circuit has shown its commitment to a drug-free sport by funding mandatory drug testing for elite athletes at all the PRRO Circuit events. The testing is carried out by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.



Visit www.prro.org for more information.






Big Sur Marathon Tops Multiple Lists of Destination Races Worldwide

California's scenic coastal marathon makes five independent lists, more than Boston Marathon (3) and Paris, London, Honolulu, New York and Napa Valley races (2 each)



CARMEL, Calif. - (June 16, 2012) - The Big Sur International Marathon's reputation as one of the world's top destination marathons has been confirmed, five times over, during the last few months. In rankings of the world's top footraces by five prominent travel media websites, Big Sur made the cut in all, surpassing other notable destination races such as Paris, London, Honolulu, New York and Napa Valley.



Beginning in January 2012, Forbes.com listed BSIM as one of the world's "Top Ten Marathons Worth Traveling For," mentioning California's Highway 1 race route as the "most beautiful drive," saying, "the gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean serve as inspiration to keep going."



The Forbes.com inclusion was followed by similar accolades in April in Outside.com, FoxBusinessNews.com and Away.com. Just this month, another popular travel website, Departures.com featured the Big Sur Marathon in its article, "Ten travel-worth races that make for truly memorable journeys on the run."



"We've been honored as a top destination race in running publications for many years, but it's great to now also be recognized in travel, adventure and news publications," said Wally Kastner, race director of the Big Sur International Marathon.



In the Away.com article where the Big Sur race was listed number one among the world's Top Destination Footraces," author Nina Kokotas Hahn comments, " As a marathon runner and travel writer, I can't imagine a more spectacular experience than the Big Sur Marathon. With cliffs and bridges that take you to the edge of the world, rugged Pacific coast scenery, merciless character-building hills, and a tuxedo-wearing pianist on a baby grand at mile 13, this remarkable race will inspire and challenge you like no other."



Away.com, which reaches a million readers monthly, focused not only on marathons, but on interesting races around the globe. In addition to including popular marathons like Paris, Chicago and Marine Corps (Washington, DC), some of the more quirky top ten contenders were the challenging 7.5 mile Dipsea in Marin County, the oldest trail race and one of the most exclusive in America; the Bermuda Triangle Challenge, a 3-day, 3-event race; and the Bourbon Chase, a 200-mile overnight relay through historic cities, stunning horse country, and world-famous distilleries along the scenic Kentucky Bourbon Trail.



The Big Sur International Marathon takes place annually on California's Highway 1, a national scenic byway. Runners enjoy 26.2 miles of spectacular scenery, beginning in the redwood forests of Big Sur and opening out onto pastoral ranchland, imposing cliffs and rainbow arch bridges, all with expansive vistas of the Pacific Ocean. The race concludes near Carmel-by-the-Sea, a popular tourist destination on the Monterey Peninsula. Other nearby sights and attractions include Pebble Beach, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf and Cannery Row, and the quaint seaside town of Pacific Grove.



Registration for the 2013 race, the 28th presentation, opens on July 15 and is expected to sell out within a few weeks. For more info, visit: www.bsim.org






Runcoach Reveals Training Habits of Marathon and Half Marathon Runners

Women twice as likely to use a training plan to prepare for a half-marathon than men; women who utilized training plans realized a more significant time improvement than men





SAN MATEO, Calif. - (June 20, 2012) - Each summer, tens of thousands of competitive and recreational runners take part in road races around the country. Runcoach, a leading provider of interactive training for runners of all levels, has announced the results of a new gender comparison study of runners training for the marathon and half-marathon.



According to industry organization Running USA, women's running is at a record high with more than 7 million females finishing U.S. road races with 950,000 female finishers in the half-marathon last year. Runcoach's study supports those numbers and further reveals that female runners are also more committed to preparing for races and are seeing better race results from their training than their male counterparts.



Runcoach conducted a study of 706 runners training for the 2012 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon using runcoach, the official online training service for the event. A summary of findings includes:



Women rule the half-marathon distance in registration and training. Women made up more than 55% of Aramco Houston Half Marathon registrants. Of those who signed up for online training plans, 70% were women.
Women who utilized training plans realized a more significant time improvement than men. Overall, women beat their estimated runcoach finish time# by 6.02% compared to 3.61% for men. The trend was similar for both races as women improved 5.4% and 6.6% in the marathon and half marathon respectively, while men saw improvements of 3.2% and 4.6% for the same distances.
They train and race for different reasons. When asked their purpose for using a training plan to train for the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon, women were twice as likely as men to describe their own goal as "finishing" versus "racing for time."
Male marathoners don't rely on training plans as much as female. Although over 62% of those who registered for the Chevron Houston Marathon were male, over half of those who signed up for the runcoach training service were female.
Age makes a difference when it comes to training for the half-marathon. The most popular age range of men who signed up for half-marathon online training plans was the 50-54 years versus 30-34 years for women. Interestingly, no men over the age of 50 years used the training plan to prepare for the marathon distance. The most popular age range for both men and women who signed up for marathon online training plans was 40-44 years.

#Estimated runcoach finish time is calculated by either a personal race result record or a time / distance estimate of current fitness level by the trainee



"Our pilot study of runcoach data confirms my personal observation that female runners are more analytical and structured in their approach to the sport," said Tom McGlynn, CEO of runcoach and personal coach of four U.S. Women Olympic Trials qualifiers in 2012. "Women are the ultimate multi-taskers and through training plans and dedicated execution are able to be efficient and effective balancing careers, family and fitness."

Following the success of its 2012 partnership, runcoach will again be the Official Online Training program of the 2013 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon.



"Runcoach has been an excellent partner and we were excited to see how the training data correlates to male / female ratio of runners who participated in this year's Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon," said Steven Karpas, Managing Director, Business Development & Marketing of the Houston Marathon Committee. "Runcoach's online training service is an excellent guide to prepare participants for our popular events."



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.



About runcoach
Tom McGlynn, an accomplished runner and coach who qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2000, '04, and '08, founded runcoach 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 offers the highest level of customization of any online training solution. For more information about runcoach, visit: www.runcoach.com




Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 - 5K & 10K at Patriot Place on July 3

Event part of Independence Day celebration with kid's race, family activities, fitness expo and fireworks; online registration and full schedule of events available at www.harvardpilgrimfinishatthe50.com



FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - (June 18, 2012) - The upcoming Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 - 5K & 10K at Patriot Place will take place on Tuesday, July 3 as part of a two-day Independence Day celebration that includes something for everybody, from recreational athletes to families and children looking to revel in holiday fun.



In addition to the pair of road races - including a brand-new 5K within Gillette Stadium - the two-day event at Patriot Place in Foxborough includes a Kids Fun Run, free family activities, the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Fitness Expo and a fireworks spectacular the night of July 3.



Online registration for the two races, plus a full schedule of activities and events, is available at www.harvardpilgrimfinishatthe50.com.



"We've created a fun, two-day event for the entire family," said Mike St. Laurent of PRE, who organizes the race with B.A.A. Boston Marathon Race Director Dave McGillivray of DMSE Sports. "We're especially looking forward to the fireworks this year as well as the new 5K within the stadium. The Kids Fun Run is also a huge draw as parents and families can cheer on the children from the stands inside Gillette Stadium. There's something for everybody."



For runners, the new 5K features a 3.1-mile course around Patriot Place and through Gillette Stadium, including the stadium ramps, while the 10K winds through historic Foxborough. Both races end at the 50-yard-line inside Gillette Stadium. Runners will experience the unique and fun opportunity to watch themselves on the two giant HD video screens as they pass through the inflatable Patriots football helmet onto the field and race to the finish while family and friends cheer them on from the bleachers.



Kicking off on Monday (July 2), a world-renowned sand sculptor will turn 10 tons of sand into a work of art. Patriot Place will be filled with fun-filled family activities, including bounce houses, face painters, air brush tattoos, live music, and the health and fitness expo, featuring a wide range of vendors and products, starting at 2:00pm. Registered runners can receive complimentary menu items at participating Patriot Place restaurants by showing their bibs from 4:00 to 7:00pm.



The fun continues on Tuesday (July 3) with sand sculpting and play space, bounce house, air brush tattoos and the health and fitness expo. Roaming performers, live music and a Touch-a-Truck will add to the day's excitement.



Special appearances will be made throughout the day from the likes of running legend Bill Rodgers, the inspirational father-son Team Hoyt, plus Pat Patriot and Patriots cheerleaders.



The Kids Fun Run, for runners 12 and under, gets underway at 3:30pm inside Gillette Stadium.



The 5K and 10K races start at 6:00pm at Patriot Place and end at the 50-yard line inside Gillette Stadium. What would an Independence Day celebration be without a fireworks spectacular? Fireworks will start at approximately 9:00pm.

"Families are again encouraged to run as teams," St. Laurent said, "Last year, several hundred families participated and prizes were given to families with the most participants."



Bib and t-shirt pickup begins Monday, July 2 from 2:00-7:00pm at Patriot Place and continues on July 3 from 10:00am to 6:00pm. To register for the 5K, 10K or Kids Fun Run, and to see a complete schedule of events, go to www.harvardpilgrimfinishatthe50.com.



In 2011, more than 3,000 runners finished the 10K, surrounded by cheers from thousands of family and friends. Updates and information about the event are also available on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HarvardPilgrim10k.



The Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 - 5K & 10K at Patriot Place is owned and managed by Professional Race Events, LLC (PRE), a collaboration between Mike St. Laurent of Loco Running and Dave McGillivray of DMSE Sports, who also directs the B.A.A. Boston Marathon, the TD Beach to Beacon 10K in Maine and the New Balance Falmouth Road Race on Cape Cod.







Contact Information


Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director, ryan@runningusa.org, (805) 696-6232




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