Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Running USA wire 78, September 28, 2011

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In this edition:
Boston, London Champions Added to ING New York City Marathon 2011 Field
Top Masters Expected at Syracuse Festival of Races 5K
Karhu "Beat the Bear" Competition at 13.1® Atlanta Marathon
Fredericks Wins Women's Half Marathon Nashville Presented By Publix

UPCOMING EVENTS

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Marian House 5K Run, Baltimore, MD, October 1
Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon, Orlando, FL, October 1
Parenting Magazine's Fit Generation 5K, Winter Park, FL, Oct 1
Cartersville 10K, Cartersville, GA, October 1
Spirit Run 5K, Carmel, IN, October 1
SeaWorld Shamu & You Walk for Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA, Oct 1
Divas Half Marathon, Long Island, NY, October 2
Syracuse Festival of Races, NY, October 2
USA Masters 5K Championship
Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half-Marathon, National Harbor, MD, Oct 2
13.1 Marathon: Atlanta, GA, October 2
Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon, WI, October 2
30th Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, Minneapolis, MN, Oct 2
USA Masters Championships
Medtronic TC 10 Mile, Minneapolis, MN, October 2
USA Men & Women's Championships
Run Crazy Horse, Hill City, SD, October 2
Dodge Rock 'n' Roll San Jose 1/2 Marathon, CA, October 2
Running USA Regional Summit, Richmond, VA, October 22



Boston, London Champions Added to ING New York City Marathon 2011 Field

Mutai, Kilel and Keitany plus Ethiopians Kebede and Deba, Russia's Bogomolova and Sweden's Andersson fill out championship field for November 6 race; wheelchair field to feature course record holders Fearnley of Australia and Wolf-Hunkeler of Switzerland and 2010 winner McFadden of the USA


NEW YORK - (September 28, 2011) - 2011 Boston Marathon champions Geoffrey Mutai and Caroline Kilel and 2011 Virgin London Marathon champion Mary Keitany are part of a powerful field of Kenyan standouts who will compete against Ethiopian Olympic and World Championships medalist Tsegaye Kebede, 2011 Honda LA Marathon champion Buzunesh Deba, Russian phenomenon Galina Bogomolova and Swedish sensation Isabellah Andersson in the ING New York City Marathon 2011 on Sunday, November 6, it was announced by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.



Course record holders Kurt Fearnley of Australia and Edith Wolf-Hunkeler of Switzerland and 2010 winner Tatyana McFadden of the United States were also announced for the wheelchair race.



Previously announced runners for the men's race include 2010 champion Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia, 2009 champion and 2004 Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi *(San Diego HS, UCLA)and fellow Americans Bobby Curtis and Ed Moran, 2011 Virgin London Marathon champion Emmanuel Mutai of Kenya and Olympians Juan Luis Barrios of Mexico and Jaouad Gharib of Morocco. Two-time New York City Marathon champion Martin Lel was forced to withdraw from the race due to injury.



In the women's race, previously announced runners include defending champion and 2011 World champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, three-time U.S. Olympian Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, CA), New Zealand Olympian Kim Smith, Jo Pavey of Great Britain, Portugal's championship long-distance duo of Jéssica Augusto and Ana Dulce Félix, and U.S. runners Lauren Fleshman (Canyon HS, Canyon Country; Stanford) and Molly Pritz making their marathon debuts.



"We have a star-studded international field for the ING New York City Marathon 2011 that brings together an incredible lineup of champions from this year's Boston, London and LA marathons," said Wittenberg. "What a treat to have Geoffrey Mutai, who ran the fastest time ever recorded for a marathon at Boston this year, in the race, along with Buzunesh Deba, this year's LA winner, here again to compete in the city she lives and trains in."



Mutai, 29, of Kenya, won the 2011 Boston Marathon in a time of 2 hours, 3 minutes, 2 seconds - the fastest time ever recorded on a certified marathon course. Since then, he has been unbeatable on the roads, winning the B.A.A. 10K in Boston on June 26, in 27:19, and the Giro Podistico Internazionale di Castelbuono 10K in Sicily on July 26 in 29:05.



Kebede, 24, of Ethiopia, won the bronze medal in the marathons at both the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2009 World Championships. One of the world's most decorated marathoners, he's won Fukuoka twice (2008 and 2009), Paris in 2008 and London in 2010. He has a 2:05:18 personal best, and will be making his ING New York City Marathon debut.



Keitany, 29, of Kenya, won the 2011 Virgin London Marathon in a personal best time of 2:19:19, the fastest time in the world this year. She finished third at the ING New York City Marathon last year and is also the world record holder at the half marathon (1:05:50) and 25K (1:19:53).



Kilel, 30, of Kenya, won the 2011 Boston Marathon by two seconds in a personal best time of 2:22:36 after a thrilling stretch duel with American Desiree Davila. Kilel has also recorded marathon victories in Frankfurt (2010), Ljubljana (2009), Taipei (2008) and Nairobi (2005).



Deba, 24, an Ethiopian who lives full-time in New York City, has recorded two marathon victories this year, setting personal best times with both efforts. Last March she won the Honda LA Marathon in 2:26:34, then won the Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon last June in an even faster 2:23:31. She won four marathons in 2010, and finished 10th at the ING New York City Marathon.



Bogomolova, 33, is Russia's second fastest marathoner ever with a 2:20:47 personal best set in Chicago in 2006. She was the Russian marathon record holder for four years from 2006 through 2010.

Andersson, 30, of Sweden is a four-time winner of the Stockholm Marathon. She is the Swedish record holder with a 2:23:41 career best.



Fearnley, 30, of Australia, is one of the most colorful-and feared-wheelchair athletes in the world. He's captured nine medals at the Paralympic Games, and won four consecutive ING New York City Marathon titles (2006-09); his 1:29:22 course record from 2006 still stands. Fearnley has won Paralympic Marathon gold medals, World Championships marathon gold, and has marathon wins in 10 countries on five continents.



"Finishing up my marathon racing year in New York is an annual event for me, which has special meaning in 2011, because I am here as a married man for the first time, with my wife, Sheridan, and I have a special mission, which is to become the champion again, after my four-year winning streak was broken in 2010," said Fearnley.



Wolf-Hunkeler, 39, of Switzerland, is a five-time ING New York City Marathon champion (2004-05, 2007-09) and set the course record twice, including her still-standing mark of 1:52:38 from 2007. Hunkeler did not race in 2010, as she gave birth to her first child, daughter Elin, on September 14, 2010. Wolf-Hunkeler also holds the Olympic wheelchair marathon record at 1:39:21.



"New York is the highlight of my season. It is also special and beautiful moment after the birth of my daughter Elin to again participate in a major marathon, which brought me so much success in the past," said Wolf-Hunkeler.



McFadden, 22, of Clarksville, MD, a student at the University of Illinois, won last year's ING New York City Marathon with the boldest of tactics: She powered up the course's biggest hill - the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge - in the first mile and took a 30 meter lead that would only widen as the race went on. As packs of racers worked together behind her, McFadden pushed on alone for the entire distance. By the finish, her lead had grown to nearly six minutes. McFadden is a six-time Paralympic medalist, five-time American record-holder, and multi-gold medal winner at the most recent Paralympic World Championships in New Zealand. She was a 2011 nominee for the ESPY Award in the Female Athlete with a Disability category.



"I am thrilled to be returning to the ING New York City Marathon this year," said McFadden. "It will be incredible to defend my title against this amazingly deep and talented field of athletes. I really look forward to the challenge and the excitement that comes with the marathon in New York City."



The premier event of New York Road Runners, the ING New York City Marathon is one of the world's great road races, drawing some 140,000 applicants. The race attracts many world class professional athletes, not only for the $650,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to excel in the media capital of the world before two million cheering spectators and a worldwide broadcast reach of 330 million. As any one of the more than 875,000 past participants will attest, crossing the finish line in Central Park is one of the great thrills of a lifetime.



For more information, visit: www.INGnycmarathon.org






Top Masters Expected at Syracuse Festival of Races 5K

Numerous national age group and single records in jeopardy on Sunday, October 2; USA Masters 5K Championships


SYRACUSE, N.Y. - (September 28, 2011) - Although the Syracuse Festival of Races (SFoR) has averaged almost two U.S. 5K records a year throughout its first eighteen years, the 19th edition of Syracuse's premier annual road race has SFoR founder and race director Dave Oja pinching himself to make sure he's not dreaming. Entries received for this Sunday morning's Men's 5K and Women's 5K at the SFoR already include an astounding thirteen athletes who will be taking aim at a variety of national 5K records.



"We know the word is out there all around the country about our course and our event," says Oja, "but to have more than a dozen athletes with legitimate national record possibilities running in the same race is almost unthinkable. We thought we off the charts with six national record possibilities last year."



Twelve of the thirteen record possibilities involve U.S. 5K marks that will be pursued-along with national titles and prize money-by Masters (40 and older) athletes competing at the USA Masters 5K Championships. The thirteenth will be an attempt by Jerry Kooymans, 56, of Markham, Ontario, to improve upon his own Canadian men's 55-59 5K record of 16:40.



One of the most anticipated record attempts will actually involve of a pair of runners, Brian Pilcher (Beverly Hills HS, Dartmouth), 55, of Ross, CA, and David Cannon, 55, of Seattle, WA, going head-to-head to see whether one or both of them can improve upon the U.S. men's 55-59 5K record of 16:07, held by Vic Heckler since 1997.



According to Oja: "The talk around the country is that both Brian and David are extraordinarily fit as they enter the 55-59 age group, and they've both raced on the Festival course before. It's going to be an amazing duel to watch."



Among the women's record attempts, Kathryn Martin, 60, of Northport, NY will be attempting to edge under the ratified U.S. women's 60-64 5K mark of 19:12, held by Sabra Harvey of Houston, TX. Ms. Harvey, now 62, will be competing in the Women's 5K at this year's SFoR as well, taking aim at the current U.S. women's age 62 5K record of 19:54.



And at the upper end of the age spectrum, Henry Sypniewski, 93, of Cheektowaga, NY will be seeking to add the U.S. men's age 93 5K record to his running legacy. In 2008, Mr. Sypniewski ran 33:46 at the SFoR, then and still the fastest 5K ever by a U.S. male age 90 or older.



In addition to the men's and women's 5K races, SFoR events include the non-competitive MVP Health Care 3K Fun & Fitness Run, the Tops Friendly Markets Community Walk and the Fitness Forum/Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists Joint Replacement Run & Walk. Participants in the various SFoR events range from area pre-school children and their families to world class age group athletes as old as 93, and from first-time road race participants to world record holders.



Additional information and online entry for the 19th Syracuse Festival of Races is available at: www.festivalofraces.com






Karhu "Beat the Bear" Competition at 13.1® Atlanta Marathon

Half-marathon & Karhu 5K events to take place in Town Brookhaven featuring new start / finish area on Sunday, October 2


ATLANTA - (September 28, 2011) - The third 13.1® Atlanta Marathon and Karhu 5K are set to take place in Town Brookhaven on Sunday, October 2, beginning at 7:00am. The Karhu 5K offers a unique challenge: to Beat the Bear.



The word Karhu means "bear" in Finnish, and the official shoe sponsor of the 13.1® Atlanta invites runners to come out and try to "Beat the Karhu Bear". The first 10 runners, who "Beat the Karhu Bear" during the 5K and cross the finish line before the bear, will be presented with a coupon good for a FREE pair of Karhu running shoes of their choice. Others who finish ahead of the Karhu Bear will receive a free Karhu t-shirt.

The course encompasses Town Brookhaven in Atlanta's Brookhaven community, situated on Peachtree Road, north of Lenox Square Mall and Phipps Plaza, and borders the historic Oglethorpe University.



The new start line has been improved and will feature wider lanes with less congestion allowing for a smoother transition to accommodate all the participants. Located in Town Green, the new start / finish area will be adjacent to the recently opened hybrid Publix at 104 Town Boulevard in the Town Brookhaven development off Peachtree Road.

Registration Still Open


The 13.1® Atlanta is also walker friendly and the course will remain open for three hours and 30 minutes (16 minute / mile pace). Participants have until Sept. 28 to register online at www.131marathon.com/13_1_Atlanta.htm. Walk ups will be accepted on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.



Remaining 13.1 Marathon® Series 2011 races include - 13.1® Dallas - October 22: features a dramatic downtown start amongst the "all hat and all cattle" iconic Big D skyline; and 13.1® Fort Lauderdale - November 13: offers an amazing sunrise on a scenic and friendly course with a start near Port Everglades and the Broward Convention Center. Visit www.131marathon.com for more information.





Fredericks Wins Women's Half Marathon Nashville Presented By Publix

Second edition part of Women's Running Magazine Women's Half Marathon Series

By Kelly Baker



NASHVILLE, Tenn. - (September 24, 2011) - Candace Fredericks won the second Women's Half Marathon Nashville Presented By Publix on Saturday, September 24, with a time of 1 hour, 29 minutes, 3 seconds. Sue Anne Heins Guzik was runner-up in 1:30:32, while Meredith Smith placed third (1:31:26).



"It was amazing to see our strong women out there running this morning. We're truly honored to be welcomed by the great city of Nashville," said Dawna Stone, president of Women's Running Magazine and founder of the Women's Half Marathon Series. "From our first finisher to our last, it was incredible to witness the camaraderie on the course."



The event also hosted the second Women's Running Magazine 5K race. Catherine Peithman was the winner with a time of 22:24. In second place was Katherine Hartley at 22:47, with Robin Riggins in third place (23:23).



Team Isabel won the Team Category in the half-marathon distance with the fastest average runner time. GRITS came in second and Fleet Feet Sports Nashville earned third in the Team Category. Fleet Feet Sports Nashville also won the Largest Team Award with an unbelievable 202 members.



In addition to the exclusive 2-in-1 medal, half-marathon runners earned a digital medal to post and use on their social media outlets. The digital medal allowed finishers to share their accomplishment with all of their friends and family online.



Starting and finishing in front of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the scenic, walker-friendly course showcases Nashville at its finest. Runners experienced many of Music City's key attractions - Centennial Park, Belmont Boulevard, Music Row, Broadway and the Cumberland River. The race finished with an unforgettable street party in downtown Nashville.



The Nashville event is part of The Women's Running Magazine Women's Half Marathon Series, the nation's largest women's half marathon series. Two upcoming 2011 series events will be hosted by Scottsdale / Tempe, Ariz. (Nov. 6) and St. Petersburg, Fla. (Nov. 20); together the events are expected to attract more than 20,000 runners.



The WHM Series awards all half-marathon finishers an industry first, patent-pending two-in-one medal and charm. Finishers also receive a designer goodie bag and tech tee. All events in the series begin with a two-day women-specific health and fitness expo and finish with an outdoor party complete with food, music and white linen tablecloths. Each event also includes a 5K run.



For more information, visit womenshalfmarathon.com or facebook.com/womenshalfmarathon





Contact Information


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




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