Running USA wire 40, May 9, 2012

Running USA wire 40, May 9, 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:
2012 State of the Sport - Part I: Growth of Women's Running
$10,000 Bonus for Grandma's & Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Sweep
JUST RUN Youth Fitness Program Receives National and Local Honors
Giant Race Finishers to Receive Exclusive Matt Cain Bobblehead Doll

UPCOMING EVENTS

Join Running USA today and have your event listed here, as well as on www.RunningUSA.org


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








Running USA's State of the Sport Series
2012 State of the Sport - Part I: Growth of Women's Running

Since Title IX, women's running has come a "long way" and is now a driving force in Second Running Boom and running industry growth; Women's National Runner Survey released


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - (May 9, 2012) - With more than 7 million female U.S. road race finishers in 2011, a record high according to Running USA, it's difficult to imagine that just 40 years ago running was not widely considered an appropriate sport for women. The longest distance women were allowed to run in the 1960 Rome Olympics was just 800 meters, and later, until the marathon and 3000 meters were added at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, the 1500 meters. At organized road races, females often ran unofficially or faced being expelled or prevented from running at the starting line. Fast forward 40 years, and things are radically different. The 2012 State of the Sport - Part I: Growth of Women's Running examines the statistics and trends on women's running today in the United States.



The Not-So Distant Past
In 1967, Kathrine Switzer registered and received a bib number for the famed Boston Marathon using only her initials, K.V. and last name, and during the race, official Jock Semple infamously tried to shove her off the course. The worldwide story led to an outcry for gender equity and pushed decision-makers for official inclusion of women in organized races. As gender and culture roles evolved in the U.S. from 1960-80, long distance running became part of this larger revolution.

In April, the Boston Marathon honored the women's class of 1972, which included nine runners who were "officially" entered to run in the Boston Marathon. Since those nine entries and groundbreaking Title IX legislation that was passed on June 23, 1972, women's participation in long-distance events has grown and later boomed, with female runners now accounting for more than 53% of event finishers nationwide compared to less than 20% of finishers during the 1970s First Running Boom. For the 2012 Boston Marathon, 42% of the entrants were women (11,152 out of 26,656).



For the rest of the 2012 State of the Sport - Part I, CLICK here.





$10,000 Bonus for Grandma's & Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Sweep

Only two athletes have earned the Minnesota marathon sweep in the same year


DULUTH / ST. PAUL, Minn. - (May 8, 2012) - Grandma's Marathon-Duluth, Inc. and Twin Cities In Motion have announced that the organizations will again partner to provide an incentive bonus for any runner winning both of Minnesota's largest marathons in 2012.



A $10,000 bonus will be awarded to anyone capturing the open division titles at this year's Grandma's Marathon (June 16) and Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon (October 7) - an opportunity that was first made available a year ago.



Grandma's Marathon's 2011 champion, Chris Kipyego, was in the running for the incentive last year but wound up dropping out of the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon.

Historically, one male and one female have earned Grandma's Marathon and Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon victories in the same calendar year.



Kenya's Andrew Musuva claimed both titles in 1999, when he won June's Grandma's Marathon in 2 hours, 12 minutes, 21 seconds and completed the sweep at October's Twin Cities Marathon in 2:14:41. In 2010, Ethiopia's Buzunesh Deba became the only female to accomplish the feat with winning times of 2:31:35 and 2:27:23, respectively.

In addition, both Grandma's Marathon and Twin Cities In Motion are hosting national road championship events this year - June 16 the USA Half Marathon Championships will be decided in Duluth, while on October 7 Twin Cities In Motion hosts the USA 10 Mile Championships and the USA Masters Marathon Championships.



Grandma's Marathon-Duluth, Inc.
A Duluth, Minn.-based non-profit organization coordinates the annual running of Grandma's Marathon and its supporting events, including the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, William A. Irvin 5K, Whipper Snapper Races for Kids and Essentia Health Fitness and Health Expo. The organization also administers the Young Athletes Foundation (YAF), which assists with the promotion and development of youth athletics in a five-county region in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. For more information, go to: www.grandmasmarathon.com



About Twin Cities In Motion
Twin Cities In Motion (formerly Twin Cities Marathon, Inc.) is the non-profit organization that provides nationally recognized, high quality running events throughout the year, including the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. With a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through running, TCM and its charity partners contribute over $500,000 to related causes each year. Visit www.tcmevents.org for more information.


JUST RUN Youth Fitness Program Receives National and Local Honors

Big Sur Marathon's youth program recognized by the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, Monterey County School Boards Association, and Monterey Peninsula Foundation; School year numbers reach record high at 8,600


CARMEL, Calif. - (May 9, 2012) - JUST RUN® is on a roll.



The award-winning youth fitness program under the auspices of the Big Sur International Marathon, has just added two major honors, received a generous local grant and surpassed 8,600 school children enrolled in this year's program.



Nationally, JUST RUN has been selected as a 2012 recipient of the Community Leadership Award by the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN). Of the 47 honorees, JUST RUN is one of only three recipients in California and one of just six programs nationally. The PSFSN promotes healthy lifestyles through fitness, sports and nutrition programs and initiatives that educate, engage and empower all Americans.



Locally, JUST RUN was honored by the Monterey County School Boards Association as the 2012 recipient of the 'Excellence in Education' award for exemplifying the very best of teaching and learning. Program administrator Susan Love, program founder Mike Dove and others from the JUST RUN team accepted the award at the association's annual dinner in late April.



"We're honored to be recognized for these two very prestigious awards," said Love. "They will certainly encourage us to continue in our efforts to positively impact the lives of as many children as possible."



This year, more than 8,600 children from 82 schools in 12 states are participating in JUST RUN. The free, website-based, fitness program combines fun running activities along with a focus on good citizenship, nutrition and healthy lifestyles. It is easy to implement and track children's progress online as they "Run Across the USA (or Europe)" accumulating miles and incentives along the way.



The program also encourages schools and districts to offer goal races for motivation. In Monterey County, the home turf of JUST RUN, two such races are held annually. The most recent JUST RUN! Just Kids 3K, held in conjunction with the Big Sur International Marathon in late April, drew more than 3,700 school aged children along with their parents and teachers to run along the scenic Monterey Bay coastline. This year, California's State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, was an honored guest at the JUST RUN! Just Kids 3K race.



"Fabulous, fantastic, awesome, magnificent," beamed Torlakson following the 3K. "This program, JUST RUN, is a program that we want all schools in California to embrace because it works. We're trying to have California kids be healthier because they'll learn better."



A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, JUST RUN relies on grant funding and other donations. In April, the program received a generous grant of $15,000 from Monterey Peninsula Foundation as a recognition of the importance of youth fitness to the local community. The Monterey Peninsula Foundation awards grants to a variety of non-profit organizations from the proceeds of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. Grant funding for JUST RUN will be for program materials and incentive awards.



The JUST RUN program is now in its sixth full year. During the first year of its existence, JUST RUN received a Gold Medal from the (California) Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, and its leaders, Mike Dove and Susan Love, were named as Youth Fitness Contributors of the Year by Running USA, the industry's trade organization.

The program is also endorsed by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and is recognized as a significant youth fitness program in the national "Let's Move" campaign initiated by First Lady Michelle Obama.



For more information on JUST RUN, visit www.justrun.org or contact Susan Love, susanwlove@sbcglobal.net






Giant Race Finishers to Receive Exclusive Matt Cain Bobblehead Doll

10K sold-out; 5K and half-marathon spots open; start & finish at AT&T Park; Project Open Hand official event charity


SAN FRANCISCO - (May 9, 2012) - The San Francisco Giant Race has announced the release of the first-ever Matt Cain runner bobblehead finisher prize. The exclusive bobblehead features Giants pitcher Matt Cain in running shoes, shorts and a custom orange headband. The bobblehead is available only to those who register for the September 16th Giant Race that finishes on the field at AT&T Park.



As a long-time supporter of the Giant Race and its charity partner, Project Open Hand, Cain was pleased to lend his likeness to the Giant Race giveaway.



The Giant Race will take place on Sunday, September 16, 2012. Featuring a half-marathon, 10K and 5K, the Giant Race is one of San Francisco's premier road races. All courses will start at AT&T Park and travel along the Embarcadero waterfront with the half-marathon continuing through PIER 39, Fort Mason and the Marina. All courses will finish on the field at AT&T Park.



With more than 10,000 runners already registered, and the 10K distance sold-out, the Giant Race expects to sell out all race distances well in advance of the race date.



Registration for the 5K and half-marathon is still open at: www.thegiantrace.com

Project Open Hand will once again be the official non-profit partner of the Giant Race.



Last year the Giant Race raised more than $125,000 for Project Open Hand. Project Open Hand is one of the Bay Area's best-known, most respected and beloved charities. For more than 25 years Project Open Hand has provided food, nourishment and emotional support to people facing life-threatening illnesses.



In 1985, founder Ruth Brinker, a retired meal service manager, began preparing meals for seven people living with AIDS. Project Open Hand today serves men, women and children with any acute, critical illness - HIV/AIDS, cancer, heart disease and many others, as well as a separate program for seniors ensuring companionship and nutrition for our community's elderly. For more information, visit: www.openhand.org



About Giants Enterprises
Giants Enterprises is dedicated to developing new ventures and utilizing AT&T Park as a destination for non-baseball special events in San Francisco. For over 10 years, Giants Enterprises has produced more than 1,000 private events and hosted numerous public events, including major concerts, motor sports events, international soccer matches, professional and college football games, Cirque du Soleil and the Giant Race.



For more information, go to: www.attpark.com







Contact Information


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




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