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| Wire 71, July 24, 2002 | |
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In this Edition of the Running USA Wire
Copyright © 2002 Running USA All Rights Reserved Upcoming Events
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WOMEN'S ELITE RACE WILL START FIRST AT THE 2002 NEW YORK CITY MARATHON Contact: Richard Finn, (212) 423-2229 / Amie Desautels, (212) 423-2294 NEW YORK - (July 23, 2002) - For the first time in any major marathon in the United States, the women's elite race at the 2002 New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 3 will start 35 minutes before the men's elite and open race, it was announced today by New York Road Runners (NYRR) officials. The women's elite race, with an expected starting field of 50 competitors, will start at 10:40 a.m. on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in Staten Island. The men's elite race, also with an expected starting field of nearly 50 competitors, and the open race, with an expected starting field of 30,000, will begin from the same location at 11:15 a.m. The start time of the wheelchair division, including handcycles, will remain at 10:20 a.m. "For the last 30 years New York Road Runners has been a leader in promoting women's running. By moving the women's start before the men, the women will enjoy unprecedented live TV coverage on WNBC-Channel 4 and be the focus of attention for the 2.5 million fans out on the course at the New York City Marathon," said Allan Steinfeld, president and CEO of NYRR and the New York City Marathon race director. "This year's women's elite race is shaping up to be one of the strongest and most competitive in our history, so the timing is right to make this break from the past and put the women first," said Steinfeld. "The new elite women's start at the New York City Marathon is an ideal situation," said U.S. Olympian Marla Runyan, who will be making her marathon debut in New York. "This type of start allows us to focus on our competition directly, while not having to worry about maneuvering among masses of people. This could very well enable the field to post some of the fastest times ever run on the course." Rules of competition for the women's elite race are: * The field will consist of all women reasonably expected
to run sub two hours and 40 minutes (2:40) in the opinion of New York
City Marathon officials. The New York City Marathon - a Running USA Founding Member - has a guaranteed prize money purse of $475,000 and offers equal prize money of $80,000 and a Pontiac Vibe to the men's and women's champions. Visit the race website at: http://www.nycmarathon.org
CITY OF LOS ANGELES MARATHON OFFICIAL CHARITY PROGRAM LOS ANGELES - (July 23, 2002) - The City of Los Angeles Marathon announced today that its 50 Official Charities shattered the previous fund-raising record of $1 million by amassing $1,957,867.37 in contributions from participants in the 2002 Marathon, Acura L.A. Bike Tour and Los Angeles Times 5K Run/Walk. As an Official Charity, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society brought its "Team in Training Program" to the L.A. Marathon for the first time in 2002 and emerged as the top fundraiser by raising $1.5 million. Through its Team in Training Program, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society uses the challenge of running a Marathon as a tool to raise funds for research, patient aid, public and professional education and community service related to the malignant disease of blood-forming and infection-fighting tissues, organs, bone marrow, lymph nodes and spleen. "We salute participants in the Los Angeles Marathon who not only support our work, but the great work of other worthwhile concerns in the community," said Colleen O'Higgins of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. "We have begun a very successful association with the Los Angeles Marathon and look forward to building on that success in future years." Each year, the Official Charity Program presents an opportunity for 50 local and national charitable organizations to use L.A. Marathon events as a platform to raise money for and to increase their profiles in the community. Since its inception in 1987, the program has been hailed as "Million Dollar Morning" in recognition of the million dollars raised annually and the more than 16 million dollars raised to date for these worthwhile concerns. Runners and cyclists are encouraged to support the charities by raising per-mile pledges from friends, family and co-workers. Some Official Charities hold fund raising events at their designated mile on the L.A. Marathon course, while others encourage participants to get "per-mile pledges". The result is a highly successful program that has been imitated worldwide. While such organizations as American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, the Amie Karen Cancer Fund, ALS Association and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society benefit by being Official L.A. Marathon Charities, such organizations as Hosteling International, the I Have A Dream Foundation, California Youth Theatre, California Literacy, the Unification of Disabled Latin Americans and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank see L.A. Marathon events as an excellent tool for raising funds and awareness. A case in point is Team Parkinsons, a local grassroots organization that attracted the participation of Muhammad Ali's daughter May May after she read an article about the singular efforts of John Ball, who is managing the symptoms of Parkinsons by running the L.A. Marathon each year. This year, Team Parkinson raised $80,000. The L.A. Marathon, a Running USA Founding Member, attracted a record 22,167 runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes. The Acura L.A. Bike Tour attracted a record 16,392 cyclists. The Los Angles Times 5K Run/Walk attracted a record 3,347 participants. In all, some 1,403 participants supported the Official Charity Program in 2002. "From the beginning, we knew a charity a program would go to the heart of our events. Running 26.2 miles is an extraordinary undertaking. Participants who use the L.A. Marathon to raise money for a worthwhile cause bring even greater meaning to their efforts," said L.A. Marathon President William A. Burke. Comprehensive information about the Official L.A. Marathon Charity Program can be found at www.lamarathon.com, along with information about upcoming L.A. Marathon events and online registration. The L.A. Marathon can be reached by phone at (310) 444-5544. The 2003 City of Los Angeles Marathon presented by Honda and sponsored by American Airlines, City of Angels Medical Center, The Gas Company, Saucony and Sparkletts will take place on Sunday, March 2.
NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR 2002 MARATHON FOTO/ROAD RACE MANAGEMENT
Contact: Jeff Darman, (610) 925.1976 BETHESDA, MD - (July 23, 2002) - RoadRace Management, the newsletter for race officials, seeks nominations for the Marathon Foto/Road Race Management Road Race Director of the Year Award (presented by Running Times). "This award was conceived as a way to recognize and promote excellence in race directing", according to editor and publisher Phil Stewart. Nominees are judged on several factors including overall ability, reputation of race, sponsor relations, creativity and organizational ability. Described by Bill Rodgers as "the Gold Medal of race directing," the award is determined by a vote of a diverse ten member committee. Nominations close September 16 and the winner will be announced at the annual Road Race Management Race Directors' Meeting November 16, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Nomination forms may be obtained by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Jeff Darman, c/o Road Race Management, Race Director of the Year, 110 East State St, Suite 15, Kennett Square, PA 19348 or by downloading from the Road Race Management website (www.rrm.com). Road Race Management publishes a newsletter and comprehensive Directory for race and industry officials and conducts a prestigious annual national race director meeting and trade show. Marathon Foto is the world's largest race photograph company (www.marathonfoto.com) and Running Times magazine is "the runner's best resource" (www.runningtimes.com).
2002 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team Announced The 2002 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team will travel to Innsbruck, Austria to compete in the WMRA World Mountain Running Trophy Race this September. The senior women will run a 9.2K uphill event on Saturday, September 14 and the senior men will race 11.7K uphill on Sunday, September 15. The women's team includes four athletes an alternate and a manager with the top three finishers scoring for the team. Six athletes, an alternate, along with a manager represent the men's team with the top four finishers scoring. The alternates will run in the Open race, or should another athlete be unable to compete, in the Trophy race. The team was selected based on the following criteria: * The first U.S. male and female finisher at the 5.8
mile Wolverine Hill Climb in Anchorage, AK (June 8) received automatic
berths. The athletes selected are among the finest mountain runners ever assembled for a US team. The runners are not only mountain specialists, but also excellent road and cross-country runners. The group includes: Olympic Trials qualifiers, National Champions, national class cross-country and trail runners, US 100K team members, top snowshoe racers, and a sub-four minute miler. A short bio on each athlete can be found below: OPEN MEN Eric Morse (Waterbury, VT), 37, is employed as a draftsman. Morse was an automatic qualifier based on his victory at the Wolverine Mountain Race, he also finished second at Mt. Washington. He has competed four times for the US Mountain Running Team having finished third US in '96 and second US in '97 and '00, and was unable to attend in 2001 due to travel restrictions. Morse has been named Vermont runner of the year ten times and has won twelve USATF NE championships. Morse finished first at the USATF New England Mountain Circuit 1997, 1999, 2000-2002 and was the USATF NE Mountain running champion in 1998 & 1999. Eric was named the USATF Mountain Runner of the year in 2001. He has PRs of 3:59 in the mile, 14:17 5K, 29:20 10K and 1:03:50 for the half marathon. Dave Dunham (Bradford, MA), 38, works for the Treasury Department. Dunham finished second at the Wolverine race, and fifth at Mt. Washington. Dave has competed on the USA Mountain running team ('92-96,'98, and '00). He was selected but injured in '97 and '99, and was unable to make the race in 01' due to travel restrictions. Dunham captured the silver medal at the Worlds in Gap France (1993), and was the top USA finisher in 1992-96, and '00 (2nd US in '98). He qualified for the Olympic Marathon Trials in 1992 and 2000. In 1996, Dunham founded the USATF NE mountain circuit, and then won the circuit in both 1996 and 1998 (runner-up in 1999, 2000, and 2001). Dunham was the 2000 USATF Mountain Runner of the year. The multi-talented athlete also represented the U.S. on the World 100K team and was the National Snowshoe champion in 2001 and the runner-up in 2002. In addition to being the Mountain representative at the New England Association (USATF), he serves on the National Mountain/Ultra/Trail Running Sports Council. Dave has PRs of 14:08 for 5K, 29:17 10K, 1:00:53 20K, 2:19:28 marathon, 2:57:36 50K, and 6:46:39 for 100K. Paul Low (Amherst, MA), 28, is currently studying at UMass Amherst working towards his M.S. in Geosciences (studying igneous petrology and tectonics). In 2002 he placed second at Vail and fourth at Mount Washington. In addition Paul set a course record in winning the Seven Sister's 12-Mile Trail Race and finished 7th in the USATF New England 10K championships (30:41). Paul was a US team member in 1999 and 2000 (2nd and 5th US finisher). He set a course record at the Mt. Toby Trail Run and was 19th at the US National 25K championship (1:19:50) in 2001. In 2000 Low was the 2nd US finisher at Susa Italy, Kitzbuhel Austria, and Oberstaufen Germany and the top US finisher at the International Snowdon race in Wales (finishing 5th overall). He has PRs of 14:44 for 5K, 24:38 5 mile, 30:36 10K, 1:07:28 1/2 marathon and 2:26:00 for the marathon. Richard Shelley (Albuquerque, NM), 40, works as a Quality Manager. He was the top US finisher at 1998 World trophy and 2nd US in 2000. Shelley is an uphill specialist who races sparingly. In 2002 he placed 8th at Mt. Washington. In 2001 he was the 1st US finisher at Susa, Italy, Zermatt, Switzerland, and Kitzbuhel, Austria. Shelley also won the 2001 La Luz trail run. His PRs are 14:19 for 5K, and 29:56 for 10K. Richard will also be competing in the WMRA World Masters (40+ for men; 35+ for women) Mountain Running Championships in Innsbruck on September 21, the weekend following the World Trophy. Dan Verrington (Bradford, MA), 40, makes his living as a Cemetery Superintendent. He was selected to the team from 1994-1999, and 2001 and was the alternate on the 2000 team. Verrington has been one of the most consistent finishers for the team during that time. He was the second US finisher in 1994, third US in 1996 & 1998, fourth US in 1997, and fifth US in 1999, he was 2nd US finisher in 2001. He was 3rd overall in the 2000 Open race. Verrington won the USATF New England Mountain Running Championships in 2001. In 2002 he was the National 50K champion and was the 2nd US finisher on the World 100K team. Verrington lists his PRs of 5K 14:48, 10K 30:35, half marathon 1:05:32 and 2:21:10 in the marathon. Dan will also be competing in the WMRA World Masters Mountain Running Championships the week following the World Trophy. Richard Bolt (Manchester, NH), 31, has been selected to be the alternate. Bolt was the 3rd US finisher at the 1999 World trophy and at the Challenge Stellina. Bolt completed all three of the selection races, placing sixth at the Wolverine run, ninth at Mt. Washington, and eleventh at Vail. He was the bronze medallist at the 2002 Snowshoe national championships. Bolt finished third at USATF NE mountain circuit in 2002 and 2000. He also competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials and was All-American for Nordic skiing and was on the 1997 World Duathlon Team. Richard has PRs of 4:19 for the mile, 14:49 5K, 24:48 5 Mile, and 31:06 for 10K. He has fully recovered from a bout with Lyme disease in 2001. OPEN WOMEN Julie Bryan (Jackson, WY), 34, is real estate specialist in her hometown of Jackson. Bryan was second US finisher at Mt. Washington (fifth overall), and just two weeks prior to the Vail event Bryan was injured when her truck topper shattered and severed tendons in her wrist. Bryan received the go-ahead from doctors to run easy at the Vail Hill Climb where she finished seventh. She is back to full training and setting her sights on a top finish at the World Trophy in Austria. This is Bryan's second appearance on the mountain running team. She finished a strong second for the U.S. in last year's competition in Arta Terme, Italy. Bryan, a former mountain and road cyclist new to mountain running in the past three years, holds course records at the Targhee Hill Climb and the Rendevous Hill Climb (both set in '99) in her home state. Kari DiStefano (Telluride, CO), 43, finished second to Ortiz at the Vail Hill Climb. She was the top U.S. finisher at last year's World Trophy placing 21st, the top finish by an American woman in the seven years of fielding a woman's team. In her home state in 2001, DiStefano posted wins at the Highline 15 Miler, the Arbor Day 10 Km Trail Race, her sixth win at the grueling Imogene Pass Run, third-place finish at the U.S. Fila SkyMarathon, and fourth at the North American Snowshoe Championships. She was the 2001 USATF Mountain Runner of the year and demonstrated equal tenacity on the roads by finishing second at the 2001 Big Sur Marathon. DiStefano has three children and works as a mapper for San Miguel County. Nikki Kimball (Waterford, NY), 31, will make her first trip to the Worlds this year. She finished sixth at Mt. Washington just behind Bryan. Kimball earned a berth on her first U.S. Mountain Running team last year, but was unable to make the trip to Italy due to travel restrictions. Kimball has set course records this year at Mt. Kearsarge (8.5Mile Uphill), Whiteface Mountain (8 mile uphill), Northern Nipmuk 16 Mile, and won the Merrimack River 10 Mile. Like Dunham, Kimball represented the U.S. in the World 100K Challenge in 2001 and 2002. Kimball is an orthopedic physical therapist. Suzy West (Putney, VT), 39, makes her fourth U.S. team, this year as the alternate She participated in two of the US selection races finishing third at Wolverine Mountain and ninth at Mt. Washington. In 1999 she was the top U.S. finisher, fourth U.S. finisher in 2000, and although she was named to the team in 2001 travel restrictions forced her to remain in the U.S. West won the 2000 and 2001 New England Mountain Running Circuits. In 2002 West has been strong in Circuit placing second to Kimball at Kearsarge, second at Mount Wachusett, third at Pack Monadnock, and second at Mount Ascutney. West has a successful dental practice in Putney, VT. A six-member U.S. junior squad will debut at the World Trophy on September 14 running a 3.3K course (junior women) and 9.2K course (junior men). The juniors were announced on June 2 and include Nicole Hodgson, 19, CA, Colorado athletes Jessica Pitzer, 16, Melissa Marts, 17, and Eduardo Pasko, 17, Matt Winter, 17, MT, and Trevor Hanlin, 16, OR. Jeff Adams, Colorado Springs, CO will serve as manager of the junior team. Related websites Contacts: Nancy Hobbs, USATF MUT (719) 573-4405; trlrunner@aol.com
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| Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services USATF Road Running Information Center 5522 Camino Cerralvo Santa Barbara, CA 93111 (805) 696-6232, fax (805) 696-6252 |
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