| Running USA wire 22, March 23, 2005 |
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In this Edition Wire 22, March 23, 2005 (click)
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Coming Events
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| Return to top / Return to main page Outstanding U.S. Field Expected
at USA 8K Championship this Saturday in New York City The USA 8K Championship hosted again by the New York Road Runners has drawn another top U.S. field including 12 Olympians, 16 national champions, and a great competition is anticipated on Saturday, March 26 in New York City. New this year is the addition of the USA Women's 8K Championship (NYRR renewed the men's national championship in 2002) and a new course, which has moved from Central Park to Manhattan's Randall's Island with the start and finish in the new Icahn Track and Field Stadium. For the U.S. men, Meb Keflezighi, the silver medalist at the Athens Olympic Marathon, will not defend his national title, but local resident and 2004 Olympian Anthony Famiglietti and Bolota Asmerom - who finished second and third last year - are the top men's seeds. 2002 USA 8K champion and 2004 Olympian Tim Broe was a late scratch due to an illness. Deena Kastor, 2004 Olympic Marathon bronze medalist, headlines the women's field with Team Running USA teammate and fellow Olympian Jen Rhines. Kastor, 32, of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., is reportedly fit, eager to race in New York again and eyeing Lynn Jennings' longstanding U.S. 8K record of 25:02 and the accompanying $25,000 bonus if broken. The guaranteed USA Championship prize purse totals $40,000 with each national champion taking home $5000. In addition, the race offers the aforementioned $25,000 bonus for breaking the U.S. 8K record (22:04, Alberto Salazar, 1981 and 25:02, Lynn Jennings, 1991). As a national road championship, the race is also part of the 2005 USA Running Circuit, a USATF grand prix series, and the top 10 U.S. runners score Circuit points at each race. Matt Lane and Jen Rhines are the current USARC leaders, and the defending USARC champions are Ryan Shay and Colleen De Reuck. For more USA 8K Championship information including athlete bios, prize money breakdown, national championship history, all-time lists and other stats, CLICK here. USA 8K Championship Top Seeds MEN WOMEN Return to top / Return to main page Contact: Audra Fleming / Susan Reid, Elite Racing, Inc., (858) 450-6510 Tirunesh Dibaba Headlines Field at Carlsbad 5000
After Historic Wins in France CARLSBAD, Calif. - (March 21, 2005) - Fresh off her double gold medal performance in France at the World Cross Country Championships last weekend, Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba will tackle her next challenge at the Carlsbad 5000 on Sunday, April 3. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the world-renowned road race that has seen 14 world records since its inception and the young Dibaba will pursue the current women's mark of 14:51 held by Paula Radcliffe. The young Dibaba's recent achievements highlight an already impressive resume. The 2004 Olympic bronze medalist and 2003 World Champion at 5000 meters, she now has two silver and three individual gold medals in her five appearances at the IAAF World XC Championships. Last Saturday (03/19), Dibaba, 19, was the youngest woman ever to win the 8K long course (26:37), a full three seconds ahead of second place. The next day, she defeated a strong field in the 4K to win in 13:15. Dibaba opened the 2005 season with a 5000 meter world indoor record of 14:32.93 at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games in January. There will be no shortage of competition for Dibaba as two additional top five finishers from the World Cross Country Championships also join the elite field including defending Carlsbad champion Isabella Ochichi of Kenya who finished third in the short course and fifth in the long course. Last year, Ochichi set the world record, lowering the mark to 14:53 on the scenic oceanfront course. Dibaba's countrywoman, Meselech Melkamu, another rising star at 19-years old, placed fourth in the short race and sixth in the long race. The top American, Lauren Fleshman, 23, of Palo Alto, Calif., a collegiate star while at Stanford, makes her Carlsbad debut after finishing 11th in the World XC 4K race and leading Team USA to the bronze medal. The men's field for Carlsbad is equally impressive. Defending champion Dejene Berhanu of Ethiopia seeks to a three-peat after capturing the 2003 and 2004 titles. His winning time of 13:23 in the 2004 race stands as the eighth-fastest mark in Carlsbad history. Berhanu, who finished sixth in the long course and seventh in the short course at the World XC Championships, will be joined by three other men who posted top finishes in France: Ethiopian Negera Abebe Dinkesa (4th, 12K), Zewdie Maregu (6th, 4K) and Shadrack Kosgei (10th, 12K). Crowd favorite and three-time winner Sammy Kipketer, who set the current world record of 13:00 when he won Carlsbad in 2000 and matched the effort in 2001, returns after a two-year absence. Kipketer ran the 4K race in France and finished 17th. In addition to the elite invitational, the Carlsbad 5000 - the granddaddy of 5Ks - promises a scenic course, healthy competition and a weekend of fun for participants of all ages and skill levels. The popular Junior Carlsbad kids' event, now in its 16th year, is held the day prior, Saturday, April 2. For more information or to register for the races, visit www.eliteracing.com or call (858) 450-6510. Mail-in registration for the Carlsbad 5000 is $28 through March 26. Participants can save by registering online, for $23, through March 27. The entry fee is $30 thereafter and on race day. Junior Carlsbad mail-in registration is $17 through March 26 and $12 online through March 27. The fee moves to $20 thereafter and on race day. 2005 Carlsbad 5000 Elite Field Men Women Return to top / Return to main page New Registration Procedures Announced
for 30th Marine Corps Marathon QUANTICO, Va. - (March 23, 2005) - Mark your calendar.
On Wednesday, April 6, 2005, the Marine Corps Marathon celebrates its
30th anniversary by opening registration to 30,000 runners. This will
be the largest race field ever for the annual event to be held on Sunday,
October 30, 2005. The previously-utilized online lottery system will
be replaced by online rolling registration enticing runners from across
the country and around the world, on a first come, first served basis
to be a part of "The People's Marathon." "The 30th anniversary will be the biggest and
best MCM yet with 30,000 runners on the 30th of October," promises
Rick Nealis, Marine Corps Marathon director. "The weekend of festivities
offers something for all runners, their families and the entire DC area
to enjoy." The Marine Corps Marathon, the country's 7th largest marathon, continues a combined tradition of dedication, sportsmanship and patriotism. Since its inception, over 300,000 civilian and military runners from all walks of life have participated, deservingly earning the event its nickname "The People's Marathon." For media information, contact Beth Cline, Marine Corps Marathon Public Relations Coordinator at (703) 432-1165, or Elizabeth.Cline@usmc.mil. Return to top / Return to main page Contact: Nancy Hobbs, (719) 573-4133; trlrunner@aol.com U.S. Mountain Runners to Compete at Inaugural Challenger's Race in Japan Six mountain runners will represent the United States in the inaugural "Challenger's Race 2005," which will be held in the suburban mountains of Tokyo on April 29, 2005. According to organizer and Japanese businessman Todd Itezono, "The event will be used as a tool to pinpoint and emphasize the wonderfulness of the natural and physical world and will serve to stress the importance of how human beings need to live symbiotically with nature, to preserve them by running through a trail, under trees and next to plants and flowers, so to avoid any further man-made natural disasters. By inviting runners from other countries, we want to stress that such an action needs combined effort from everybody on earth, because nature does not belong to only one country but to all humanity." The race will be run on the Okutama Mountain range outside Tokyo and will offer courses at 10K, 50K and 100K as well as relay competition. More than 1,500 runners are expected and an estimate of 10,000 spectators. U.S. team members will compete in the 10K, the 50K and the 100K. The course ranges in elevations from 200 meters to more than 2000 meters. "On behalf of USA Track & Field and the World Mountain Running Association, I am delighted to be a part of this mission and look forward to competing on the trails in Japan. Establishing a relationship with our Asian friends is important to our worldwide mountain running movement," said Nancy Hobbs. Team leader Adam Chase added, "We are thrilled with the opportunity to compete in this first-ever mountain race in Japan and share our experiences and goodwill with our hosts, especially given the environmental and educational charities that will benefit from the races." Sponsoring the U.S. contingent is Mont-Bell, a Japanese apparel and gear company with a regional presence in Boulder, Colorado. Team members include: Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director (805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958 |