| Running USA wire 15, March 2, 2006 |
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Contacts: Karen Kalan, Los Angeles Marathon, (310)
444-5544 x306; kkalan@lamarathon.com Los Angeles Marathon Announces
$23,000 Prize Purse for Top U.S. and Californian Athletes LOS ANGELES - (March 2, 2006) - For the first time in its 21-year history, the City of Los Angeles Marathon presented by Honda will be offering cash prizes to the top three American and Californian men and women to cross the finish line on Sunday, March 19. Included as part of the race's $417,600 guaranteed prize purse, U.S. and California runners will also be competing for $18,000 and $5000, respectively, with the top three places per gender sharing the prize money. U.S. and California runners will be eligible to earn prize money in multiple categories. In addition, Marathon organizers announced a bonus of $1000 for any American athletes who run under the 2008 Olympic Trials "A" qualifying times of 2:20:00 for men and 2:39:00 for women. "By offering these cash incentives, we hope
to bring more of America's top runners to Los Angeles and to encourage
them to run faster here on the way to competing on a world level,"
said Los Angeles Marathon President Dr. William A. Burke. For the women, Magdalena Lewy Boulet and Heather Hanscom lead the field. Magdalena, the wife of Richie Boulet who will be competing in the Men's Professional Field, is a former UC-Berkeley track All-American and a volunteer coach for the Golden Bears Cross Country program. She was 5th at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials and has a Marathon PR of 2:30:50 from that race. Hanscom, from Alexandria, Virginia, also set her personal best of 2:31:53 at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in St. Louis. In total, the Los Angeles Marathon will be offering $417,600 in prize money, including a $100,000 bonus to the winner of the Banco Popular Challenge, an innovation created by the event organizers in 2004. The Banco Popular Challenge is an unprecedented male-versus-female race in which the women are given a 'head start' based on statistics compiled from recent performances by the competing professional runners. The winners in the male and female division will also win a $35,000 first place prize plus a Honda Accord EX-V6 valued at $27,300, giving the winner of the Banco Popular Challenge the largest guaranteed first place payout in the United States. About the City of Los Angeles
Marathon The Los Angeles Marathon is the largest marathon held in California, the fourth largest in the country and the seventh largest in the world. It is expected to draw more than 25,000 runners from 50 states and 100 countries in 2006. In total, event day will include more than 45,000 participants for the 26.2 mile run, the Acura L.A. Bike Tour and the Emerald Nuts 5K Run/Walk. Visit the race website at: LAMarathon.com About Devine Information about all Devine properties, as well as access to unparalleled industry information, can be obtained at DevineRacing.com or by calling (312) 640-9700. Future years will bring similar access via network and satellite television, satellite radio and pod-casting. Return to top / Return to main page CONTACT: Chris Brienza, (212) 808-1358; chris.brienza@rodale.com Ten Retailers Sweep to Wins in Runner's World
Inaugural "Runner's Choice Awards" NEW YORK - (March 2, 2006) - Ten specialty running stores swept their respective U.S. regions in all four categories - Best Customer Service, Best Community Outreach, Best Product Selection and General Excellence - in the final balloting for the first-ever Runner's Choice Awards for specialty retail, sponsored by Runner's World. The online voting program, which began February 5 and ran thru February 19, was designed to give runners across the country a chance to honor their favorite specialty running stores. The Runner's Choice Awards were promoted in tandem with the Specialty Retail Directory in the March 2006 issue of Runner's World (still currently on sale) and at RunnersWorld.com. More than 5,200 runners cast their votes in support of their favorite running stores, and ten retailers swept each of the four categories in all ten U.S. regions. The winners in each region, for Customer Service, Community Outreach, Product Selection and General Excellence, were: REGION....................RETAILER Each of the winning stores in the Runner's Choice Award voting program will receive national in-magazine recognition from Runner's World, along with designation as a Runner's Choice Award winner within RunnersWorld.com's online retailer directory. Winners will also receive in-store award recognition collateral from Runner's World, recognition at the WSA Shoe Show in Las Vegas in August 2006 and the right to incorporate the Runner's Choice Award logo into local advertising, customer mailings and other marketing efforts. "Because specialty retail stores very often provide the heartbeat of their local running communities, runners can be very passionate when they find a retailer that is truly best in class," said Runner's World VP/Publisher Andrew Hersam. "That certainly proved to be the case in balloting for the Runner's Choice Awards, where runners were active in making sure their favorite retailers gained the recognition they deserve. "We're proud to have initiated this program, and we look forward to continuing to honor these retailers, who do so much on behalf of the sport and their local running communities." For more information on the Runner's Choice Awards, visit RunnersWorld.com/runnerschoice, where voting results for regional winners in each category, as well as the state-by-state leaders in general excellence voting, are also available. About Rodale's
Runner's World Return to top / Return to main page Contact: Marianne Caponi, (312) 904-9816; marianne.caponi@abnamro.com The LaSalle Bank's Shamrock Shuffle, Chicago Distance Classic and Chicago Marathon Running Series Offer New Team Competition CHICAGO - (February 22, 2006) - With the recent addition of The LaSalle Bank Chicago Distance Classic Half Marathon, LaSalle Bank now hosts a three-event Chicago running series spanning from April to October. The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K, The LaSalle Bank Chicago Distance Classic Half Marathon and The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon together offer a series of competitive running events and, in conjunction, are now launching The LaSalle Bank Chicago Challenge, a team competition connecting the three largest running events in the city. The LaSalle Bank Chicago Challenge offers competitive and recreational runners the opportunity to form teams which will compete not only in each race, but in the overall series. The LaSalle Bank Chicago Challenge consists of two divisions: The LaSalle Bank Chicago Challenge Cup for highly competitive runners and The LaSalle Bank Chicago Challenge Shield for more recreational runners. "Starting with the LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle in April, runners will now have the opportunity to complete a full circuit of races all in accordance with the Marathon training schedule," said LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski. "With the addition of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Challenge, we are breaking ground in the field of competitive team running and offering, for the first time, the opportunity to compete regardless of age, gender or running level." The LaSalle Bank Chicago Challenge
Cup The LaSalle Bank Chicago Challenge
Shield There is no additional fee for entering the LaSalle Bank Chicago Challenge and runners are not required to compete in all three races. However, in order for a team to receive series accolades, it must have the minimum required number of representatives in each of the three competitions to qualify. The series will start with The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K on Sunday, April 2. The LaSalle Bank Chicago Distance Classic Half Marathon will be held on Sunday, August 13 and the pinnacle of the running season, The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, will take place on Sunday, October 22. Information on all events and registration is available at LaSalleBankSports.com or call (312) 904-9814. Return to top / Return to main page Contact: Sarah Irvin, (614) 443-4565 Columbus Marathon Board Selects Fat Rabbit Racing to Produce 2006 Event COLUMBUS, Ohio - (February 24, 2006) - The Columbus Marathon's board of trustees has selected Fat Rabbit Racing as its race management team for the Columbus Marathon. The 2006 Columbus Marathon marks the 27th running of the event and is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 15. "Fat Rabbit Racing has a reputation for generating fresh ideas and we look for their input to benefit all racers - first-timers, Boston qualifiers and 'back-of-the-packers' - well into the future," said Cynthia Lazarus, president of the Columbus Marathon board of trustees. "We are confident Fat Rabbit Racing will uphold and enhance the Columbus Marathon's tradition of excellence as one of the top marathons in the United States." Fat Rabbit Racing, founded in 2001, has quickly gained a reputation for producing exciting nationally and internationally recognized multisport events - triathlons, duathlons, aquathlons and other races. Fat Rabbit Racing, featuring the experienced event management team of Scott Weaver, Craig Thompson and Jeff Glaze, provides endurance athletes from all levels and experience a menu of quality events each year. Scott Weaver will assume the role of executive director of the 2006 Columbus Marathon. Cynthia Lazarus of YWCA Columbus will lead the 2006 board of trustees along with James R. Burke, Nationwide; John R. Gall, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, L.L.P.; Philomena M. Dane, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, L.L.P.; Linda Logan, Columbus Sports Commission; Stephanie May, Casto; Roger P. Sugarman, Kegler, Brown, Hill & Ritter; Keith DeVoe III, DesignGroup, Patty Harris, Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks and Bill Burns, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, L.L.P. The Columbus Marathon was one of the 20 largest marathons of the over 300 conducted in the U.S. last year, according to Running USA. Nearly one-in-five finishers (18.4 percent) qualified for the Boston Marathon. The popularity of marathons throughout the U.S. surged this past year, with more than 382,000 finishers, a 5.9 percent increase from 2004. The flat, fast track the Columbus Marathon offers makes the race a popular choice for beginners or professionals, Lazarus said. "A lot of people come here for the first time and are impressed with Columbus's unmistakable charm as well as the beauty and pace of our course," Lazarus said. "Add in the many entertainment choices downtown Columbus offers them and members of their family and it's easy to see why such national exposure has been given to the Columbus Marathon." The Columbus Marathon is presented by Nationwide and Discount Drug Mart. Last year's race featured approximately 5,000 marathon runners, walkers and wheelchair racers, 700 relay teams, 1,500 volunteers and tens of thousands spectators. Visit ColumbusMarathon.com for more information. Return to top / Return to main page Arkansas Governor Running as #2008 for Little Rock Marathon LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - (February 21, 2006) - With months of marathon training behind him, Gov. Huckabee accepted his official race number for the 2006 Little Rock Marathon during a ceremony today at Allsopp Park. Race Director Geneva Hampton came up with the idea to surprise Gov. Huckabee with the race number 2008. The 26.2-mile race through the streets of Little Rock will be Sunday, March 5. "We thought it would be fun to give him 2008 in case he decides to run for president," said Hampton. "We were hoping that might get us a few tickets to his inauguration." "People are always asking me if I'm going to run for president in 2008," said Huckabee, "Now I can honestly say I am running in 2008 - number 2008 in the Little Rock Marathon." This will be Gov. Huckabee's third marathon. He completed the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. in October 2005 with a time of 4 hours 37 minutes and 10 seconds and he ran the Little Rock Marathon in March 2005 in 4:38:22. Since Gov. Huckabee lost 110 pounds, he has put healthy living in the spotlight. His Healthy Arkansas program has partnered with the Little Rock Marathon this year to encourage healthy habits. "Our partnership with the Little Rock Marathon will help us send the message of healthy living statewide. We want to encourage people to eat the right foods, quit smoking and exercise on a regular basis. The marathon is not only a fun event that benefits our state, it's an event that shows how people have found better health through exercise," said Huckabee. The Little Rock Marathon is the highlight of a weekend of events geared toward fitness. The event is also a huge economic boost for the state, bringing in an estimated $4 million to the local economy. More than 1,400 children are participating in the Little Rockers training program. The Kids' Marathon, presented by Arkansas Children's Hospital, is a fitness program that encourages children ages 7-12 to become physically fit by following a running or walking program. Children can complete the marathon over an extended period. Children who have completed at least 25.2 miles prior to the day of the race may finish the final mile on the official Little Rock Marathon course. Each child receives an official race number, a shirt and a finisher's medal. Participants in the Little Rock Marathon have come from 46 states and eight foreign countries. In addition to the 26.2-mile race, there's a half-marathon, four-person relay, the Little Rockers Kids' Marathon and a two-day health and fitness show. Participants can run, walk or do a combination of running and walking in any of the events. The Little Rock Marathon is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon and its course is USA Track & Field certified. For more information on how you can take part or volunteer for the Little Rock Marathon, call (501) 371-4770 or go to LittleRockMarathon.com. Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director (805) 696-6232 |