EAS America's Finest City Half Marathon Features "Marathoning's Fastest Siblings"
30th edition sold-out with event field of 7,900

SAN DIEGO - (August 16, 2007) - Identical twins Hiromi and Takami Ominami of Japan - known as marathoning's fastest siblings - will headline the women's elite field at the 30th anniversary edition of the EAS America's Finest City Half Marathon (AFC) set for this Sunday, August 19. The men's field will feature Tesfaye Girma of Ethiopia and Kenyans Nelson Kiplagat and Francis Githama.

Hiromi Ominami, 31, has clocked a marathon personal best of 2:23:26 (2006 Berlin Marathon, second place) and half-marathon best of 1:08:45 (2004 Sapporo Half Marathon). Takami also holds impressive credentials with a 2:23:43 marathon PR (2002 Rotterdam Marathon) and a half-marathon PR of 1:10:21 (2000 Miyazaki Half Marathon.) The AFC will be the first time the twins, currently based in Boulder, Colo., have raced together in the U.S. The women's field also includes Kenyan Lilian Chelimo, 30, with a half-marathon PR of 1:12:40 (2002 Berlin Half Marathon) and a marathon PR 2:35:47.

Tesfaye Girma, 24, of Ethiopia comes to the race with the fastest half-marathon personal best (1:01:24, 2006 Sapporo International Half Marathon). Also entered are Kenyans Nelson Kiplagat, 27, with a PR of 1:02:48 (2006 Philadelphia Distance Run) and Francis Githama who will be making his U.S. race debut. The men's field also includes Maciek Miereczko, 27, of Poland who brings a 1:03:07 half-marathon best credential to the start line (3M Half Marathon at Austin, Texas in 2006).

The AFC Half course records are 1:02:24 for the men and 1:10:37 for the women. Competitors in the half-marathon will vie for $13,700 in prize money and bonuses.

A sold-out field of over 7,900 runners is expected to participate in the 30th EAS AFC Half which features a scenic point-to-point course that starts at Cabrillo National Monument, past San Diego Bay and finishes in historic Balboa Park.

For more information, visit AFCHalf.com or call (760) 692-2900.

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Contact: Sara Hunninghake, NYRR, (212) 860-4455 x344 | shunninghake@nyrr.org

Gomes dos Santos, Prokopcuka to Defend Their Titles at the ING New York City Marathon 2007

NEW YORK - Two-time defending champion Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia and last year's surprise champion Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil will both return to defend their titles at the ING New York City Marathon 2007 on Sunday, November 4, it was announced by New York Road Runners president and CEO and race director Mary Wittenberg.

Wheelchair defending champions Kurt Fearnley of Australia and American Amanda McGrory will also return to headline a stacked field of wheelchair racers that is expected to include all of the past ING New York City Marathon male and female winners since the first official race in 2000.

In his ING New York City Marathon debut last year, Gomes, 29, sent shock waves by beating a world class field that included world record holder and defending champion Paul Tergat, Olympic gold medalist Stefano Baldini, ING New York City Marathon 2004 champion Hendrick Ramaala and American favorite and Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi. It was a major upset victory that catapulted Gomes into the ranks of the world's best. Gomes's winning time was 2 hours, 9 minutes, 58 seconds.

"Last year's ING New York City Marathon was Marilson's coming-out party as one of the world's top marathoners," said Wittenberg. "What a thrill it was to welcome our first South American across the line last year. I fully expect Marilson to prove this year that he is no one-hit wonder."

In late July, Gomes, who finished eighth at the 2007 Flora London, won bronze and silver medals in the 5000 and 10,000 meters respectively at the Pan American Games hosted by Rio de Janeiro, in his native country.

"Becoming the first Brazilian and the first South American to win in New York last year was the greatest moment of my running career," said Gomes. "It was truly gratifying to see the incredible excitement and acclaim that my win generated back home.

"I know that to repeat as champion in 2007 will not be easy, but I learned last year that I can run with, and defeat, any of the world's top marathoners. I know that I will not have the element of surprise on my side this year, so I must be prepared to run much faster than ever before."

Prokopcuka, 30, took a commanding lead during the 2006 race and won her second consecutive ING New York City Marathon in 2 hours, 25 minutes, 5 seconds. She triumphed over a deep women's professional field that included U.S. record holder Deena Kastor and Kenyans Rita Jeptoo, Catherine Ndereba and Susan Chepkemei.

Prokopcuka is bidding to become the first three-peat champion since 1986. Already she is one of only five women to win two or more consecutive ING New York City Marathons.

"This race excites me very much because if I win, I'll become the second woman after Grete Waitz to win the ING New York City Marathon three times in a row," said Prokopcuka. "This can make me a legend."

Prokopcuka sits atop the World Marathon Majors series leaderboard. A win in New York in November would very likely make her the champion of the first two-year WMM series and net her half of the $1 million jackpot prize. Prokopcuka finished runner-up at the BAA Boston Marathon in both 2006 and 2007. She was in New York in June of this year to compete in the NYRR New York Mini 10K, where she finished fifth in 32:26.

"There is a lot on the line for Jelena as she strives to win the first-ever World Marathon Majors title and to continue on her path of being New York City's modern-day Grete," said Wittenberg. "Jelena has the strength, speed and poise to win it all and comfortably wear all the crowns."

In 2006, Fearnley set the men's course record en route to victory in the wheelchair division, crossing the finish line in 1:29:22, more than six minutes faster than runner-up Aaron Gordian Minz of Mexico. In her first appearance in New York, McGrory, a student at the University of Illinois, led the women's division race with a time of 1:54:17. Most recently, both New York champions won the wheelchair division titles at the prestigious Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta on July 4. The 2007 field is expected to be competitive, as athletes will be racing for a wheelchair prize money purse of $40,000 plus time bonuses, with the male and female winners taking home $7500 apiece.

Gomes, Prokopcuka and 2004 champion Hendrick Ramaala are the first professional athletes announced for the ING New York City Marathon 2007, one of five events in the World Marathon Majors series that showcases the sport's top athletes and awards an unprecedented $1 million champion's prize. The WMM also includes the Boston Marathon, the Flora London Marathon, the real,- Berlin Marathon and the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

The ING New York City Marathon
The premier event of New York Road Runners, the ING New York City Marathon is one of the world's great road races, drawing more than 98,000 applicants. The race attracts many world class professional athletes, not only for the more than $600,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to excel in the media capital of the world before two million cheering spectators and more than million worldwide television viewers. As any one of the 710,000 past participants will attest, crossing the finish line in Central Park is one of the great thrills of a lifetime. For more information, visit: INGNYCMarathon.org

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Costello, Becque Win LaSalle Bank Chicago Distance Classic
Half-marathon hosts event field of 12,000 runners in downtown Chicago
From Marianne Caponi

CHICAGO - (August 12, 2007) - After an early morning rain, cloud cover and lower than expected temperatures provided the perfect backdrop for two Chicagoans to win the 2007 LaSalle Bank Chicago Distance Classic half-marathon as Greg Costello, 26, and Claudia Becque, 31, were the champions on Sunday in Grant Park.

The 31st annual LaSalle Bank Chicago Distance Classic sounded its start horn at 6:30am as 12,000 registered runners took a city tour through the Loop and along the shore of Lake Michigan. Among the field were several thousand individuals training for the pinnacle of the Chicago running season, the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

Costello was the first to cross the finish line, breaking the tape in 1 hour, 9 minutes, 54 seconds. Becque led the women's field to finish the 13.1 mile course in 1:21:20. Eastman Tiu, 34, of Park Ridge, Ill., won the wheelchair division as he followed Costello to the finish line in 1:10:17. All three champion performances were impressive considering the heat and humidity that challenged the runners.

The LaSalle Bank Chicago Distance Classic is the oldest running road race held in Chicago and the second of three races hosted by LaSalle Bank. The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle, a 29-year-old tradition, kicks off the local running season with 30,000 registrants each spring and The 30th Anniversary LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon will welcome 45,000 runners on Sunday, October 7, 2007.

Complete race results are available at: ChicagoDistanceClassic.com

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ATRA Launches Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team Website and Blogs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The American Trail Running Association (ATRA) has launched a new website dedicated to the Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team at www.usmrt.com. The site was designed by ATRA member Paul Kirsch who also sits on the USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Running Council as the USATF MUT Championships Chair.

"The goal of the site is to be a resource for athletes, fans and sponsors of the mountain running team. Besides the team training blog, there are sections on the history of the World Trophy race, pictures and bios on team members, and more. In the upcoming weeks, we'll be adding more content, including a pictorial history of past U.S. Mountain Teams," said Kirsch.

Everyone is invited to blog with the team as they prepare to compete in the 23rd World Mountain Running Trophy in Saillon, Switzerland on Saturday, September 15, 2007. Pre-, during and post-competition blogging will enable the team to stay in touch with friends, family and supporters.

"This is a great way for athletes to share their experiences leading up to the World Trophy, at the competition, and upon returning to the United States. This new website is a great addition to the promotion and scope of our mountain running program," said Nancy Hobbs, Executive Director of ATRA and mountain running team manager.

The 2007 team of 21 includes four Senior women: Christine Lundy, Sausalito, CA, Rachael Cuellar, Albuquerque, NM, Anita Ortiz, Eagle, CO and Laura Haefeli, Del Norte, CO; six Senior men: Paul Low, Belchertown, MA, Simon Gutierrez, Alamosa, CO, Shiloh Mielke, Weaverville, NC, Payton Batliner, Boulder, CO, Clint Wells, Superior, CO and Rickey Gates, Boulder, CO; three Junior women: Maria Dalzot, Morgantown, WV, Anna Lieb, Golden, CO and Kathryn Helmerick, Cheyenne, WY; four Junior men: Jonny Stevens, Vail, CO, Alex Jodidio, U.S. citizen living in Switzerland, Christian Thompson, Candor, NY and Zach Rivers, Victor, NY and four staff: Richard Bolt, Portland, OR, Dave Dunham, Bradford, MA, Ellen Miller, Vail, CO and Nancy Hobbs, Colorado Springs, CO.

To access the website and read blogs, visit: www.usmrt.com

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232
Ryan@RunningUSA.org | www.RunningUSA.org