Coming Events
Return to top / Return to main page

Ordway, Prince Win 29th Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon
Ngetich, Alyanak shatter event records in Nationwide Better Health Columbus 1/2 Marathon; event reaches record participation of 11,500
From Sarah Irvin

COLUMBUS, Ohio - (October 19, 2008 ) - On a near-perfect marathon weather day on Sunday morning, Josh Ordway of Fairborn, OH won the 29th Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon in 2 hours, 23 minutes and 3 seconds.

Ordway, who also earned $2500, bested Kenyan Joshua Koros who finished second in 2:25:34. In the women's marathon race, Dani Prince of Bloomington, IN had a commanding win in 2:48:56. The runner-up was Molly Watcke of New Bremen, OH in 2:54:44.

For the second straight year, new event records were posted in the 3rd Nationwide Better Health Columbus 1/2 Marathon. Joseph Ngetich of Kenya won the 13.1 mile race in 1:04:10, shattering the old mark by T.J. Lentz by more than 5 minutes. Countryman Emmanuel Korir finished 17 seconds later at 1:04:27.

On the female side, Ann Alyanak of Bellbrook, OH also crushed the old record by more than 5 minutes with her 1:14:46 to claim the first prize ($1000), while Sara Vergote of Toledo, OH came in a little more than 2 minutes later at 1:16:48 to place second.

The addition of the handcycling division lowered chair racing times even more for the 2008 Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon. For the third year in a row, Kevin Hosea of Loveland, OH placed first in 1:37:16. This year, Hosea was in the handcycle division and dropped more than 15 minutes from his previous chair racing time. Jeff Fisher of Medina, OH placed first in the wheelchair division in 1:48:54. Prize money awarded in both the handcycle and chair racing divisions was $1250 for first place, $750 for second place and $500 for third place.

The race record field of 11,500 marathon and ½ marathon runners and walkers enjoyed great spectator support and more than 50 live bands and other entertainment along the all-new course. Additionally, approximately 400 Ohio National Guard men and women serving in Kuwait ran the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon Shadow Run in Kuwait.

The 30th Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon and ½ Marathon will take place Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. The Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon retains its place as one of the 25 largest marathons in the United States.

29th Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon
Columbus, OH, Sunday, October 19, 2008

MEN
1) Josh Ordway (OH), 2:23:03, $2500
2) Joshua Koros (KEN), 2:25:34, $1000
3) Peter Vail (CO), 2:26:05, $750

WOMEN
1) Dani Prince (IN), 2:48:56, $2500
2) Molly Watcke (OH), 2:54:44, $1000
3) Leah Shouey (PA), 2:55:51, $750

3rd Nationwide Better Health Columbus Half Marathon
MEN
1) Joseph Ngetich (KEN), 1:04:10*, $1000
2) Emmanuel Korir (KEN), 1:04:27, $750
3) Brandon Bauer (OH), 1:06:12, $500
*course record (previous record, 1:09:32, T.J. Lentz, 2007)

WOMEN
1) Ann Alyanak (OH), 1:14:46*, $1000
2) Sara Vergote (OH), 1:16:48, $750
3) Melissa Converse (OH), 1:17:50, $500
*course record (previous record, 1:20:27, Jill Scully, 2007)

Complete results and more at: ColumbusMarathon.com

Return to top / Return to main page

Donaldson Shines at World Championship 24 Hour in Korea
McCarthy again leads U.S. men; U.S. women 4th overall
By Dan Brannen, AUA

Jamie Donaldson of Littleton, Colo., was the U.S. star at this weekend's World 24 Hour Run Championship, held in Seoul, Korea. Donaldson, who earlier this year had set a new women's course record at the Badwater 135 mile race (from Death Valley to Mount Whitney in California), finished 5th among women with 136.75 miles. Donaldson led the U.S. women (Deb Horn, Shaker Heights, Ohio, 125.66 miles; Carilyn Johnson, El Paso, Texas, 122.22 miles) to a 4th place national team finish, falling just a few miles short of the bronze medal. The top three national teams were France, Japan and Germany. The women's race was won by France's Anne-Marie Vernet who covered 148.35 miles.

In the men's race, Phil McCarthy of New York City led the U.S. men for the second straight year, finishing 17th with 145.29 miles. The U.S. men finished 7th, with Alex Swenson, Vashon, Wash. (134.27 miles) and the 60-year old Roy Pirrung, Sheboygan, Wis. (133.12 miles) backing up McCarthy. The race was won by Japan's Ryoichi Sekiya with 169.28 miles. Sekiya led Japan to the team victory, followed by France and Russia.

This year's U.S. national team was sponsored by CW-X Conditioning Wear and by Gehring Textiles.

The top American male and female finishers in this World title event (pending achieving the minimum distances of 135.0 miles for men and 120.0 miles for women) will be automatically selected for the U.S. team to the 2009 World Championship 24 Hour, which will be held in Bergamo, Italy on May 2-3, 2009.

Also, the top U.S. male and female finishers in the 2008 U.S. National 24 Hour Run Championship (pending the same standards of 135.0 miles for men and 120.0 miles for women), to be held at The Ultracentric Experience 24 Hour in McKinney, Texas on Nov. 15-16 of this year, will join the top American World 24 Hour finishers as automatic selections to the 2009 team.

The remainder of the 2009 U.S. team qualifying procedure will be announced shortly and will be posted at: AmericanUltra.org

Return to top / Return to main page

2008 Denver Marathon Brings Inspiration and Tradition to the Mile High City

DENVER - (October 19, 2008) - The 2008 Denver Marathon™, the largest marathon event in Colorado, celebrated its third edition on Sunday morning in the Mile High City, including a marathon, a half-marathon, ING Marathon Relay and the McDonald's Mile Kids Race. The race weekend brought nearly 8,000 athletes from 13 countries and 46 states to experience running at 5,280 feet, while also bringing elite field winners from as far away as Kenya and as close as Lakewood, Colo. More than 100 participants represented 11 charity programs selected by the Denver Marathon raising more than $200,000 for various charities.

Marathon Results:
A team of Kenyans swept the men's full marathon place finishers with Jynocel Basweti winning the full marathon in 2 hours, 22 minutes, 13 seconds. Richard Kimeli took second place in 2:23:54 and Jonathan Ndambuki, the 2007 Denver Marathon winner, taking third (2:24:53).

In the women's marathon, Nuta Olaru from Romania took first place with a time of 2:42:18. Judy Kiplimo from Kenya came in second (2:45:11) and Patty Rogers from Lakewood, Colo. took third (2:54:27).

Half Marathon Results:
Colorado men and women swept the podium for the half-marathon this year: Joel Hamilton from Lakewood took first in the half with his 1:10:40; Josephat Keino (KEN) from Denver was runner-up in 1:11:29 and Ewen North from Boulder took third (1:12:56).

Three women from Colorado reached the podium in the half: Loring Watkins of Littleton took first in 1:24:00; Rachel Foss Viele from Vail took second place (1:25:42) and Karen Melliar-Smith of Denver took third in 1:25:44.

ING Marathon Relay:
Holding the title as the 2008 ING Four-Person Marathon Relay team, the Runner's Roost relay team came in first with their 2:32:48.

McDonald's Mile Kids Race:
The McDonald's Mile Kids Race had an unprecedented 1,300 participants in its one mile fun run and other younger races to promote balanced active lifestyles in the state of Colorado. Ronald McDonald kicked off the event with a stretching and fitness session to prepare for the McDonald's Mile Kids Race.

"Today was beautiful - a perfect day for running - which helped our thousands of athletes compete at their highest abilities to make this marathon one of the best in the nation," said Anton Villatoro, Executive Director of the Denver Marathon. "On behalf of everyone at the 2008 Denver Marathon, we congratulate today's winners and all race participants, but most importantly, the great people in the city of Denver for supporting this event and making it a great tradition for all Coloradoans."

The course highlighted the cultural diversity of Denver's communities by incorporating a mix of urban neighborhoods, shopping and restaurant districts, city parks and residential areas. The race course - flat and with little to no elevation change - was certified by USA Track & Field as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.

For more information and race results, visit: DenverMarathon.com

Return to top / Return to main page

State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon to Host 2009 USA Masters Half Marathon Championships
Inaugural event expected to draw top 40 and older distance runners

MELBOURNE, Fla. - (Oct. 8, 2008) - The State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon's instant impact on the national running scene grew larger when USA Track & Field (USATF) announced that the USA Masters Half Marathon Championships would take place as part of the inaugural event.

"USATF is proud to award the USA Masters Half Marathon Championship for 2009 to the State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon," said Don Lein, USATF Masters Long Distance Running chairman. "Our selection process is quite rigorous and we were impressed with the event, as well as the quality and professionalism of the staff. We look forward to an outstanding championship."

The State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon has already been considered a "can't miss" event by many because of its swift, scenic course, its February 8th staging on Florida's Space Coast - one of the last chances to qualify for the 2009 Boston Marathon - the presence of 20 live bands along the full marathon route and a $12,000 cash purse that favors masters competitors. Now, it will become a closely watched competition on the national and international scene, as top road racers look to the event to gain an edge on the 2009 racing season.

"The half-marathon has become increasingly prominent in races nationwide this decade, as runners who don't want to go the full marathon distance - or are training for marathons - have found that the half ideally combines endurance and speed," event founder and producer Mitch Varnes said. "Now, thanks to USA Track & Field, we're bringing two of the biggest forces of growth in competitive running together on a national stage - the half-marathon, and women and men over 40. This is going to be a great championship."

Varnes' decision to seek the national championship is borne out by statistics that show the close relationship between masters runners and the half-marathon. According to Running USA, the half-marathon is the fastest-growing race in America, with 650,000 race finishers in 2007 - up 10% from 2006. Furthermore, the median age of all male runners is 45.1 years and female runners 39.4; when surveyed, both genders listed the half-marathon as their favorite race distance.

Among those already set to compete in the USA Masters Half Marathon Championship field is four-time Boston Marathon and four-time New York City Marathon champion and international running legend Bill Rodgers. Rodgers still holds the national half-marathon mark in the 45-49 age group of 1 hour, 8 minutes and 5 seconds, which the 1976 Olympian set in 1993.

The current U.S. masters records in the half-marathon are held by Mbarak Hussein, who ran 1:03:23 in 2005, and Colleen De Reuck, who ran 1:11:50 in 2006. Both records could be in jeopardy, given the Melbourne course layout.

Early-bird discount registration continues for the State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon, State Farm USA Masters Half Marathon Championship and Florida Today 5K. Through November 30, 2008, fees are $80 for the Marathon, $65 for the Half Marathon and $25 for the 5K.

The State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon has enjoyed significant support from city officials in Brevard County, Melbourne and Indialantic, along with the Space Coast Board of Tourism and the Melbourne-Palm Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.

Complete information and entry forms can be found at: TheMelbourneMarathon.com

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