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Dumm, Fenster Win 33rd Marine Corps Marathon in Debuts
By Steve Nearman, Running USA wire

ARLINGTON, Va. - (October 26, 2008) - It appeared for a while that Andrew Dumm had committed the fatal rookie error at Sunday's 33rd Marine Corps Marathon.

The 23-year-old former academic All-American at the University of Virginia was trying his hand at the 26.2-mile distance, and midway through the race, he felt compelled to drop his three nearest competitors with a surge.

"That's a pretty early spot to make a move," said Dumm, a new resident of the Glover Park section of Washington. "But I just wanted to use Hains Point because that's a little bit of a lonely stretch of the race to make a move. It's a pretty good psychological area to do so."

Nobody challenged, and Dumm labored through the second half of his first marathon to win in 2 hours, 22 minutes, 44 seconds - ahead of 18,261 finishers with spectacular weather conditions.

Cate Fenster also was a surprise winner, in her first marathon.

The 37-year-old long-time road racer from Wooster, OH, had joked with her husband Steven prior to the race that if she broke 2:52 on her first try, she would not have to ever run the marathon again.

Fenster, an assistant professor in biology at The College of Wooster but working a temporary project at nearby National Institutes of Health for the past year, could easily retire from marathoning after posting a superb 2:48:55.

Now, she said, she may be setting her goals on making the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2012.

"The marathon was exactly what I thought it would be," she said. "I felt good for most of the way but at mile 20, I could feel the bricks coming. I was kind of shocked to win."

For Dumm, the victory was not as shocking as it was humbling, he said. He definitely had some competition in 2005-06 champion Ruben Garcia from the Mexican Navy, who had shown he could run 2:21-2:22 in his two triumphs, and up-and-coming Fred Joslyn from the Hansons-Brooks racing team, who predicted a 2:19 finishing time. Plus multi-talented Michael Wardian can always pop a fast marathon.

After some opening hills in Arlington and a trip across the fogged-in Potomac River via the Key Bridge, the lead pack whittled to just four - Dumm, Mexican Navy's Jose Miranda, Joslyn and Jaron Hawkins - as the group entered East Potomac Park at 11 miles. A mile later, Dumm started to pull away and by the half-marathon mats (1:10:48), he was 11 seconds ahead and picking up steam.

"I thought the Mexican guy (Jose Miranda) and the Hansons guy (Fred Joslyn) would go with me and I was surprised they didn't," he said.

Dumm would increase his margin to at least 76 seconds over Joslyn before hitting the finish tape 70 seconds ahead of Joslyn.

The 24-year-old Joslyn said he was "disappointed in a way, I really wanted to win. I knew early in the race, I knew it wasn't going to be my day. My legs were hurting way too much for 10 miles into the race. Then he hammered us between 11 and 13."

Corey Duquette, 26, of Pensacola, Fla., moved into third for good by 35 kilometers and ended in 2:24:40.

Dumm's brother Brian, 25, scored fifth place for the U.S. Air Force in 2:26:00 and father Kenneth brought in the rest of the family with his 3:19:19.

While it was an exhilarating triumph for Fenster, it was a tough defeat for runner-up Lindsay (Goulet) Wilkins, who ran a personal best 2:49:06. "I was about a minute behind, then it was 50, 40, 30, I was chasing her," the 30-year-old Wilkins said of Fenster.

Fenster had taken the lead after 16 miles and Wilkins, an Arlington resident, finally moved into second at 21 miles, on the 14th Street Bridge. The chase continued through Crystal City and up the final stretch of Route 110 in Arlington, with Fenster edging Wilkins by 11 seconds.

While Wilkins said she was cramping in the final hill to the Iwo Jima finish, Fenster admitted: "I was crying in pain coming up that last hill, the last 200 yards."

33rd Marine Corps Marathon
Washington, DC, Sunday, October 26, 2008

MEN
1) Andrew Dumm (VA), 2:22:44
2) C. Fred Joslyn (MI), 2:23:54
3) Corey Duquette (FL), 2:24:40
4) Jaron Hawkins (MD), 2:25:19
5) Brian Dumm (VA), 2:26:00

WOMEN
1) Cate Fenster (MD), 2:48:55
2) Lindsay Wilkins (VA), 2:49:06
3) Melissa Tanner (MD), 2:51:45
4) Abigail Stiles (RI), 2:54:47
5) Rebekah Potts (NC), 2:55:42

Complete results at: MarineMarathon.com

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Record Fields, Record Run Highlight 19th Mayor's Cup Cross Country Races in Boston
Mary Cullen, Jacob Korir triumphant in championship races
From the BAA

BOSTON - (October 26, 2008) - A record field of more than 1,000 entrants and a course record run by Mary Cullen (IRL / Providence, RI) highlighted the 19th edition of the Mayor's Cup Cross Country Races, presented by the Boston Athletic Association and adidas, and directed by USATF-New England and the Boston Centers for Youth & Families.

Overnight rains didn't discourage anyone from making the trip to Boston's Franklin Park, site of the 1992 World Cross Country Championships. As more than 300 kids, ages 14 and under, took part in the morning slate of youth races, the rain and clouds gave way to sunny, blue skies on Sunday.

Next on the schedule was the Franklin Park 5K, open to men and women of all ages and ability levels. The fastest-growing of the Mayor's Cup events, the Franklin Park 5K boasted 280 finishers this year, up from 187 a year ago. Leading the charge was Jordan Hamm, a senior from Canisius High School in Buffalo, NY. Hamm trailed Omar Aden and Ahmed Ali - high school teammates from Charlestown, MA - through a 5:00 opening mile. By two miles, passed in 10:19, the threesome had broken away from the rest of the field. Hamm then used the final mile to pull into the lead, holding on for a 2-second victory over Aden. Brandeis grad Caitlin Malloy recorded a comfortable 37-second victory in the women's division.

In the Women's Championship 5K, two-time defending champ Aziza Ayilu (ETH / Westchester, NY) of the Westchester Track Club was looking to become the first woman to win three straight Mayor's Cup titles. Yet despite running faster than she had in either of her victories, Ayilu found herself chasing former Providence College star Mary Cullen (IRL / Providence, RI) from the gun. Cullen, the runner-up here in 2005, led the pack through one mile in a brisk 5:07, and by two miles she was alone in front. By the time she broke the finish tape in 16:08, Cullen wasn't just 28 seconds ahead of runner-up Ayilu, she was also 14 seconds under the meet and course record set by Kathy Franey in 1997. Cullen is preparing for the European Cross Country Championships in Belgium, where she will represent her native Ireland.

In the Men's Championship 8K a large pack, which included 2006 race champ Stephen Chemlany (KEN / Westchester, NY), passed through one mile in 4:35 and two miles in 9:35. By four miles, reached in 19:35, Jacob Korir (KEN / Richmond, KY) had emerged at the front, and shortly after that he surged away from Sean Burris, Ben Rosario and the rest of the lead group. Korir, a three-time NCAA All-American during his recently-completed senior year at Eastern Kentucky University (sixth in cross country in 2007 and third at 5000m and fourth at 10,000m in 2008), was unopposed over the closing mile of the race, breaking the tape in 23:54, 10 seconds ahead of runner-up Burris.

The Westchester Track Club and New Balance Boston captured the men's and women's team titles, respectively.

2008 Mayor's Cup Champions:
10-and-under - 1.1-mile
Boys: Jeremy Taylor (Waltham TC), 6:56
Girls: Leah Brams (Waltham TC), 7:18

11-12 years old - 1.1-mile
Boys: Jeremy Alley-Tarter (Nitehawks SC), 6:11
Girls: Julia Kern (Waltham TC), 6:37

13-14 years old - 1.1-mile
Boys: Daniel Ewart (Granite State Flash), 5:44
Girls: Robin Gross (Waltham TC), 6:30

Franklin Park 5K
Men: Jordan Hamm, 15:57
Women: Caitlin Malloy, 19:09

Women's Championship 5K
Mary Cullen (Reebok), 16:08*
*course record (previous record, 16:22, Kathy Franey, 1997)

Men's Championship 8K
Jacob Korir (RIADHA), 23:54

Complete results are available at: www.coolrunning.com/results/08/ma/Oct26_19thAn_set1.shtml

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Runner's World Selects Top 10 Greenest Races
Special green issue currently on newsstands

From solar powered generators to finish-line farmer's markets, and even greener garbage, races across the country (and the world) are going green. Whether it's a local 5K charity races or a marathon, races are setting a whole new standard in reducing their environmental impact. Gone are the days when events generated tons of trash and the streets were littered with a blizzard of plastic cups. Today, race organizers are looking hard at earth friendly ways to tweak all aspects of the big race.

Runner's World's November 2008 issue ranks the top 10 most eco-friendly races in its special green issue, currently on newsstands. The following races are highlighted for their ever-growing commitment and innovative approach to going green.

* Austin Marathon, Texas
As if solar generators, a finish-line farmers' market, organic race tees and bio-diesel vehicles weren't enough, the event recycles 14,375 pounds of trash.

* Nature's Path Whidbey Island Marathon, Washington
The event features an organic pre-race dinner, goodie bags made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper and finishers' medallions made of recycled glass.

* Manitoba Marathon, Canada
This Winnipeg event uses only compostable food-service items and diverts 1,723 pounds of plastic, cardboard and aluminum from the landfill.

* Canmore Rocky Mountain Half-Marathon, Canada
The start and finish areas are "waste-free zones", where everything used must be reusable or recyclable. All proceeds from the 2007 event went to environmental causes.

* City of Portland Triathlon, Oregon
Organizers use solar power and buy carbon credits to offset participant travel. Runners get local organic food, bamboo shirts and age-group trophies made of recycled bike parts.

* ING Hartford Marathon, Connecticut
An innovative 2,000 gallon water fountain lets 40 runners drink at once, eliminating the use of 10,000 plastic bottles. Runners can enjoy a post-race feast of local and organic foods.

* JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge Series, Nationwide
Participants get to races via shuttles or are urged to use a web-based carpool coordinator. Other initiatives have saved five tons of paper, six tons of plastic and 5,000 gallons of crude oil.

* Portland Marathon, Oregon
Since 1993, more than 100,000 finishers have received a tree seedling. Also, aid stations are situated near hose connections, and bicycles are used for race-day course management.

* Great Lakes Endurance, Michigan
This trail-running series serves mostly organic, locally grown food. Runners must carry their own water, and they receive organic cotton tees and prizes made by local artists.

* Eugene Marathon, Oregon
Volunteer "master recyclers" sort all garbage, collecting 70 percent of material for recycling. A solar generator powers the finish-line stage and vendor area.

Recognized as the worldwide authority on running information, the mission of Rodale's Runner's World is to inform, advise and motivate runners of all ages and abilities. Runner's World's award-winning companion website, www.RunnersWorld.com, is the largest running community on the Internet, featuring interactive, searchable, and targeted content for runners of all ages and abilities.

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America's Health & Fitness Ambassador T-Bone Returns to ING New York City Marathon's Run with Champions

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - (October 20, 2008) - Tim "T-Bone" Arem, M.Ed., will be making his third Run with Champions appearance in Central Park. On Thursday, October 30 at 8:00am, T-Bone will be warming up, running and performing his motivational fitness for 1,000 children in New York City.

"We are very pleased to bring the leader of youth fitness entertainment back to our Run with Champions event. He really entertains, inspires and educates the children," said Cliff Sperber, New York Road Runners Foundation executive director.

The 10th Run with Champions event is part of the 39th ING New York City Marathon weekend.

For more information on the Run with Champions, go to: NYRRfoundation.org and for information on T-Bone, visit: TBonerun.com

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