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Green, Herbst-Lucke, Leach and King All Claim Victories at The Weather Channel Atlanta Marathon and Half Marathon
Event record field enjoy annual Thanksgiving tradition
From Tracy Lott, Atlanta Track Club

ATLANTA - (November 27, 2008) - Michael Green, 32, of Troy, Ala. was the first runner to cross the finish line of 2008's The Weather Channel Atlanta Half Marathon with an official gun time of 1 hour, 7 minutes, 23 seconds on Thursday. Green and runner-up Andrew Fuller of Rome Ga. battled through the 11th mile of the race before Green pulled ahead to victory. Green, who won the 2006 half-marathon, is currently training for the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, Ala. coming up on December 13.

"This (The Weather Channel Atlanta Half Marathon) is an awesome event," commented Green. "I'll be back as many years as I possibly can."

In the women's race, Stephanie Herbst-Lucke, 42, of Atlanta crossed the finish line in 1:17:01. "I wasn't really sure what was going to happen in the race. My plan was to run between tempo and race pace," commented Herbst-Lucke. This was Herbst-Lucke's first time running The Weather Channel Atlanta Half Marathon; however, she is no stranger to the Atlanta road racing circuit. Herbst-Lucke was the 2008 AJC Peachtree Road Race female Masters winner as well as the first female American and Georgian to cross the finish line.

With over 10,500 registered runners, 2008 was a record-setting year for The Weather Channel Atlanta Half Marathon, which is organized by the Atlanta Track Club. Prior to 2008, the largest field of registered runners for The Weather Channel Atlanta Half Marathon was in 2000 with close to 7,800 registered runners. To help accommodate the increase in runners, this was the first year that starting corrals and a wave start were used for the half-marathon.

Justin Leach, 21, of Powder Springs, Ga. was the winner of The Weather Channel Atlanta Marathon in 2:39:52. This was Leach's first marathon. When asked about his race Leach commented, "The first twenty miles were fine, but the last six (miles) were all hills which made it tough."

Jacquelyn King, 24, of Douglasville, Ga. was the first female marathoner to cross the line in 3:14:57. This was King's second marathon.

"We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day for The Weather Channel Atlanta Marathon and Half Marathon," stated Tracey Russell, Executive Director of the Atlanta Track Club. "All of the finishers should be proud of their accomplishment."

29th The Weather Channel Atlanta Half Marathon
Atlanta, GA, Thursday, November 27, 2008

MEN
1) Michael Green, 1:07:23
2) Andrew Fuller, 1:07:53
3) Wallace Campbell, 1:09:37

WOMEN
1) Stephanie Herbst-Lucke, 1:17:01
2) Jill Horst, 1:18:03
3) Allison Kreutzer, 1:20:45

46th The Weather Channel Atlanta Marathon
MEN
1) Justin Leach, 2:39:52
2) Tyrone Harris, 2:44:11
3) Scott Lowe, 2:44:32

WOMEN
1) Jacquelyn King, 3:14:57
2) Anca Dumitrescu, 3:18:16
3) Amy Marcotte, 3:23:04

Full race results at: AtlantaTrackClub.org

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Houston Marathon Foundation Makes Running Matter
Nonprofit pledges $100,000 of annual support for running-related initiatives

HOUSTON - (Nov. 25, 2008) - Through its pledge to support people and organizations that make running matter, the Houston Marathon Foundation is enabling children and elite athletes alike to pursue their running goals.

Many of those runners, from the inner-city streets of Houston to the distance-running training grounds of Arizona, will head to the starting line on race weekend in January for the 37th edition of the Chevron Houston Marathon and its companion races.

The Houston Marathon Foundation's grant program provides funding to Houston-area organizations and national groups to encourage the development of running-related initiatives that promote health and fitness. An inaugural fiscal-year budget of $100,000 is earmarked to support the advancement of running as part of a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

One of the initial recipients of a Houston Marathon Foundation grant is Chavez High School on Houston's eastside. The foundation has provided funding to the inner-city school for running shoes, transportation to allow students to participant in running events, and more than 100 complimentary registrations for the 2009 Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon and EP5K.

"The foundation's support of Chavez High School enables dozens of students to take part in a structured running program and set a goal to participate in one of the Houston Marathon events," said foundation Chairman Madeline Bunch. "Running is an excellent outlet for young people to stay active, improve their health and challenge themselves."

In addition to its support of Chavez, the marathon foundation has provided a grant to the Greater Houston Chapter of Girls on the Run - a nonprofit prevention program for girls in grades three through eight. The organization utilizes running to help fulfill its mission of educating and preparing girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.

Girls on the Run is using the foundation grant to help fund its after-school program, which combines training for a 5K event with healthy-living education.

"The Houston Marathon is such an important part of the Houston running community, and we are very pleased to have the generous support of its foundation," said Mary T Callahan, co-founder of Girls on the Run of Greater Houston. "Our programs instill self-esteem and strong values through health education, life-skills development, mentoring relationships, and physical training - all of which are accomplished through a collaboration with girls and their parents, schools, volunteers, staff and with the help of the Houston Marathon Foundation."

On a national level, the Houston Marathon Foundation is supporting organizations focused on developing the next crop of U.S. distance running stars. The foundation is a sponsor of the USA Distance Project, a targeted USA Track & Field program to advance elite running in America through the support of group training centers and up-and-coming athletes.

The foundation is also backing McMillanElite, a grassroots post-collegiate running team based in Flagstaff, Ariz. under the direction of Coach Greg McMillan. Through a unique, nonprofit structure, the team offers emerging elite runners an ideal training environment, combined with the necessary support to achieve success in distance running.

Contributions from the foundation help defray the cost of training and medical expenses for several members of the team, six of which are scheduled to run in the Chevron Houston Marathon or Aramco Houston Half Marathon in 2009.

"We rely heavily on the contributions of sponsors to fund our program and allow our athletes to focus on running," said McMillan. "It's often difficult for runners coming out of college to pursue a career in distance running and make ends meet. Through our program and the assistance of sponsors, we are able to give runners the opportunity to continue to develop their talents."

About the Houston Marathon Foundation: Established in 2007, the Houston Marathon Foundation's goal is to support the advancement of running as an element of a balanced, healthy lifestyle in the Houston community and nationally. The Houston Marathon Foundation, a 501 (C)(3) organization, supports people, projects and ideas that promote an understanding of, access to and / or participation in running as part of a physical-fitness regimen.

The foundation also provides grants for innovative thinking and research in the creation of running-related programs that lead to effective community-based health initiatives. The 37th running of Chevron Houston Marathon, and companion races, is scheduled for Sunday, January 18, 2009.

For more information, contact Steven Karpas, Managing Director, (713) 957-3453 or visit: ChevronHoustonMarathon.com

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Festive Crowd Thankful at Oceanside Turkey Trot
From Kinane Events

OCEANSIDE, Calif. - (November 27, 2008) - The champions, as well as the rest of the event record field of more than 4,100, had plenty to be thankful about on Thanksgiving Day as heavy rains avoided downtown Oceanside long enough to allow the 3rd O'side Turkey Trot to go off in ideal Southern California conditions.

Many in the holiday races that help support the Move Your Feet Before Your Eat Foundation, came dressed in costume, including two entrants who maneuvered a 12-foot long slice of pumpkin pie around the course. But the race also had more than its share of fast runners.

With ideal running prevailing despite heavy rains in nearby towns, fast times were needed to win the day's feature race - the Local's Only 5K.

Steve Albanese, a volunteer cross country coach at nearby Vista High School, broke away late in the race to win in 16 minutes - seven seconds ahead of David Kloz and another second better than third-place Jeffrey Wilson. All three are Oceanside residents.

"I'm thankful for the running community here," said Albanese, who recently moved to Southern California from Chicago. "They are like a second family to me, and there were a lot of runners from Vista in the field, along with another volunteer coach, and I was glad to show them how it's done."

The Locals Only 5K women's champion was Jessica Sandoval, who ran for Oceanside High School as a prep and recently completed her collegiate cross country season at nearby Cal State San Marcos. Her time of 17:56 was 11 seconds faster than her time here last year and more than two minutes better than runner-up Kelly Bieraugel of Alexandria, Va.

Winning the wheelchair title was Sandra Rush.

In the Open 5K, Tom Kloos of Oceanside three-peated with his third O'side Turkey Trot title in the day's fastest time - 15:29. He needed it to hold off Thomas Estrada of Vista, who finished in 15:30 and Jesus Romo of San Francisco, who was third in 15:31.

Anne Marie Bryne of Oceanside won the Open 5K women's title in 18:00.

The race benefits local schools with a focus on improving physical fitness through a tie to the Move Your Feet Before You Eat Foundation. Complete race results and more Foundation information are available at: OsideTurkeyTrot.com

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Frank Shorter to be Inducted into Honolulu Marathon Hall of Fame

HONOLULU - The Honolulu Marathon Hall of Fame will induct 1972 Olympic Marathon gold medalist Frank Shorter into its hall of fame on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008.

The induction ceremony will take place at 10:00am in public at the Honolulu Marathon Expo at the Hawaii Convention Center.

Shorter, 61, who also won the 1976 Olympic Marathon silver medal, has run the Honolulu Marathon 19 times but never won it. The Boulder, Colo. resident said he simply ran to be part of one of the world's most scenic endurance races.

In a 1997 story in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Shorter described the Honolulu Marathon's unique predawn start this way: "The start is always surreal. There is no other feeling like it at the start of a marathon - all these thousands of people descending upon a darkened ghost town, rustling around in their foil blankets. It's other-worldly."

Shorter has also been a commentator for the Honolulu Marathon on TV and radio many times as well as a key participant in the Legends of Running autograph sessions offered at the annual race expo.

"Frank's been coming ever since the '70s, when he was one of the top runners in the world," Honolulu Marathon president Jim Barahal said in a Honolulu Star-Bulletin story on Monday. "He's been a great advocate of this event."

For information on the race, go to: HonoluluMarathon.org

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