Running USA wire 85, October 15, 2009

Padilla sets 10K course record; Hesch men's 10K winner; more than 2,000 participants for Saint John's Health Center benefit

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - (October 11, 2009) - At the Lexus Santa Monica 5000 presented by Ed Hardy Sport on Sunday, in a thrilling finish overlooking the coast of the Pacific Ocean, Kenyan Haron Lagat successfully held off steeplechaser Aaron Aguayo by sixth tenths of a second, 14:07.2 to 14:07.8, to win the Saucony Elite West Invitational. Per road running rule, both times were converted to 14:08.

Lagat, 26, who won the race in 2006 and 2007, said, "Coming back from a stress fracture injury last year, I'm just glad that I am able to strengthen my kick since then and just kept pushing forward to win the race. I am excited to reclaim my title back."

The women's elite 5K field included 14-time All-American at Stanford and Eugene, Ore. resident Lauren Fleshman, 28, from Canyon Country, who scored the victory in 16 minutes, 12 seconds. Fleshman (left, SuperKidz Photography) beat Everlyne Lagat, the younger sister of Bernard Lagat - two-time Olympic medalist and 2007 world champion in the 1500 / 5000. Lagat finished second in 16:21, while Briton Barbara Parker took third (16:23).

In the women's 10K, All-American Grace Padilla, 38-year-old elementary school teacher and mother of two, bested two-time 10K race champion, Christine Bolf, 35:29 to 35:44 and set a new course record (breaking Bolf's 35:53 from 2007).

"Christine and I train together and she encouraged me to run the 10K," Padilla recounted. "I owe it to her for training me to control my speed. I had a really good rhythm that day and I felt really good, so I just kept going my pace 'til the finish".

In the men's 10K, Christian Hesch of Morro Bay moved up to the top rung of the podium this year with a dominant run of 31:41. Luis Ibarra was second at 31:53 and Torrey Olson third (32:11).

Under cool (62 F / 17C) and cloudy conditions, more than 2,000 runners started the 5K or 10K course within the city of Santa Monica, a seaside retreat and one of the most desirable cities of California.

Celebrities also came out to support the festivities including former World Super MiddleWeight Boxing Champ and Celebrity Personal Trainer, Danny Musico, who led a warm-up group exercise, while Heroes' James Kyson Lee prepared to do the 5K run. Other celebrities involved with the race were Elise Neal ("Hustle n Flow"), Cast of TruTV's & Univision's Hit TV Show "Operation Repo", Damon Whitaker ("Farenheit 513"), Gina K. Bowes (Voiceover, Actress / Barbie), Maxine Bahns ("She's the One"), CC Perkinson (Model, Actress "Cost of Living"), and 2005 Miss Massachusetts Cristina Nardozzi. The post-race Party on the Pier featured the Wooza Kooza Crew of Cirque du Soleil.

Race proceeds will help provide vital support for essential services and community programs offered by Saint John's Health Center. This is especially important in the current economic climate that has brought unprecedented financial challenges to many hospitals throughout Southern California.

4th Lexus Santa Monica 5000 presented by Ed Hardy Sport
Santa Monica, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2009

Saucony Elite West Invitational
MEN
1) Haron Lagat (KEN), 14:08, $1300
2) Aaron Aguayo (AZ), 14:08, $700
3) Aucencio Martinez (CO), 14:10, $500

WOMEN
1) Lauren Fleshman (OR), 16:12, $1300
2) Everlyne Lagat (KEN), 16:21, $700
3) Barbara Parker (GBR), 16:23, $500

10K
MEN
1) Christian Hesch (CA), 31:05, $500
2) Luis Ibarra (CA), 31:53, $300
3) Torrey Olson (CA), 32:11, $200

WOMEN
1) Grace Padilla (CA), 35:29*, $500
2) Christine Bolf (CA), 35:44, $300
3) Lauren Fleshman (OR), 36:02, $200
*course record (previous record, 35:53, Christine Bolf, 2007)

Full results and more at: www.santamonica5000.com/results.html

Arsenault sets half-marathon course record; Brown men's half champion; event record field of more than 12,000

VICTORIA, Canada - (October 11, 2009) - Sunny skies on Sunday morning greeted 12,492 runners at the 30th Royal Victoria Marathon, a record for the event. With the half-marathon and the 8K road race sold out prior to race day, registration numbers for all the races showed a dramatic increase over previous years. The marathon had 3,887 registrants, the half-marathon 5,571, the 8K road race 2,609 and the Thrifty Foods Kids Marathon - Kids Run 1,025. A new course record was set in the women's half-marathon by Marilyn Arsenault (left, credit Tony Austin).

Three-time marathon champion Steve Osaduik was runner-up behind Hillary Cheruiyot, who won the 26.2 mile race in 2 hours, 19 minutes, 26 seconds. Osaduik, the course record holder and the defending champion, had strong competition from three Kenyans, Cheruiyot, Lameth Mosoti and Philip Samoei, and trailed in the first half of the marathon. He ran a negative split in the second half but wasn't able to catch the eventual winner Cheruiyot. Osaduik's time was 2:22:42, and Mosoti was third (2:24:43).

Cheruiyot, who trains in Calgary, Alberta, was delighted with his result. He told the large finish-line crowd: "I will be back next year to break the course record."

The women's marathon was won by the defending race champion Victoria's Cheryl Murphy in 2:44:01. Katherine Moore of Vancouver, BC was runner-up in 2:47:29. Three-time marathon winner Suzanne Evans was third (2:48:20). The top nine women all finished in under three hours. Murphy, 40, also captured the Masters title, while Danny Gonzalez of Lake Oswego, OR, won the men's Masters marathon title in 2:33:45.

In the half-marathon, Lucy Smith's 2007 course record was broken by Victoria's Marilyn Arsenault in a time of 1:15:39. The 41-year-old opera singer, who also won the Masters title, dominated the race coming in six minutes ahead of last year's winner Lindsay McLaren from Calgary. McLaren finished in 1:21:59, and Stephanie Hamilton was third (1:22:06). For being the top Canadian and breaking the course record Arsenault was awarded a $1000 bonus in addition to her first place prize of $1000.

The men's half-marathon was won by course record holder and Olympian Jon Brown of Victoria in 1:04:57. Second was Jim Finlayson in 1:07:57, and third was Kristopher Swanson (1:09:11). Masters men's winner was Norm Tinkham in 1:11:53.

In the 8K road race, Victoria's Matt Clout won in 24:52. University of Victoria athlete Logan Burke was second in 25:28, and Michael MacDiarmada was third (25:58). The top Masters runner was Kevin McGinnis from Ravensdale, WA who finished in 27:04. Canadians Rachel Ruus posted a 28:32 to win the women's 8K. Amy Schneeberg was second in 28:55 and Meghan McCollum third in 29:24. The women's Masters 8K was won by stalwart Nancy Tinari in 31:23.

The event saw the highest number of finishers in the half-marathon (4,602) and the 8K (2,150). There were 2,568 marathon finishers, a 25% increase over 2008, and combined with the Thrifty Foods Kids Marathon - Kids Run the total number of finishers was 10,352 - another record.

The 31st Royal Victoria Marathon will take place on Sunday, October 10, 2010.

30th Royal Victoria Marathon
Victoria, CAN, Sunday, October 11, 2009

MEN
1) Hillary Cheruiyot (KEN), 2:19:26, $3000
2) Steve Osaduik (CAN), 2:22:42, $1000
3) Lameth Mosoti (KEN), 2:24:43, $500

WOMEN
1) Cheryl Murphy, 40, CAN, 2:44:01, $3500
2) Katherine Moore (CAN), 2:47:29, $1000
3) Suzanne Evans (CAN), 2:48:20, $500

Half-Marathon
MEN
1) Jon Brown (CAN), 1:04:57, $1000
2) James Finlayson (CAN), 1:07:58, $500
3) Kristopher Swanson (CAN), 1:09:11, $250

WOMEN
1) Marilyn Arsenault, 41, CAN, 1:15:39*, $2000
2) Lindsay McLaren (CAN), 1:21:59, $500
3) Stephanie Hamilton (CAN), 1:22:06, $250
*course record (previous record, 1:16:11, Lucy Smith (CAN), 2007)

For full results, go to: www.royalvictoriamarathon.com

Rodriguez, Smith and Grabow, Nickless marathon and half-marathon winners

More than 22,000 participated in the 25th Long Beach International City Bank Marathon events on Sunday, October 11, 2009. For the first time ever, Southern California's Fall Marathon & Half Marathon event "Sold Out". The Full and Half Marathon combined had had more than 14,000 finishers, ranking it virtually equal to number of finishers at the 2009 Los Angeles Marathon (14,118), making it the second largest Marathon and/or Half Marathon running event in Southern California, and surpassing the 2009 San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon (13,391 finishers).

The Long Beach event now ranks fourth in Marathon and/or Half Marathon running events in California behind the Nike Women's Marathon & Half-Marathon (16,446 in 2007), the San Francisco Marathon & Half-Marathon (15,983 finishers) and the LA Marathon. Sunday's events included the Marathon, Half Marathon, Marathon Bike Tour, Bubba Gump Run Forrest Run 5K and Kids 1 Mile Fun Run.

On Sunday, the ICR Track Club took first place in both the men's marathon and half-marathon. The 26.2 mile men's champion was 25-year-old Eli Rodriguez from Whittier, CA who ran 2 hours, 25 minutes, 57 seconds and earned $1500. 2006-07 race champion Leonel Avalos, 39, from Los Angeles placed second in 2:29:15 (worth $1000), while Jason Gutierrez, age 25 of Bogota, Columbia was third in 2:30:21 and received a $500 prize.

In the women's marathon, 29-year-old Cheryl Smith of Laguna Beach, CA crossed the finish line first in 2:50:18, also $1500. 2007 race champion Daniela Alonso from Los Angeles was runner-up (2:50:40) and 22-year-old Madeline Kramer of Carlsbad, CA placed third (3:00:54).

Half-Marathon race champions were Jimmy Grabow, age 25, from Running Springs, CA (1:04:46) and 24-year-old Bethany Nickless of Santa Barbara, CA (1:20:32). Both won $500 for their efforts.

25th Long Beach International City Bank Marathon
Long Beach, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2009

MEN
1) Eli Rodriguez (CA), 2:25:57, $1500
2) Leonel Avalos (MEX / CA), 2:29:15, $1000
3) Jason Gutierrez (COL), 2:30:21, $500

WOMEN
1) Cheryl Smith (CA), 2:50:18, $1500
2) Daniela Alonso (CA), 2:50:40, $1000
3) Madeline Kramer (CA), 3:00:54, $500

For deeper race results, go to: www.runlongbeach.com