Running USA wire 96, November 22, 2009

The pioneer and leader in sports timing also presenting sponsor of Conference keynote session

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - (November 22, 2009) - Running USA, the national industry non-profit organization, has announced that MYLAPS, the leader in sports timing, is an American Record sponsor of Running USA 2010: The Industry Conference. The popular conference will run from January 31 to February 2 at the world famous La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California.

"Like Running USA, MYLAPS has been a pioneer and leader in the sport of running as it has grown, and its American Record sponsorship will enable us to produce the best conference possible. MYLAPS also will be a presenting sponsor of the personal motivation session," said Susan Weeks, Running USA CEO.

"The American Record sponsorship of the Running USA 2010 conference is an excellent opportunity for MYLAPS to further strengthen our ties with the running community and demonstrate the strength of AMB and ChampionChip's combined forces. The goal of the new company is to take sports timing solutions to the next level and enable our network to offer race directors the timing solution that best meets their need," said Bas van Rens, CEO.

Register today for Running USA 2010, the industry's "must-attend" conference. The conference rate of $529 for members / $729 non-members is available until Thursday, December 31, 2009. On-line registration, hotel, travel and other information including schedule for Running USA 2010 powered by Active.com is available at: http://runningusa.org/programs/conference

About MYLAPS
MYLAPS is the new brand of AMB i.t. and ChampionChip. Owned by HAL Investments (EURONEXT Amsterdam: HAL), the merger of these two company builds on 27 years of experience and market leadership in timing and scoring. Combining the resources of two experienced R & D teams of over 25 engineers has resulted in a streamlined product development process that will yield a "best of both worlds" approach to new technological innovations.

For running races, MYLAPS is now offering the widest choice of timing solutions in the market with the new BibTag timing system, in addition to the ProChip and the ChampionChip systems. The BibTag offers the highest simplicity and efficiency of any automatic timing solution at a very competitive price. With accuracy at and even above the level of the proven ChampionChip (LF) system, the BibTag revolutionizes the way the world times running races.

For more information, visit www.mylaps.com or contact the MYLAPS Americas office in Atlanta at info.americas@mylaps.com or (678) 816-4000.

About Running USA
Running USA advances, serves, promotes and celebrates the sport of running as a clearinghouse and resource center and through its popular annual conference, Running USA wire, Running USA E-News, website, annual marathon and State of the Sport reports and youth fitness portal RunningRocks.com and by supporting athlete development.

Running USA's more than 260 members include road races, race services companies, running-related media companies and organizations and the athletic industry.

In March 2009, the non-profit industry organization marked a decade of achievement to build and promote the sport. For more information, visit: RunningUSA.org or contact Ryan Lamppa at (805) 696-6232 or ryan@runningusa.org

New Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon set for October 24, 2010

SAN DIEGO - (November 20, 2009) - The Competitor Group has announced that it will expand the presence of its Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series in Southern California through an agreement with Grove of Hope to operate and manage an annual fall half-marathon in Los Angeles. The newly renamed Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon, scheduled for Sunday, October 24, 2010, will replace the City of Angels Half Marathon, which has historically been held the first weekend of December since 2006.

"As the second largest media market in the country, Los Angeles has been a critical expansion target of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series," said Peter Englehart, President and CEO of the Competitor Group. "We were fortunate to connect with Katherine Gluck and Kamal Oudrhiri with Grove of Hope, who have launched and built a successful event we feel is poised for significant growth."

"The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series has a great reputation for executing well-organized events," said Katherine Gluck, Treasurer of Grove of Hope. "We look forward to the opportunity to work in partnership with the Competitor Group and continuing to generate funding and awareness for science and technology education."

Grove of Hope will remain a benefiting charity of the new half-marathon, which promises an entertaining destination event for runners and walkers of all abilities. Between 15,000 and 20,000 participants are expected for the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll event in Los Angeles, which will highlight the brand's unique combination of entertainment on courses that distinctively feature their host cities. The event's theme will showcase the glamour and entertainment mecca that is Los Angeles.

"We're excited to host this world-class event, which I believe will become the new flagship half marathon on the west coast," said Tom LaBonge, Los Angeles City Councilmember, whose district encompasses a majority of the course. "In addition to providing race participants a unique tour of Los Angeles, the event will serve as an outstanding platform to promote health and fitness throughout the city."

In keeping with the true spirit of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series, the Los Angeles half-marathon will feature live bands, themed water stations and cheerleaders along the flat and scenic course. The 2010 race will utilize the existing point-to-point course that takes runners from Griffith Park near the Los Angeles Zoo, along the Los Angeles River, down Sunset Boulevard, near the edge of Echo Park Lake and finishes with a scenic view of downtown at the Los Angeles Civic Center.

For more information about the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series, visit: www.runrocknroll.com

ING New York City Marathon 2009 champion to be part of annual holiday tradition in New York City

The ING New York City Marathon 2009 men's champion, Meb Keflezighi (left, NYRR) , the first U.S. men's winner of the race since Alberto Salazar's three-peat in 1982, will have a special ride in next week's 83rd Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on the Statue of Liberty float alongside Miss America 2009 Katie Stam. The parade will be broadcast nationally on NBC from 9:00am to 12:00 noon in each local time zone in the country.

Other celebrities scheduled to appear are singers Carly Simon and Gloria Gaynor along with marching bands and the parade's trademark giant helium character balloons, which this year include Snoopy and Kermit the Frog.

His ride in the parade is just one of many honors that Keflezighi, 34, has enjoyed since breaking the 27-year U.S. men's drought in the race with his masterful victory earlier on November 1 in a personal best of 2 hours, 9 minutes, 15 seconds. The 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist was a guest on Late Night with David Letterman, reading the Top 10 list, and later was feted by city officials in his hometown of San Diego.

Second edition draws more than 2,500 under near perfect running conditions in South Florida

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. - (November 15, 2009) - A perfect South Florida Sunday fall morning presided over the second 13.1 Marathon Ft. Lauderdale and Pedro Gonzalez and Julie Stamps Mallon responded by shattering course records on their way to top finishes in the men's and women's Open divisions.

Gonzalez, a track coach at Coral Glades High School in Coral Springs, FL, crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 12 minutes, 40 seconds, while Miami's Stamps Mallon - 10 months removed from giving birth - clocked a 1:21:12.

What started as a two-man race with Gonzalez and defending race champion Cobi Morales lasted until mile eight where the 30-year-old Gonzalez surged ahead.

"I heard him (Morales) struggling and he was breathing hard so I kicked," Gonzalez said.

Morales, still recovering from a dislocated shoulder after being hit by a taxi on a training run in September, finished runner-up in 1:13:55. The 35-year-old Bay Harbor resident also bettered his year-old course record (1:15:28). Third place went to Jupiter's John Reback, 39, who ran 1:16:30.

The 31-year-old Stamps Mallon lopped more than six minutes off the women's course record and was never challenged as Tami James, 35, of Davie, was a distant second in 1:27:52 and master Caterina Lancia, 44, of Miami third (1:32:23).

Stamps Mallon, who was running her third race since her daughter was born, was also the seventh overall participant to cross the finish line.

"It felt great to be out there and get my racing legs back under me," said the former Stanford All-American. "It's been surprisingly easy to get back in shape."

The half-marathon wound through downtown Fort Lauderdale and its signature Las Olas Boulevard before heading to AIA along the beach and finishing at picturesque South Beach Park. With temperatures at a comfortable 66F degrees at race time, 2,543 runners ranging in age from 13 to 81-years-old participated, including several in a handicapped division. Like the national trend, there were more female runners in the race (53%) than men, and 35 states were represented.

The 13.1 Marathon Series is in its second year after its inaugural race a year ago in Ft. Lauderdale. Miami Beach, Chicago and Atlanta also held 13.1 events, and the series has now expanded to eight cities as Los Angeles, New York, Boston and Minneapolis will also stage 13.1 marathons over the next 11 months.

The 13.1 Fort Lauderdale is also a part of the nine-race Blue Cross Blue Shield Race Series, which includes the ING Miami Marathon coming up on January 31, 2010.

"This has turned out to be a really great event for the running community in South Florida," said Dave Scott, Race Director for US Road Sports & Entertainment of Florida. "The Fort Lauderdale setting provides a unique course that we know runners appreciate based on the growth in participation in the second year. Our post-race party had all the themes representative of the special community we live in - the sun, the water, great weather, beach music. We had it all."

2nd 13.1 Marathon Ft. Lauderdale
Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Sunday, November 15, 2009

MEN
1) Pedro Gonzalez (FL), 1:12:40*
2) Cobi Morales (FL), 1:13:55
3) John Reback (FL), 1:16:30
*course record (previous record, Cobi Morales (FL), 1:15:28, 2008)

WOMEN
1) Julia Stamps Mallon (FL), 1:21:12*
2) Tami James (FL), 1:27:52
3) Caterina Lancia, 44, FL, 1:32:23
*course record (previous record, Natasha Yaremczuk (CAN), 1:27:34, 2008)

For complete results, go to: www.131marathon.com