Running USA wire 35, May 2, 2010

Khannouchi, Abdirahman, Curtis, Smyth, Trafeh among U.S. favorites against top international field on Saturday, May 15

NEW YORK - (April 28, 2010) - Rising American stars Bobby Curtis, Patrick Smyth and Mo Trafeh will join three-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman and four-time Chicago Marathon champion Khalid Khannouchi, who is looking to make his running comeback, at the UAE Healthy Kidney 10K on Saturday, May 15, in Central Park, it was announced by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.

The top Americans will face a tough international contingent, which includes 2010 NYC Half-Marathon champion Peter Kamais of Kenya, Australian 10,000 meter record holder (27:29.73) Collis Birmingham and seven-time NCAA Champion Alistair Cragg of Ireland. Also toeing the line on May 15 will be 2009 World Cross Country Champion Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia, who boasts the fastest 10,000m time in the field (26:52.73).

Khannouchi, 38, of Ossining, NY, will return to New York City for the first time since he finished fourth at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. His last competitive race was at the 2008 Steamboat Classic 4 Mile in Peoria, IL, where he finished ninth. Khannouchi set the U.S. marathon record at the 2002 London Marathon with his 2:05:38 victory.

"I am very happy to be back running the Healthy Kidney 10K and am excited that I am going to be racing very soon, especially in my backyard - Central Park," said Khannouchi. "After a painful and slow recovery from foot surgery last year, I decided Central Park is the best place for a new beginning in my running career."

Abdirahman (left, PhotoRun), 33, of Tucson, AZ, will make his second appearance at the UAE Healthy Kidney 10K in 2010, after an 11th place finish last year. Abdirahman won the 2009 USA 10K road championship in 28:11.

Curtis, 25, of Ardmore, PA, is a two-time member of the U.S. team at the World Cross Country Championships. He became the second-fastest 5000 meter runner in Villanova University history when he won the 2009 NCAA title at that distance in 13:33.93.

Smyth, 23, of Minneapolis, MN, is off to a fast start in 2010. The Team USA Minnesota member won his first race of the year at the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run 4 Mile in Central Park in 18:35 and finished runner-up at the USA Half-Marathon Championships in January.

Trafeh, 24, of Duarte, CA, is looking to improve upon his finish at the 2010 NYC Half Marathon on March 21. After a duel for second with Kenya's Moses Kigen Kipkosgei, Trafeh finished third, one second behind Kigen, in 1:00:39. He won the USA 15K title in Jacksonville, FL on March 13 in 42:58.

"Our American men are on a roll in New York City and we can't wait to have them back," said Wittenberg. "With Khalid making his racing comeback, and Abdi, Bobby, Patrick, Mo, and others racing tough, we know red, white and blue will be in the mix for an exciting race."

The athletes will be taking aim at the course record of 27 minutes, 48 seconds, set in 2009 by Tadese Tola. Tola broke the previous record, set by Dathan Ritzenhein at the UAE Healthy Kidney 10K in 2007, by 20 seconds and earned a $20,000 bonus for running the fastest-ever 10K in Central Park.

The Healthy Kidney 10K is an open race led by a select field of professional male runners and offers $25,000 in prize money to the top finishers, with $7500 for the male winner.

The race is sponsored by the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates to benefit the National Kidney Foundation, in appreciation of American medical excellence in the kidney transplant field. The late UAE president Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan benefited from American expertise, knowledge and research when he received a kidney transplant in 2000. Among his many honors and accomplishments, he was most proud of being a kidney transplant survivor.

For more information, visit: www.NYRR.org

Foley, Kraus half-marathon champions; event record field of nearly 26,000 at 12th edition

CINCINNATI - (May 2, 2010) - A familiar face in the Cincinnati running community won the 12th Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon powered by P&G on Sunday morning as an event record field of 25,944 braved cloudy skies and intermittent rain to take part in the two-day event.

The event featured 18,520 in the Sunday races, including 4,879 registered for the marathon, 10,861 in the half-marathon and 2,780 in the 4-person relay division. In the Saturday races, 1,996 were registered for the Toyota 10K, 2,535 in the Fleet Feet Sports 5K, 2,269 for the Ernst & Young Kids One Mile and 624 in the Flying Piglet Fun Run.

Winning the Flying Pig Marathon was 26-year-old Brian List of Miamiville, Ohio, who ran 2 hours, 31 minutes, 56 seconds for his first-ever marathon win. List was the runner-up at the 2008 Marathon and was the winner of the 2009 Cincinnati Heart Mini-Marathon.

Second in the men's division was 30-year-old Tilahun Abebe in 2:34:41. Abebe was the winner of the 2006 Flying Pig Half Marathon. Third was Rob Morwood, 35, of Lebanon, Ohio, in 2:36:07. The top three runners all train as members of the local Earth Drummers running club. List had been running among the leaders for most of the marathon before overtaking Abebe at about mile 22.

"I've been aiming for a 2:30 time the last three years," said List. "This year, I said, even though I fall off the 2:30 pace, I'll just try to run a little faster than I had before. I've always been a good runner from behind."

In the women's division, 26-year-old Cynthia Arnold of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, won in 2:55:02. While this is her first traditional marathon win in her first Pig, she is the reigning USA Trail Marathon champion. Back in the area visiting family in Lexington, Kentucky, Cynthia decided to run after getting a cortisone shot and a larger sized shoe for a foot injury. "I didn't know how fast I could run today (because of the injury), but I was in the front pretty much. When the half broke off, I was by myself and the crowd kept telling me how I was doing. In fact, that's my favorite part of these races, the crowd support. In trail races, nobody knows where you are." Arnold's husband, Louis Brenner, also ran in today's Half Marathon, finishing his event in 1:40:49.

Runner-up in the women's division was Marnie Staehly, 32, from Houston, Texas, in her first Pig (2:58:29), and third in 3:02:30 was 28-year-old Rachel Bea of Cincinnati, who, as Rachel Stoehr, was the winner of the 2008 Flying Pig Half Marathon. Bea, a running coach at Simon Kenton High School, actually was involved in her second event of Pig weekend. She coaches a Ryland Runners team that participated in the Ernst & Young Kids One Mile event on Saturday.

In the Flying Pig Half Marathon, two Cincinnati-area residents were the winners in the Open divisions. Sycamore High graduate Ben Foley, a sophomore at Xavier University, won the event in 1:12:35, while 23-year-old Leslie Kraus, a University of Cincinnati graduate, captured the women's division in 1:24:23.

"In the beginning I thought I might have been silly going out in front," said Foley, who was running in his second Flying Pig Half Marathon and had to battle anemia the last few months before having the strength to train. "I wondered when the other competitors were going to catch up, because I rarely run this distance. But I felt like after the 10K mark I was in good enough shape and I kept telling myself to keep holding my lead."

Second in the men's division was 31-year-old Jason Gantt of Loveland, OH, in a time of 1:13:25, and third was former Flying Pig Marathon and Half Marathon champion T.J. Lentz, 43, in 1:14:25.

In the women's division, Kraus, third in last year's race, was able to get a lead early to hold on to her first victory in the Half Marathon. It was only her second event since coming back from a stress fracture in her left shin over the winter.

"I wanted to be top 10 because I haven't been running for very long and I'm just so happy that I'm running without pain," said Kraus, who's been back training for about six weeks. "I started up front and there were a couple of girls with me, so I just tried to stay with them.

Second was 28-year-old Carrie Birth of Maineville, OH, the reigning winner of the Heart Mini-Marathon, who finished in 1:25:13, and third was Pig veteran Tara Keller, 35, of Bexley, OH, who was competing in her 10th Flying Pig Marathon weekend and clocked a 1:26:28.

In the City Dash 4-Person Relay, the Wofford Terriers team won in a time of 2:51:08 followed by Sacred Heart of Fairfield, Ohio, in 2:55:59 and third was Led Feet in 3:09:28. In the women's relay division, Count Pour Lick Stick won in 3:19:25. Second was Boca Beauties in 3:34:03 and third was Davidson CC Moms (3:51:00).

12th Flying Pig Marathon
Cincinnati, OH, Sunday, May 2, 2010

MEN
1) Brian List (OH), 2:31:56
2) Tilahun Abebe (ETH), 2:34:41
3) Rob Morwood (OH), 2:36:07

WOMEN
1) Cynthia Arnold (CO), 2:55:02
2) Marnie Staehly (TX), 2:58:29
3) Rachel Bea (OH), 3:02:30

For complete results and photos, go to: www.flyingpigmarathon.com

After 22-year hiatus, Hi-Lite Meet again will attract nation's top mid-distance and distance runners

CORVALLIS, Ore. - (April 28, 2010) - Strands.com is reviving the historic Hi-Lite Track Meet in Corvallis with a high performance track meet and community events on Saturday, May 29 at the Corvallis High School track.

The Strands.com Hi-Lite Meet will draw many of the nation's best mid-distance and distance runners for the first high performance track meet hosted in Corvallis since the Oregon State University men's and women's track programs were cut in 1988. The Hi-Lite Meet originated on May 30, 1974 under the direction of Oregon State Head Coach Berny Wagner. During its 14-year history, the meet was host to some titans in the history of USA Track & Field, including Steve Prefontaine and Mary Decker, among others. The meet will take place at Corvallis High School, where 41 years ago Prefontaine set the National High School 2 mile record (8:41.5).

"Corvallis has a tradition of great track and field and a vibrant running community," said Strands.com Marketing Director Matt Downin. "We thought it would be fun to host a track meet that brings together the community and some of the nation's best track talent."

Community events are slated to begin at 6:30pm. Runners of all ages and abilities are invited to participate in an Open Mile, Boys Middle School Mile, Girls Middle School Mile, Pre-teen 400 Meter Dash, Kids 50 Meter Dash and Corporate Relay (4 x 400). To register for the community events, visit the official Strands.com Hi-Lite Meet website at: www.strands.com/events/strandscom

The elite meet will feature a men's and women's 800 meters, 1500, 5000 and a men's 10,000 meters. Coaches and athletes interested in attending the meet need to contact Seamus Nally to register at nally@strands.com.

Team Strands.com / Mizuno is sponsored by Strands.com and Mizuno USA. Strands.com is an online training log and social networking site where athletes share their training, connect with friends and teammates, and streamline their online activities.

Exclusive price, individualized schedule for 2010 Army Ten-Miler participants

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In its 26th year, the 2010 Army-Ten Miler will feature an online, interactive training program available with an exclusive promotion for all entrants.

The Army Ten-Miler, one of the nation's most well-known endurance running events, will partner with Focus-N-Fly, the leader in personalized online training. All race participants, from beginners to experienced competitors, will have the opportunity to sign up via the website for individually crafted training at an exclusive Army Ten-Miler price ($24.95 before May 31st and $29.95 after). Programs are developed immediately upon registration with daily assignments and guide the trainee up to race day.

"One of the objectives for our Army Ten-Miler race is to promote health and fitness. Over the last 25 years, the Army Ten-Miler has helped over 226,000 people achieve their running and fitness goals. We are excited to team-up with the Focus-N-Fly online training program for the 2010 race to offer runners, of all levels, another great tool to achieve their fitness and race goals," said Jim Vandak, Army Ten-Miler race director.

Tom McGlynn, three-time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier and founder of Focus-N-Fly adds, "We are energized about the opportunity to partner with the Army Ten-Miler and join them in their goals of promoting fitness and supporting the families of our nation's service members. We look forward to helping as many participants as possible train effectively and enjoy the running experience over America's most historic 10 mile race course this October."

The Focus-N-Fly training system collects a variety of personal information upon initial login and then utilizes this data against the thousands of workouts and records in its database to generate an individualized schedule. The training adapts to each participant's fitness level, as they enter training log details and run / time trial results so that paces, progression and variance adapt accordingly. The Web 2.0 experience is user-friendly and features a forum where race participants can discuss nutrition, shoes and injuries.

For more information and to access this exclusive Focus-N-Fly training offer, go to: http://armytenmiler.focusnfly.com