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March 26, 2008
Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon Course Unveiled
Inaugural footrace aims to energize local running community and provide entertaining destination event for runners and walkers of all abilities
SAN ANTONIO, Tex., (March 25, 2008) — Elite Racing, Inc., organizer of the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon, promised to energize the local running community and provide an entertaining destination event for runners and walkers of all abilities as members of the race committee and city officials unveiled the new course today. Approximately 20,000 runners and walkers are expected for the musical event that will showcase San Antonio’s southwestern flair when it debuts Sun., Nov. 16, 2008.
“Texas has a strong running community and we are pleased the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon will soon be one of the state’s and the nation’s premiere running events,” said Lucy Diaz, the event’s manager. “This world-class course will attract elite athletes and provide a fun-filled tour through San Antonio’s vibrant city, parks and historic sites.”
Early interest in the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon is positive with nearly 5,000 participants already entered. Considering the race’s family-friendly appeal and the region’s ideal autumn running climate, organizers expect a strong debut and continued annual growth.
Organizers noted early registration ends on March 31, 2008. Potential participants are encouraged to commit now to the marathon or half-marathon and save on the entry fees before the prices go up. Current fees are $80 for the marathon and $65 for the half-marathon, which will increase by $15 and $10 respectively.
Participants and spectators alike are in for a block-party experience when the race implements its rock ‘n’ roll theme with rousing music, hundreds of local high school cheerleading squads and themed water stations line each mile of the course. The inaugural event concludes with an evening concert at the Alamodome, free to all participants and featuring a major rock ‘n’ roll headliner.
In addition, the race will draw elite runners from around the world vying for cash prizes. A free two-day “Health and Fitness Expo,” open to the public, will be held November 14 and 15 at the Alamodome, featuring fitness related clinics and the latest health and nutrition information with a variety of products for sample and sale.
For more information or to register online for the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon, visit www.RnRsa.com or contact Elite Racing, Inc. at 800-311-1255.
Course Description
The start line village will be located on Broadway near Brakenridge Park. The race begins with an invitational elite wheelchair race at 7:25 a.m. followed by a simultaneous marathon and half-marathon start at 7:30 a.m. Participants will travel south towards downtown. Just past the San Antonio Express-News Headquarters the course turns East onto 4th Avenue, running behind the River Center Mall before turning North onto Alamo Plaza and passing the Alamo before passing mile three.
March 24, 2008
Houston Marathon Registration re-opens April 1; Cap raised to 18,000 this year
HOUSTON - (March 18, 2008) - The Houston Marathon Committee has increased the number of participants it will allow into the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon to 18,000 for the January 18, 2009 event, a bump of 1,000 over the 2008 race cap.
The 18,000 limit is a combined cap for the marathon and half-marathon. The field for the EP5K, the companion 5K race presented by the El Paso Corporation, will be limited to 5,000.
Race organizers encourage runners to register early. The marathon and half-marathon reached their 2008 combined limit of 17,000 on September 28, 2007, fourteen weeks before race weekend.
“Our participant growth rate and the demand to enter our races over the last seven years have been phenomenal,” Race Director Brant Kotch said. “But we want to manage that growth appropriately to ensure that every runner has a great experience in Houston.”
Online registration re-opens Tuesday, April 1 for the marathon, half-marathon and 5K. Early registration was open from race weekend until Jan. 31, with more than 3,000 participants taking advantage of the early sign-up.
Runners can register for any of the races online at ChevronHoustonMarathon.com. The registration fee is $90 for the marathon and $65 for the half-marathon through Thursday, May 15, when both prices increase $10. The entry fee for the EP5K is $20 through Friday, October 31.
The three races, along with the Texas Children’s Hospital Kid’s Fun Run on the Saturday of race weekend, attracted 20,000 runners in 2008, making the event one of the largest of its kind in the country.
The Chevron Houston Marathon, a Running USA Founding Member, is the nation’s premier winter marathon, annually attracting participants from all 50 U.S. states and nearly 30 foreign countries. The marathon offers the only closed marathon course in Texas and is ranked among the top five in the nation by the Ultimate Guide to Marathons for fastest course, organization and crowd support. More than 5,000 volunteers help organize the race, which is Houston’s largest single-day sporting event.
More information is available at ChevronHoustonMarathon.com or by calling (713) 957-3453.
March 19, 2008
Some Olympic events could be at risk given Beijing pollution issue
From the IOC… 17 March 2008
With the health of athletes who participate in the Olympic Games being of the utmost importance to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the IOC’s Medical Commission has been appraising the air quality in the Chinese capital.
Over the past weeks, an analysis has been made of a set of data – including temperature, wind, humidity and SO2, NO2, CO, Ozone and PM10 readings – which were taken by the Beijing Environment Protection Bureau from 8 to 29 August 2007 and given to the IOC. The data have been evaluated on the basis of the WHO 2005 interim target standards. The findings indicate that, at Games time one year out, the health of athletes was largely not impaired. This finding is upheld by the fact that no health issues related to air quality were reported to the IOC by any of the team physicians who looked after athletes competing during the August 2007 test events. Nor were any such problems reported at the IAAF Junior World Championships that were held in August 2006. Moreover, measures are continuously being taken by the Chinese authorities which can be expected to improve the air quality further when compared with 2006 and 2007.
For outdoor endurance events that include minimum one hour continuous physical efforts at high level – urban road cycling, mountain bike, marathon, marathon swimming, triathlon and road walk - the IOC Medical Commission’s findings indicated that there may be some risk. The IOC will, therefore, be working together with the relevant International Federations in order to put in place procedures which will allow a “plan B” to be activated for such events if necessary. The procedure will include daily monitoring of air quality and weather conditions at the venue, a reporting process from the Beijing Environment Protection Bureau to the IOC and relevant sports Federation, and a joint IOC-sports Federation decision to postpone the event if necessary.
March 19, 2008
Heart Condition Led to Runner’s Death
Suzy Allman/The New York Times
Ryan Shay, second from left, died after collapsing during the United States Olympic marathon trials in November 2007.
Shay, who was 28 when he died Nov. 3 in pursuit of a berth in the Beijing Olympics, was found to have an enlarged heart at age 14, according to his father, Joe Shay. The medical examiner could not determine the origin of the patchy scars, called fibrosis.
Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner, said she could not comment on the specific results of the toxicology tests as a matter of policy, nor could she reveal what chemicals were tested for. Joe Shay said none of the toxicology tests were positive, although he did not know what tests were conducted.
“I believe it was a fair and accurate assessment,” Joe Shay said Tuesday in a telephone interview from the family’s home in Central Lake, Mich. He was informed of the results by telephone and e-mail messages from the medical examiner’s office and was awaiting a copy of the full report.
March 16, 2008
Kenya’s Kiptoo Yego wins Rome marathon
From Reuters…
ROME, March 16 (Reuters) - Kenya’s Jonathan Kiptoo Yego outstripped his compatriot Philip Sanga Kimutai in the closing stages to win the Rome marathon on Sunday.
Kiptoo Yego ran a personal best time of two hours, nine minutes and 57 seconds in windy conditions with Sanga Kimutai crossing the line just five seconds behind him.
Their fellow Kenyan Henry Kapkyai Kimeli came in third in a time of 2:10.17 after having led for a large part of the race.
Russia’s Galina Bogomolova won the women’s race with in 2:22.53, the fastest a woman has run a marathon on Italian soil.
Her compatriot Larissa Zousko was more than five minutes behind in second place with Hungary’s Aniko Kalovic third. (Reporting by Paul Virgo, editing by Rex Gowar)
March 13, 2008
Olympic officials reject marathon switch
CNN - BEIJING, China — Chinese Olympic officials have dismissed Ethiopian world record holder Haile Gebrselassie offer to run in the marathon in Beijing if the venue could be switched.
Gebrselassie says he is hoping to compete in the 10,000 meters race at Beijing. “The course for the marathon has been fixed and there are no plans to change it,” said Sun Weide, spokesman for the Beijing Olympic organizing committee. Gebrselassie, an asthma sufferer, said earlier this week that he would not run in the marathon in Beijing because he feared pollution could damage his health. Since then he has added that he would consider taking part if the venue for the race was switched to a less polluted location. Chinese officials were not happy with the suggestion. “Beijing is a beautiful city, the marathon route is well planned, and the spectators are hospitable,” said Sun. “As for the pollution, we are confident that we can deliver good air quality for the Games.”
The marathon is scheduled to start in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square and finish in the main Olympic stadium north of the city center prior to the closing ceremony on August 24. On a visit to Beijing last month Gebrselassie said he had driven along the course and described it as “excellent.” After the initial statement that he would not run Gebrselassie later said: “If the International Olympic Committee (IOC) makes the decision to switch venues, then I may compete depending on how my training is going. “People must understand that this is a sporting decision and no different than what I make for every competition.” International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge has expressed concern about air quality in Beijing and warned that endurance events such as the marathon could be postponed if pollution posed a threat to competitors’ health.
It has been reported that Gebrselassie has come under pressure from his supporters in Ethiopia to reverse his decision not to take part in the race. Gebrselassie stressed that his announcement should not be misconstrued as a snub to China. “I have nothing against China or their hosting of the Olympics. They are doing a great job,” he said. “I have planned to compete in the 10,000 meters, but first I have to qualify for the Ethiopian team. That is not easy,” he said.
March 12, 2008
2007 Boston Marathon Elite International Field Announced
BOSTON, MA (March 14, 2007) —In its 22nd year as principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon, John Hancock announced its elite team of 25 marathon runners from eight countries today, including American Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor, defending champions Rita Jeptoo and Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of Kenya and past champion Hailu Negussie of Ethiopia. Also in the field are the leaders of the World Marathon Majors Series. The race is set for Monday, 16 April, 2007.
Defending champion Cheruiyot broke the course record last year and is ready for a rematch with 2006 runner-up Benjamin Maiyo and 2005 champion Negussie. Cheruiyot is also the points leader in the World Marathon Majors Series and won the Chicago Marathon this past fall, earning the distinction as the only man to have ever won both marathons in the same year. Negussie returns as only the second Ethiopian man to win in Boston, and he is highly motivated to gain back the title. Maiyo has finished runner-up in three big races: Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles, and is ready to stand atop the podium.
March 10, 2008
Marathons You Should Do In ‘08
Signing up for a new marathon may seem like risky business. But not if you find one so well orchestrated, it could be mistaken for an old pro. Here are 10 races with short--but strong--track records.
November 3, 2007
Men’s Olympic Marathon Trials results
It was an absolutely amazing race.
Ryan Hall, as anticipated, took first and did it with impressive style. His time of 2:09:02 bested the prior record by 1:17. This guy is the real deal and will be a blast to watch in Beijing.
Second went to another fan favorite, Dathan Ritzenhein, who came in with a 2:11:07 time and Brian Sell, a huge surprise with a gritty performance, took third in 2:11:40. Khalid Khannouchi took fourth with a 2:12:34 time and goes to Beijing as an alternate.
Dathan considers himself more a 10,000 meter runner and is still looking to qualify for the 10,000 meter marathon trials. He’s previously said if he was able to qualify for both the marathon and the 10,000 he’d opt for the 10,000 - so we’ll see if Khalid gets in as the third US representative once Dathan sorts out his options.
Wow!
November 2, 2007
Marathon twofer weekend - Olympic Trials and NYC Marathon
This weekend marathon fans get a double dose - in the same city…
The U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men’s Marathon and the ING New York City Marathon are both in New York this weekend. On Saturday, the U.S. elite male runners hoping to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics will run a course that begins at Rockefeller Center and loops five times in Central Park before ending near the famed Tavern on the Green.
Three places on the U.S. team are at stake with leading contenders including 2004 Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi, Alan Culpepper, Ryan Hall and former world record holder Khalid Khannouchi. Hall looks to be the favorite going in as he has the second fastest marathon time behind Khannouchi, who is coming back from a foot injury.
On Sunday, 38,000+ runners from over 100 countries will hit the streets of New York City for the world’s largest marathon. The New York City Marathon is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. EST for athletes with disabilities, and later for the elite women (9:37 a.m.) and men (10:08 a.m.). The course will feature the 38th running of the 26.2-mile race through New York City’s five boroughs, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan, and finish at Tavern on the Green in world-famous Central Park. This year’s purse is more than $600,000.
While every runner has their own story, the focus for Sunday will likely be the race between Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia and Ethiopian Gete Wami for a $500,000 payout from the first World Marathon Majors women’s title. Prokopcuka needs to finish third or better to have a chance at overtaking Wami in points gathered over two years in major marathons for the series.
Many of the runners run not just for themselves but for others as well… About 20 percent of NYC Marathon runners in some way run for charity. Team Reeve plans to raise$300,000 for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, Team LIVESTRONG (for the Lance Armstrong Foundation) will have 130 runners in the marathon, each raising a minimum of $3,500 for the Grassroots Fundraising arm of the foundation. Nike is donating all its profits from the LIVESTRONG yellow race shirts to the foundation for cancer research and education.. In addition, more than 5,000 runners are expected to raise $13 million for official ING New York City Marathon charities.
TV and Internet Coverage
Television
Tune in to the live start on Saturday, November 3, at 7:35 a.m. on News Channel 4HD’s Today In New York. A half-hour highlights show will be aired nationally on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. EDT on NBC. (Check local listings for exact time in your area.)
On Sunday, November 4, at 2:30 p.m., News Channel 4HD will rebroadcast the 2008 U.S Olympic Team Trials — Men’s Marathon highlights show. This will the immediately follow coverage of the ING New York City Marathon.
Internet
On Saturday, November 3rd, it’s America’s race — the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials — Men’s Marathon. And on Sunday, November 4th, it’s the world’s race — the ING New York City Marathon. Catch all the action LIVE, only on NBCSports.com/Marathon! Saturday’s broadcast will be free; Sunday will cost $4.99
The ING New York City Marathon will be available on demand after the live broadcast. All the latest marathon action can be accessed at NBCSports.com/marathon and NBCOlympics.com.
