Wire 32, April 21, 2004

In this edition of the Running USA wire:

1) Boston 2004: A First Person Trial by Fire Account
2) Past Champions Return to Big Sur Int'l Marathon
3) Int'l Field Set for Inaugural Salt Lake City Marathon

Team Running USA sponsored by Nike
Supported by grants from the New York Road Runners and Atlanta Track Club

Copyright © 2004 Running USA
All Rights Reserved
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
Country Music Marathon, Nashville, TN, April 24
http://www.cmmarathon.com
Inaugural Salt Lake City Marathon, UT, April 24
http://www.saltlakecitymarathon.com
Big Sur Int'l Marathon, Carmel, CA, April 25
http://www.bsim.org
Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, OH, April 25
http://www.clevelandmarathon.com
Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, OK, April 25
http://www.okcmarathon.com
Nike Run Hit Wonder 5K/10K, Los Angeles, CA, April 25
http://www.nike.com/nikerunning/runhitwonder/main.jhtml?ref=nike_running_usa
Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, OH, May 2
http://www.flyingpigmarathon.com
Runner's World Half-Marathon, Allentown, PA, May 2
http://www.runnersworld.com
Fifth Third River Bank 25K, Grand Rapids, MI, May 8
*USA Men's, Women's and Masters Championship
http://www.riverbankrun.com

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EDITOR'S NOTE: John Meyer who ran his first Boston Marathon last Monday is
the Olympics writer for The Denver Post.

A Run Through History: My 2004 Boston Marathon Experience
By John Meyer

You could hear them from at least a half mile away, the girls of
Wellesley College roaring their support and encouragement as we battled
through the middle miles of one of the most brutal days in the 108-year
history of the famed Boston Marathon.

For 12 miles we had been suffering through sweltering, near-record heat
that would hospitalize at least 150 runners before the day was done, and we
weren't even halfway from Hopkinton to Boston. Some of the wildly
enthusiastic Wellesley coeds wore pink T-shirts with arrows pointing left
and the words: Boston 13.5 miles. When we reached the famous "Scream Tunnel"
at Wellesley the noise was deafening.

That always will be one of the most vivid memories of my first "run
through history" because it was one of those magical Boston Marathon scenes
I'd imagined for nearly 30 years. "You finally made it," I thought, my eyes
momentarily filling with tears of joy.

For all of my adult life I dreamed of experiencing the world's most
famous foot race, and when my time came it would go down as a race to be
endured rather than enjoyed, a race when the primary goal was to avoid
becoming a medical emergency and just get that coveted finisher's medal,
whatever time it took.

Despite temperatures in the mid-80s and an excruciating battle with leg
cramps that tortured me the last third of the race, it was one of the most
thrilling experiences of my life. The official adidas poster for this year's
race said, "Sweat, pain and exhaustion are all temporary. Finishing Boston
is forever." That sentiment was never more true than this year.

One friend of mine, a talented 24-year-old runner who probably was fit
enough to run 3:25 with reasonable temperatures, stopped at the 25K mark
(15.5 miles) when another runner noticed her eyes didn't look right and her
voice didn't sound right. Medics found her temperature to be 100.3 degrees,
diagnosed her with second-degree heat exhaustion and sent her to the
hospital in an ambulance. She cried for two hours, such was her dream of
finishing Boston.

What is it about Boston that has this mystical hold on runners,
especially marathoners? The New York City Marathon is a phenomenal race,
touching all five boroughs with all of their rich diversity and finishing in
Central Park. The Chicago Marathon is a great race, flat and fast, superbly
run and massive in size.

But those races are products of the great running boom of the 1970s. They
were inspired by the Boston Marathon, created in 1897 to emulate the first
Olympic Marathon of 1896.

The Boston Marathon stood alone as the definitive event in running before
running became a fad and a fitness boom for the masses in the 1970s. Boston
is where runners go to connect with the history of their sport in a way only
Boston can offer - if they are good enough to satisfy its qualifying times.

Boston makes a marathoner feel special because you have to qualify to
enter. Most runners will never run marathons and most marathoners never will
run fast enough to qualify for Boston. That makes running Boston a
privilege, a distinction, an induction into an exclusive fraternity.

Boston also is a damned tough race even on a good day. You can read for
years about the toll Boston's downhill sections take on the quads, you can
respect them and believe you are prepared for them, but they have to be
experienced to be understood.

The scene at the staging area before this year's race was fascinating.
All of the runners knew we were in for a brutal day that was potentially
dangerous. We knew temperatures would be in the 80s, that our times would
suffer drastically and attrition was bound to be high. Yet the mood was far
from grim. We were about to run Boston. The mood was optimistic, joyful,
eager.

I'd had good weather for my previous nine marathons and knew sooner or
later my luck was bound to run out. This time it did. Boston starts at noon,
and it was 83 degrees when we began our long journey to Boston. By the
finish it would be 85 or 86 degrees (reports varied), just short of the
record high for the date (87).

I was careful to stop at every official aid station for Gatorade to make
sure I got as much fluid as possible. I was struck by how many unofficial
aid stations were set up along the way. Countless residents provided orange
slices, ice chunks, Popsicles and even paper towels for wiping our brows. I
can't imagine how much money those people spent to help us, but it was as
appreciated as it was astonishing to behold.

Like any other marathon I knew it was crucial to make sure I didn't start
out too fast. But how do you know the right pace when you're experiencing
conditions you've never experienced before? You can't plug your data from
your last 20-miler into a computer - time, pace, heart rate, air
temperature - to get the proper pace adjustment for running a marathon at 85
degrees. I thought I was being conservative running 8:30 miles on mostly
downhill terrain early in the race (I averaged 8 minutes per mile when I ran
my qualifying time in Chicago last October) but it was way, way too fast and
I would pay the price.

I was starting to feel occasional cramps as we approached the famous
"Scream Tunnel" at Wellesley College. I'd been reading about the Wellesley
coeds for decades and looked forward to hearing them pull us through mile
13, but I was amazed at their volume and enthusiasm.

By Wellesley the course had dropped 400 feet from the start in Hopkinton.
Ahead of us was a short climb, two more downhill miles and then the 4.5 mile
section of hills that leads to the infamous Heartbreak Hill on mile 21.

The race turned into a real struggle on the hills of Newton. My cramps
steadily increased in frequency and intensity. My pace slowed considerably
and it became less of a race than an endurance test, like climbing the West
Ridge of Everest. I was determined to finish, no matter how long it took.

Before long, though, I even began to wonder about that. It is unthinkable
for me to drop out of a race, but I started noticing runners on the side of
the course waiting for medical attention. Some looked like they were in
serious trouble and needed help immediately. I began to realize this was
becoming a very serious situation. Those runners had been determined to
finish, too. I had to accept the possibility there would come a point where
I'd have no choice about going on. Later I would learn my 24-year-old friend
begged the medics to let her continue running, but they told her there was
no way her body would get her to the finish line.

I kept checking myself for symptoms of heat exhaustion. I never got
disoriented or dizzy, so I kept going. I'd just have to find a way to keep
my legs moving when they were locking up with almost every labored step.

The crowd support, which had been amazing almost without interruption
since we left Hopkinton, got even stronger, louder and more fervent as we
approached downtown Boston. All major marathons have enthusiastic,
supportive crowds, but there's something different about the crowds in
Boston. Bostonians understand what the Boston Marathon means to runners, to
the sport and to Boston. They know the way this course tears down the quads,
they knew this year's conditions were horrendous and they seemed to feel an
obligation to pull us through.

Less than a mile from the finish a guy in the crowd who had already
finished dangled his finisher's medal for encouragement as I went by. That
got me through the final minutes of my run through history and I hobbled
across the finish line with a time of 4:27:19.

That is a horrible time, by far the worst of my 10 marathons, 57 minutes
slower than my PR at Chicago six months ago. Had it occurred under different
circumstances I would have been humiliated by it, but I'm actually kind of
proud of it. It wasn't because I didn't train hard enough, I trained as hard
as I could and did everything else I could to prepare. It wasn't because I
didn't run as hard as I could in the race. I didn't wimp out, I gave it
everything I had. In the final miles when my pace became ridiculously slow,
I was going as fast as I could. Even if I had paced myself perfectly early
in the race, I still would have run a crummy time, probably in the 4 hour
range.

I'm disappointed in the outcome, but I'm not disappointed in myself. One
friend of mine, a far better runner than me, ran Boston in 2:51 last year.
He ran 3:49 this year. It was that kind of day. Bill Rodgers, who won Boston
four times, dropped out at mile 21 the first time he ran it on a hot day in
1973 when he got dehydrated. Temperatures that day in 1973 were in the high
70s, not the 80s.

More than 1,100 were treated for dehydration, heart ailments and other
medical problems. Of the 18,002 who started, 1,209 did not finish. Last
year's men's winner dropped out a mile from the finish. The women's winner,
Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, fought cramps the last 2K and sat in a
wheelchair for the awards ceremony.

"I felt like I was dead," said Ndereba, who staggered across the finish
line.

My quads feel like somebody beat them with a baseball bat, but I love the
marathon now more than ever. I finally ran in the world's most famous foot
race, I survived an inferno they will talk about for years and I got a
finisher's medal I will cherish forever. My daughter Stephanie got to see
the Boston Marathon (Erin goes next year) at mile 19, where she held a sign
for me that said, "Go Dad!! Luv you! Mr. Marathon."

I just wish I didn't have to wait a year to do it again.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Franca Gargiulo, Director of Media Relations
(415) 922-2870; franca.gargiulo@...

Past Champions Return to Big Sur International Marathon

CARMEL, Calif. - (April 21, 2004) - An outstanding elite field is scheduled
to challenge the Big Sur International Marathon course on Sunday, April 25,
2004. The field for the 19th presentation includes the two-time defending
champions in both the men's and women's field. In addition, three other past
champions are scheduled to compete.

As 1987 fades further from memory, the second running of the Big Sur
International Marathon is still the fastest ever run. Brad Hawthorne, 31
years old at the time, completed the course in 2:16:39, a record never
seriously challenged in the 16 presentations since 1987.

Heading the Elite list are two-time defending champions, Jonathon Ndambuki,
who has run the second and fourth fastest Big Sur Marathons in history, and
JulieAnne White. For the men, Chokri Dhaouadi of Tunisia who took second
last year, returns for his second Big Sur Marathon. Wilson Gaitha,
originally from Kenya, who took fourth in last year's inaugural Big Sur Half
Marathon, is also set to challenge Ndambuki and a new course record could be
the result.

The women's field this year features several past champions. Two-time
defending champion, JulieAnne White, originally from Canada, is joined by
Kim Marie Goff, a four-time Big Sur champion from New Hampshire (1991,
1994-95 and 1997) and a breast cancer survivor. Although she has never won
our race, Christine Kennedy, from California, posted the fourth fastest Big
Sur in history in 2:46:30 when she finished second in 1993. Suzi Morris,
also from California and the 1999 Big Sur winner, will also challenge White.
Finally, Kari DiStefano, who finished third in 2000 and second in both 2001
and 2003, will try to move up one more spot in this year's race.

The 19th annual presentation of the Big Sur International Marathon is set
for Sunday, April 25 at 7:00 A.M. All proceeds from the event will be
distributed to non-profit organizations throughout Monterey County and Big
Sur. Over the past 18 years, more than $1 million has been distributed to
local charities. For more information, call the Big Sur International
Marathon office at (831) 625-6226 or www.bsim.org.

Elite Field as of April 12, 2004

MEN
* Jonathan Ndambuki (KEN)- Two-time defending champion; holder of the second
and fourth fastest times ever
* Chokri Dhaouadi (TUN) - Second last year in his first Big Sur
* Wilson Gatiha (KEN) - Fourth in last year's inaugural Big Sur Half
Marathon

WOMEN
* JulieAnne White (CAN) - Two-time defending champion
* Kim Marie Goff (NH) - Four-time Big Sur champion (1991, '94-95 and '97);
breast cancer survivor
* Christine Kennedy (IRL/CA) - Holder of the fourth fastest Big Sur in
history when she finished 2nd in 1993
* Suzi Morris (CA) - 1999 Big Sur winner
* Kari DiStefano (CO) - Third once and second twice

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Karen Boe, (801) 230-5404; kboe@...

ELITE FIELD ANNOUNCED FOR SALT LAKE CITY MARATHON
International Field to Set Inaugural Course Records

SALT LAKE CITY - (April 20, 2004) - An international elite field of talented
world class runners from around the globe will be vying for over $100,000 in
prize money with $25,000 to the champions and to set the course records for
the inaugural Salt Lake City Marathon, Run, Bump & Boogie on Saturday, April
24.

Heading the men's field with what promises to make up a very healthy
competition is John Kariuki from Kenya. Having finished 1st in the Detroit
Marathon in 2002 with a time of 2:19:04, Kariuki's personal record for a
marathon is 2:12:51 at the 2002 Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in San Diego.
Fellow Kenyans challenging him for the win will be Michael Mislay who took
1st place in the 2003 Hartford Marathon. Mislay boasts a best of 2:14:25,
and Gabriel Muchiri who finished fourth in 2:14:53 at the 2003 Twin Cities
Marathon. David Rotich, also from Kenya, is strong in the running for a
course record with a 2003 Ruhr Int'l Marathon from Germany of 2:17:00. Mike
Korir will be running with a best of 2:18:43 and Kenyan Christopher Koech is
in the running with a personal record of 2:26:44 from the 2004 HP Houston
Marathon.

Also in the running for the prize money is Ethiopian Kassahun Kabiso with a
PR of 2:15:38. Juan Carlos Gutierrez from Columbia, with a 2003
half-marathon time of 1:02:53 from Bogotá will be challenged by Mindaugas
Pukstas of Lithuania, who took 3rd place in his marathon debut in Austin in
2004 with a 2:14:59. Also competing for course records will be Aleysey
Khokhlov who took first overall in Copenhagen in 2003 with a 2:18:00. Retta
Feyissa from Ethiopia with a record of 2:23:53 will be running alongside
Hector Lopez who took 4th place overall in the 2003 Big Sur Marathon with a
time of 2:27:00.

Also competing this inaugural year is Russian Sasha Pachev, the 2003 Top of
Utah winner, whose best time is 2:24:47 at St. George. William Kemey of
Kenya runs his debut marathon with a half-marathon best of 1:04. Local elite
runner Kevin Herd will be searching for a top place after winning his debut
marathon, the 2004 Las Vegas Marathon in 2:28:13. Ogden runner Joe Wilson
who owns a time of 2:21:31 from the 2003 Austin Motorola Marathon is
expected to be in direct competition with Farmington runner Corbin Talley,
with a personal record of 2:21:33, having finished third in the St. George
Marathon.

Heading up the master men's division will be Russian Gennady Temnikov with a
2:20:23 from the 2002 Boston Marathon, third master. Also in the masters
field are Bernie Boettcher from Silt, Colorado, with a personal best of
2:34:36 at the 2002 Tucson Marathon and Chris Clark who was first master at
the 2003 Napa Valley Marathon with a time of 2:37:58.

Look for strong performances from the women's field. Heading an
international field will be Rose Chichi from Kenya with a time of 1:13:29
from the 2003 Kenya Half-Marathon running against Rimma Dubovik from Russia.
Dubovik clocked a 2:26:50 to win the 2003 Eurasia Intercontinental Marathon
in Turkey. She also took first place in the 2002 Eurasia race.

Fellow Russian Lioudmila Kortchaguina, the 2003 Pittsburgh Marathon champion
(2:29:53), should also be a contender. She recently won the 2003 Dallas
White Rock Marathon and came in sixth in the 2004 Los Angeles Marathon.
Aurica Buia from Romania ran 2:34:15 in the 2003 Los Angeles Marathon and
boasts a personal record of 2:31:39 from Vienna. Look for Maria Portilla
from Peru to be hot on her heels. With her best time of 2:35:30, Portilla
finished right behind Buia at the 2003 Los Angeles Marathon. Canadian born
veteran runner Stephanie Hodge will be running in this pack to beat her
personal record of 2:55:23 from the 2002 St. George Marathon.

U.S. women are closely matched in times with the international field. Paula
Morrison of Tucson, Arizona took third place in the 2002 St. George Marathon
with her personal record of 2:44:50. She was a U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials
qualifier this year.

Provo, Utah runner Maggie Chan-Roper boasts a personal record of 2:37:52
from the 2002 Richmond Marathon and will be challenged by Michelle
Simonaitis. A Draper resident, Simonaitis won the St. George Marathon in
2003 and boasts a record of 2:40:34, run at the 2002 USA Marathon
Championship. She is also the winner of the 2002 Top of Utah Marathon and is
a three-time Olympic Trials qualifier. Norway-born Ingunn Earl, one of
Utah's newest elite distance runners, took first place in the Ogden Relay in
2003 with her personal best of 2:50:02. Becky Sontag from Casper, Wyoming
who won the 2002 Houston Marathon is also in this field. Also at the start
line will be Julie Thomas of Holladay who has taken 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th in
the Deseret News Marathon, achieving her personal record of 2:52:00 in 2003.
Right on her heels will be Lisa Mangum a local mother of five children, who
ran the 2002 St. George Marathon in her personal best of 2:55:23.

Elite masters women division runners include Irina Bogacheva from
Kyrgyzstan. Bogacheva - who will also be a contender in the Open race -
boasts a personal record of 2:26:27 and won the 2003 Country Music Marathon
in 2:28:06. An Olympian for Kyrgyzstan, she has already been selected for
the 2004 Athens Games. In one of her biggest performances, she finished 2nd
at the Boston Marathon in 2000. Competing with Bogacheva in the masters
class is Luzma Caballero and Brenda Graham Gray.

Slated for the inaugural running on April 24, the Salt Lake City Marathon &
5K, themed "Run, Bump & Boogie," is destined to be the most spectacular new
Marathon & 5K. The Salt Lake City Marathon & 5K is certified and sanctioned
by USATF, and is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. The Huntsman Cancer
Institute, the premiere cancer research and care facility in the
Intermountain West is the charity organizers have selected to partner with.

For race information, contact Scott Kerr, Race Director at (801) 412-6060.
The presenting sponsor of the Salt Lake City Marathon & 5K is Ken Garff
Automotive Group.

# # #

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services
385 Oak View Ln
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
(805) 696-6232; fax (805) 967-5958
http://www.runningusa.org