The 10 Best Moments for U.S. Distance Running in 2006
By Ryan Lamppa, Running USA wire

As 2006 closes, it is time to recognize and celebrate the "Best Moments" in U.S. distance running, and this year, there were plenty of exciting and historic individual and collective moments (and some disappointments). 2005 was a good year for the sport and 2006 was even better as the Top 10 moments below attest.

#10
U.S. Women Strike First Ever U.S. Gold at World Mountain Running Trophy
In Bursa, Turkey last September, the Teva U.S. Women's Mountain Running Team won this country's first gold medal in the 22-year history of the World Mountain Running Trophy. With 35 points, Team USA turned back challenges from the Czech Republic and Italy, 37 and 39 points respectively. First-time team members Nicole Hunt (9th) and Rachael Dobbs (10th) and Chris Lundy (16th) led the U.S. history-making contingent.

#9
Kastor's Four U.S. Records at Berlin
At the Vattenfall Berlin Half-Marathon on April 2, Deena Kastor finished second in 1:07:34 to Edith Masai's 1:07:16 and in the process, the Team Running USA athlete broke her U.S. record by 19 seconds. Additionally en route, the two-time Olympian set three more U.S. road records: 12K in 38:24, 10 miles in 51:31 and 20K in 64:07.

#8
Jurek Wins Spartathlon Ultra in Greece
At the end of September, Scott Jurek, 7-time winner of the Western States 100 Mile Mountain Race and two-time winner of the Badwater 136 mile race from Death Valley to the base of Mt. Whitney, became the first American man ever to win the Spartathlon Ultra from Athens to Sparta, a 245.3 kilometer trek or a bit over 150 miles. His time of 22 hours, 52 minutes, 18 seconds is now #2 behind only ultra great Yiannis Kouros on the all-time course performance list.

#7
Goucher 6th at World Cross
In the final edition of the World Cross Country 4K Championship, Adam Goucher worked his way thru the stellar short course field to finish 6th in Fukuoka, Japan last April. Goucher's finish was the highest U.S. Senior men's placing since Pat Porter took the same place in the 1986 long course (12K) race.

#6
U.S. Men's Performances at LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon
Led by personal records from Abdi Abdirahman (2:08:56, 4th) and Brian Sell (2:10:47, 6th), at Chicago last October, U.S. men had their best sub-2:20 marathon mass finish (20) - excluding the Olympic Marathon Trials - in 15 years. Abdirahman, a two-time Olympian, became the fifth U.S. man under 2:09, while the Sell-fronted Hansons-Brooks Distance Project had 6 members under 2:16.

#5
Tegenkamp's 13:04.90 5000 Meters in Europe
Matt Tegenkamp, 24, served notice that he is part of the American distance running resurgence with his stellar 2006 track season. At Stockholm on July 25, the Wisconsin grad became the fourth fastest American at 5000 meters with his 13:04.90 (only Olympians Bob Kennedy, Bernard Lagat and Sydney Maree are faster). He also set PRs this year at 1500m (3:35.96), 1 mile (3:56.38), 2 miles (8:16.50) and 3000m (7:34.98).

#4
U.S. Men 3-4-5 at Venerable Boston
Led by 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist Meb Keflezighi, U.S. men made a statement at the 110th Boston Marathon in April. In his Boston debut, Keflezighi, a Team Running USA athlete, went for the win and placed third in 2:09:56, followed by Brian Sell (2:10:55, PR) and Alan Culpepper (2:11:02). In addition, Peter Gilmore (2:12:45, PR) and Clint Verran (2:14:12, PR) also finished in the top 10, 7th and 10th respectively. The U.S. also put 11 men in the top 20 - its best Boston showing in the prize money era (first year 1986) and its best showing overall since 1983.

#3
New York City and Boston to Host 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials
America's two flagship marathons - ING New York City and BAA Boston - were selected by USA Track & Field to host the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.
Both events - New York (men) and Boston (women) - will be run on multi-loop courses in the heart of each city with $250,000 in prize money and trips to Beijing on the line. The men's Trials will be Saturday, November 3, 2007 - the day before the 38th ING New York City Marathon and the women's Trials Sunday, April 20, 2008 - the day before the 112th BAA Boston Marathon. Mark your calendars.

#2
Lincoln Breaks Long-Standing U.S. Steeplechase Record
In a fine display of running, 2004 Olympian Daniel Lincoln broke the U.S. 3000 meter steeplechase record with his 8:08.82 on July 14 in Rome (the med student at Arkansas was 5th overall). In the 1990s, Mark Croghan took numerous shots at Henry Marsh's mark (8:09.17 from August 1985) and just missed, but Lincoln, the doctor-to-be, had the right prescription.

#1
Deena Does It! Sub-2:20 Win at London
On April 23, Kastor impressively won the Flora London Marathon in a sterling 2:19:36, which broke her 2003 U.S. record (2:21:16) and made the 2004 Olympic Marathon bronze medalist the 4th fastest woman all-time and the 8th woman to break 2:20 (and first American woman). The Team Running USA athlete maintained a metronomic 5:20 pace throughout and split each half in 1:09:48. Brava, Deena.

Honorable mention:
Khalid Khannouchi's 2:07:04 at London; Abdirahman's 1:01:07 half-marathon (#2 U.S.) at Philadelphia and his 27:22.81 10,000m (#3 U.S) at Hengelo; Dathan Ritzenhein's 1:01:25 half-marathon at the Great North Run; Ryan Hall's U.S. 20K record (57:54) at the World Road Running Championships in Hungary; Jen Rhine's 14:55.18 (#3 U.S.) at Van Damme 5000m; Kara Goucher's 31:17.12 10,000m (#3 U.S.) at Helsinki; Webb (debut), Ritzenhein and Famiglietti (debut) sub-27:40 10,000m at Stanford; U.S. men's repeat bronze medal at Chiba Ekiden road relay; Sara Slattery's win at BolderBOULDER 10K and Ian Dobson's Manchester Road Race victory.

Since the "dark age" of 2000, U.S. distance running has made great strides - from the 2004 Olympic medals by Keflezighi and Kastor to the achievements above. The credit for this improvement mainly goes to the dedicated athletes and coaches as well as the training groups such as Team Running USA, Team USA Minnesota, Hansons-Brooks Distance Project and Nike Oregon Project and those entities - New York Road Runners, Chevron Houston Marathon, Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, Atlanta Track Club, Town of Mammoth Lakes, Running USA and others - who directly support them.

This country does not yet have the relative distance depth of the 1980s, but the current crop of U.S. athletes is also competing against a deeper world scene, particularly with distance powers Kenya and Ethiopia, compared to the 70s and 80s, and moreover, this American distance running resurgence continues to raise the bar and to motivate and push the athletes to new heights. More success lies ahead, particularly if more funding and resources are secured.

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WBZ-TV to Broadcast Its Exclusive Local Coverage of the 2007 Boston Marathon®

BOSTON - (December 20, 2006) - WBZ-TV is proud to announce that the station will once again broadcast its exclusive, complete local coverage of the Boston Marathon in 2007. WBZ-TV will go from start-to-finish with comprehensive, live coverage of the 111th running of the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 16, 2007. With earlier start times debuting in 2007, WBZ-TV looks forward to being the only station that continues 27 years of complete coverage of one of the region's premiere sporting events.

"The Boston Marathon is one of the most significant athletic events in the world, and it means even more to the people who live right here in the state and the region," said Ed Piette, President and General Manager of Boston's WBZ-TV, TV38 (WSBK) and Providence's CW28 (WLWC). "'BZ has a long and distinguished tradition of carrying this event in its entirety. When WCVB pulled out of the race, changing the dynamics of the coverage model, we very much wanted to figure out a way that WBZ could still bring the Marathon to viewers. After discussions and updated strategic planning with the B.A.A., we have developed a plan which will serve our community, deliver quality audiences to our advertising partners, while providing world class coverage of the Marathon from Main Street in Hopkinton to Boston's Boylston Street finish line and everything in between."

"WBZ-TV has partnered with the B.A.A. to televise the Boston Marathon for nearly three decades," said Guy L. Morse, Executive Director of the B.A.A. "Many local viewers tie their Patriots' Day tradition to watching WBZ-TV's coverage of the Boston Marathon, and we are pleased that the station will continue to show the extensive, unparalleled coverage that local viewers appreciate and count on. WBZ-TV has demonstrated for years that coverage of an international sporting event can - at the same time - be focused on the event as a community-wide celebration, as a race for local participants and as an elite road race."

Boston's WBZ-TV is owned and operated by CBS Television Stations, one of the largest network-owned groups consisting of 39 stations, including 21 CBS, 11 The CW, three MyNetworkTV and four independent stations not affiliated with major networks.

Also, the Boston Marathon, host of the 2008 U.S. Women's Olympic Marathon Trials, will be carried live and wire-to-wire nationally in the United States on VERSUS (formerly OLN), the outlet of domestic distribution in 2005 and 2006. The B.A.A. will announce its international carriers prior to the 2007 race.

Contact: Jack Fleming, B.A.A., (617) 236-1652

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Helen Klein, 2007 Banquet Speaker, at RRCA National Convention
50th edition in Chicago, March 21-25

The Road Runners Club of America has announced the 2007 RRCA Annual Banquet Speaker: Helen Klein, 2004 RRCA Long Distance Running Hall of Famer.

Helen Klein, a retired nurse, began running at the age of 55 (in 1978) on a homemade track around her front yard and finished last in her first race, a ten miler. Now 83, Helen's creed is "Disciplined, determined, dedicated. I always do my best to finish anything I start."

"Helen's determination and dedication to the sport of running is at the heart of the RRCA's mission," explains Jean Knaack, executive director. "We are thrilled to have her as a special guest for the RRCA Annual Banquet."

Helen has started and finished over 100 marathons and over 140 ultramarathons. She's finished the Marathon Des Sables, a 145-mile stage race across the Sahara Desert; the 5-day 100-mile Stage Race in the Himalayas and an Ironman Triathlon. Helen is also the oldest person to complete ultrarunning's Grand Slam (four 100-mile races in the same year) and has set numerous U.S. and world age group distance records.

As to why she does difficult events at her age, Helen says, "I would rather wear out than rust out."

For more information about Helen and the 2007 RRCA Convention in Chicago this March, visit: RRCA.org

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232
Ryan@... | www.RunningUSA.org

Anne Audain Featured Speaker at Women's Trailblazer Award Luncheon
Event part of Running USA 2007: The National Conference for the Running Industry

New Zealand Olympian Anne Audain, a pioneer in the sport, will be the featured speaker at the upcoming Women's Trailblazer Award luncheon, presented by HerSports. The Tuesday, February 6th luncheon is part of Running USA 2007: The National Conference for the Running Industry, powered by Running USA, The Active Network, Inc. and Gen-A Network. The annual signature event for the road racing and distance running industry returns to the San Diego area on February 5-8, 2007 at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines.

Audain, who now resides in Evansville, Indiana, has a rich, inspiring and long involvement in the sport.

* Born in 1955 in Auckland, New Zealand, with severe bone deformities of both feet; adopted at birth.
* Qualified for six Olympic Games - 1972 to 1992 - from 800 meters to the marathon.
* Pioneered professionalism for female track and field competitors.
* Set a World Record at 5000 meters (15:13.22) in March 1982.
* Honored by Queen Elizabeth II of England with a Member of the British Empire award in 1995.
* Co-founded the "St. Luke's Women's Fitness Celebration 5K" in Boise, Idaho (1993), one of the largest women-only races in the world.
* Won more U.S. road races (75) than any other male or female runner in the 1980s.
* Won Gold (3000m) and Silver (10,000m) medals at the Commonwealth Games - Australia 1982, Scotland 1986.

More Running USA 2007 conference information including registration, hotel reservations, schedule and speakers is available at www.runningusa.org/conference/rusa2007_intro.shtml or by calling (805) 696-6232.

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Aspiring Olympians Take Run at 2008 Trials Qualifying Times in Chevron Houston Marathon

HOUSTON - (December 18, 2006) - More than 60 emerging American distance runners are headed to the 2007 Chevron Houston Marathon - slated for Sunday, Jan. 14 - in search of qualifying times for the Olympic Trials.

The runners are part of the Chevron Houston Marathon's "U.S. Athlete Development Project", which is designed to assist up-and-coming athletes with securing marathon times to earn spots in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials preceding the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"Bringing this innovative program to our race is another way the Chevron Houston Marathon is supporting U.S. distance running," said race director Brant Kotch. "Runners are coming from 25 states and the District of Columbia, and they will be treated to a first-class race experience to give them the best opportunity to run a qualifying time."

The 65 Project runners, including 18 women, are aiming for one of two qualifying times. The Trials "A" standard for men is 2 hours, 20 minutes or faster, while the "B" standard is 2:22. To become "A" qualifiers, women must run 2 hours, 39 minutes or faster. The "B" time to achieve is 2:47.

Participants receive a complimentary race entry and accommodations. They also will start the race at the front of the pack and be able to place their own re-hydration beverages at designated spots on the course. In addition, four pace runners will lead the athletes through at least 16 miles at a pace for each of the qualifying times.

"This gives them a better chance to qualify," said Greg McMillian of McMillian Running Co., who created the Project. "They don't usually get this type of support. We know it's hard for these athletes to train at the level necessary to qualify and also have a full-time job. For them to see the support they're getting in Houston is huge."

The Chevron Houston Marathon is the second race to host the Project, which was launched in 2006 at the Austin Marathon. Participation in Houston is up 35 percent compared to the first effort in Austin.

Nearly 18,000 runners are expected to participate in the Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon and Houston Press / Smart Financial Credit Union 5K, all scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007.

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 several foreign countries. In 2006, nearly 20,000 runners took part in four marathon weekend events (marathon, half-marathon, 5K run and children's run). The Chevron Houston 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 work the race, which is Houston's largest single-day sporting event.

For more information, visit ChevronHoustonMarathon.com or call (713) 957-3453.

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Trapp Inducted into American Ultra Hall of Fame
From Dan Brannen, Executive Director, AUA

Sue Ellen Trapp of Fort Myers, Florida is the 2006 inductee into the American Ultrarunning Association's Hall of Fame. Trapp joins 2004 inaugural inductees Ted Corbitt and Sandra Kiddy and 2005 honoree Marcy Schwam in the pantheon of American ultrarunning legends so honored. Only one inductee per year is admitted, and an athlete must have reached the age of 60 or been retired for 10 years to qualify. Trapp, whose ultra career began in 1979, turned 60 this year. She is still competing.

In 1979, Trapp - a wife, mother and full-time dentist until her recent professional retirement - emerged on the ultra scene by breaking the American 100K record by almost a half hour with an 8 hours, 43 minutes 14 seconds. She spent the next two years trading U.S. and world records at 50 miles, 100K and 24 hours with fellow American Marcy Schwam.

By 1981, Trapp owned the world 100K (62 miles) mark of 8:05:16 and the world 24 hour standard of 123 miles, 593 yards. She then went into an 8-year semi-retirement, concentrating on racing distances from 5K through the marathon.

She returned spectacularly in 1989, now in her mid-40s, adding 14+ miles to her best 24 hour distance to finish runner-up to Ann Trason at the USA 24 Hour Championship in Queens, New York, as both women shattered the U.S. record.

For the next decade, Trapp owned American distaff 24 hour racing like few athletes have possessed their signature event. During that span, she won an unprecedented seven national 24 hour run titles (most of the time finishing among the top 5 overall in the race) and took two silvers. She also returned to the 100K event, qualifying for the national 100K team three times, highlighted by a clutch performance of 8:17 as third scorer on the U.S. team at the 1993 World 100K which put the American women on the team medals podium for the first time ever.

During her decade of 24 hour run dominance in the 90s, Trapp took ownership of both the track and road versions of the U.S. women's 24 hour Open record. The highlight was her 1993 recapturing (with 145 miles, 503 yards) of the national road and absolute 24 hour mark from Trason, who is universally regarded as the greatest American ultrarunner, male or female, in history. In the past two decades, no other American woman has been able to come close to a Trason-held U.S. record.

Approaching the end of the decade, Trapp extended her expertise into the multi-day realm, putting the women's national 48 hour road and track marks out of reach of all other American women, and capping her career with an absolute world record 234 miles, 1425 yards to win the Surgeres 48 Hour in France in 1997. She had set absolute world records 17 years apart, an accomplishment which makes her unique in all of athletics. Her 48 hour mark stood for almost a decade and resisted targeted attempts by virtually all the world's top female 24 hour runners until Japan's Sumie Inagaki finally broke it earlier this year by less than 3 miles.

For more information on the American Ultrarunning Association, visit: AmericanUltra.org

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Contact: Debbie Jansen, Event Manager, (920) 882-9439

Community First Fox Cities Marathon Festival of Races Donates over $20,000 to Local Charities

APPLETON, Wis. - (December 12, 2006) - Recently, the Community First Fox Cities Marathon Festival of Races donated 2005 race proceeds to two local charities. A check for $12,000 was presented to the YMCA of the Fox Cities Strong Kids Program and $2,800 was donated to Fox Cities Greenways.

YMCA of the Fox Cities Strong Kids Program provides financial assistance to children, adults and families who would like to benefit from YMCA programs, camps, child care or membership, but do not have the financial means to do so.

Fox Cities Greenways exists to serve as an advocate for trail and greenways development, facilitate projects, and to raise awareness. Donations to Fox Cities Greenways support trails and greenways throughout the greater Fox Valley region.

In addition, the 2006 Community First Fox Cities Marathon helped three other local charities raise funds through this year's events in September. Participants were given the opportunity to donate funds to one of three local charities - American Cancer Society, Fox Valley Humane Association, and Harbor House Domestic Abuse Programs. Participants in the Time Warner Cable 5K Run / Walk chose one of these charities and $5 of their entry fee was donated to that charity. Participants in other events could donate additional funds on their entry form.

The three charities were recently presented with checks in the following amounts: American Cancer Society - $4,155, Fox Valley Humane Association - $1,962 and Harbor House Domestic Abuse Programs - $1,371.

The Community First Fox Cities Marathon, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, had over 4,700 participants in 2006. The 17th annual event is set for September 22-23, 2007. For more information, visit: FoxCitiesMarathon.org

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232
Ryan@... | www.RunningUSA.org