Team Running USA Athletes Shine in 2007 – 8 USA titles, 3 U.S. records & 2 USARC Grand Prix champions; Beijing berth for Ryan Hall

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – (December 12, 2007) – Led by Ryan Hall's sub-one hour half-marathon in Houston, U.S. marathon debut record at London and Olympic Marathon Trials triumph in Central Park, Team Running USA athletes again distinguished themselves with world class performances, multiple national titles and U.S. records and USA Running Circuit Grand Prix titles.

"Since 2001, Team Running USA athletes have performed well nationally and internationally, and this year was no exception. Ryan Hall, of course, had an exciting, historic year, while Deena Kastor added 5 more national titles and two U.S. records, fellow Olympic medalist Meb Keflezighi took on Kenya's best road racers this summer and Kate O'Neill had a wonderful marathon debut for third in the heat at Chicago," said Basil Honikman, CEO of Running USA.

"Our training group works because the dedicated athletes and coaches Terrence Mahon, Bob Larsen and Joe Vigil understand the importance of teamwork and that the collective whole is bigger and better than the individual. In 2008, we expect Team Running USA to vie for several Olympic team berths and to continue its high level of achievement," Honikman added.

During 2007, Team Running USA athletes also generated plenty of media interest and exposure with features, profiles and cover shots in major wire services and publications such as the AP, New York Times, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe and Runner's World as well as a feature piece on NPR's "Only a Game".

Below is the major 2007 performance summary for the Team Running USA development program.

3 NATIONAL RECORDS
On January 14, at the Aramco Houston Half Marathon, Ryan Hall shattered the long-standing U.S. half-marathon record with his 59:43. The previous record was 1:00:55 by Mark Curp at the 1985 Philadelphia Distance Run. Hall also became the first American to break one hour for the distance on a record standard course.

On March 10, at the Gate River Run 15K in Jacksonville, Florida, Deena Kastor ran 47:20 to set the U.S. women-only mark. At the national championship, the top women had a 5 minute head start for the Equalizer Bonus and she beat all the men to the finish line.

At the IAAF World Road Running Championships in Udine, Italy on October 14, Kastor finished 16th in 1:09:38 to set a U.S. women-only record for the half-marathon.

U.S. MARATHON DEBUT RECORD
On April 22, at the Flora London Marathon, against a top international field, Hall ran like a veteran to finish 7th in an impressive 2:08:24 to set the U.S. marathon debut record. The old record was 2:09:41 by Alberto Salazar (New York City 1980) and Alan Culpepper (Chicago 2002). Hall now is the second fastest U.S. marathoner all-time – behind only Khalid Khannouchi.

U.S. OLYMPIC MARATHON TRIALS & USA CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD
At the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials on November 3 in New York City, Hall set a Trials and USA Championship record of 2:09:02 on the challenging 5-loop Central Park course. Hall's dominant win was the biggest men's Trials victory margin ever: 2 minutes, 5 seconds.

3 USA CHAMPIONS, 8 NATIONAL TITLES
Ryan Hall, half-marathon and marathon
Deena Kastor, 8K cross country, 10,000m, 10K, 15K and marathon
Meb Keflezighi, 15K

3 USA NATIONAL RUNNERS-UP, 5 TIMES
Ryan Hall, 10K and 15K
Kate O'Neill, half-marathon
Jen Rhines, 5000m and 15K

TWO USA RUNNING CIRCUIT GRAND PRIX CHAMPIONS
Ryan Hall
Deena Kastor

SILVER MEDAL at YOKOHAMA WOMEN'S EKIDEN
In February, with a silver medal performance, Jen Rhines and Deena Kastor led the U.S. women's team to its highest place ever at the Yokohama Women's Ekiden in Japan. Their 2:16:04 for the 6-leg marathon relay was also the fastest marathon ekiden ever by a U.S. women's team.

#1 U.S. PERFORMANCES for 2007 – (9)
5K
Jen Rhines, 15:21 (#3 world)
10,000m
Jen Rhines, 31:17.31 (#5 world)
10K
Meb Keflezighi, 27:58
Deena Kastor, 32:01
15K
Meb Keflezighi, 43:40
Deena Kastor, 47:20 (#3 world)
Half-Marathon
Ryan Hall, 59:43
Marathon
Ryan Hall, 2:08:24
Deena Kastor, 2:35:09

About Team Running USA
Team Running USA, formerly Team USA California, is a national athlete development program created by Running USA, a national industry organization. The mission of Team Running USA is to support, promote and assist the development of U.S. distance runners.

Since 2001, Team Running USA athletes have won two Olympic medals, 12 World Cross Country Championship medals and three major marathons, set one world road record, 22 national records and numerous personal records, earned 57 national titles and five USARC Grand Prix titles and added to world and U.S. all-time lists. In short, they are the most accomplished distance training group in the United States.

Supported by the New York Road Runners, the Town of Mammoth Lakes and the Atlanta Track Club, the program's athletes utilize the resources at Mammoth Lakes for high / low altitude training and the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista for sea level training throughout the year. Renowned and Olympic coaches Joe Vigil and Bob Larsen and coach Terrence Mahon coordinate this elite group.

For more information on Team Running USA including sponsorship opportunities or to make a donation, contact: Ryan Lamppa, (805) 696-6232,

ryan@runningusa.org or visit: RunningUSA.org

Source/Courtesy: Running USA – RunningUSA.org

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