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Race to be Held April 3 in City's Acclaimed Forest Park
as Part of Spirit of St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness
Weekend Events
ST. LOUIS - (February 12, 2004) - In the Olympic summer of
1904, 32 runners gathered on the track at Washington University's
Francis Field, site of the Games' marathon starting line.
A century later, St. Louis will again welcome the nation's
greatest distance runners and be a gateway to running glory.
The 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Women's Marathon, presented
by Anheuser-Busch, will be held April 3 as part of the Spirit
of St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend(tm). The
race will begin at 7:00 a.m. at Washington University's Francis
Field with runners entering a criterium
course in Forest Park and finishing on Government Drive, below
the World's Fair Pavilion. The route is the same one used
for the 2003 Michelob Ultra USA Women's Marathon Championship.
In her debut marathon, Sara Wells of Edina, Minn., won national
title in 2:35:37, followed by Colleen De Reuck of Boulder,
Colo. finishing at 2:37:41.
Dave McGillivray, best known for his work with the Boston
Marathon, is the U.S. Women's Olympic Marathon Trials Race
Director.
As of February 1, 2004, 143 women - led by U.S. marathon
record holder and 2000 Olympian Deena Kastor (nee Drossin)
- were eligible to compete in the Olympic Trials by running
times of 2:48:00 or better. Fourteen of those eligible have
times below 2:37:00, the new Olympic "A" qualifying
time. The previous "A" time was 2:32:00. The new
Olympic "B" standard is 2:42:00.
Prize money for the top 20 Olympic Trials finishers totals
$250,000, including $35,000 for the Trials champion and $10,000
to each woman participating in the marathon at the Athens
2004 Olympic Games.
"It's an honor to host the Olympic Trials," said
Nancy Lieberman, president, Spirit of St. Louis Marathon &
Family Fitness Weekend. "Bringing world-class long-distance
athletes to St. Louis twice in two years is exciting for our
local community and something that makes all of us involved
very proud. These women serve as wonderful role models for
all of us striving to achieve our own dreams and goals."
The Spirit of St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend
(April 3 & 4) is designed to encourage people of all ages
and athletic abilities to engage in one of many fitness events
during three days of festivities. There's something for everyone
with activities that include the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Health
& Fitness Expo, the Energizer Read, Right & Run Marathon(tm),
the CEO 5K Run//Walk, The Spirit of St. Louis Marathon, the
Blue Cross Half-Marathon and a Marathon Relay. For more information
visit www.stlouismarathon.com.
The 2004 Trials, a Celebrate 2004 event, is being hosted
in partnership by the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon & Family
Fitness Weekend and the St. Louis Sports Commission. The event
is a cornerstone to the region's yearlong civic celebration
highlighting revitalization accomplishments and marking the
centennial of the 1904 Olympics and World's Fair and the bicentennial
of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Contacts:
Nancy Lieberman, President, Spirit of St. Louis Marathon &
Family Fitness
Weekend, (314) 727-0800 or nlspirit@sbcglobal.net
Diana Minardi Strauss, PR Director, Spirit of St. Louis Marathon
& Family
Fitness Weekend, (314) 378-6641 or dmstrauss@earthlink.net
source Running USA wire
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