Khalid Khannouchi Leads American Bid at Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon
Keflezighi bows out. Kenyan women set to dominate California’s fastest half-marathon
by: Elite Racing

SAN JOSE, Calif., (October 10, 2007) – Former world and current American record holder in the marathon Khalid Khannouchi has never made an Olympic team in his historic career. Now, at the age of 35, Khannouchi leads the American bid at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon San Jose, Sunday, October 14, 2007, in preparation for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men’s Marathon in New York City next month. Without the 2006 women’s champion Silvia Skvortsova in this year’s field, Kenyan Edna Kiplagat returns to San Jose to better her second place finish from a year ago in the event’s inaugural running.

Khannouchi’s list of career accomplishments are impressive. He has won the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon four times.  Twice he has set world records at the marathon, once in Chicago 1999 (2:05:42), and again in London 2002 (2:05:38) in what many in the running world believe to be the greatest marathon ever run. Today, he remains the American record holder from his 2002 London performance, but he is now focused on the 2008 Olympics and earning a spot on the U.S. men’s marathon team - a goal that has eluded him since becoming a citizen in 2000.

Khannouchi gained his U.S. citizenship too late to compete in the 2000 Olympic trials. And in 2004, bothered by injury, he, once again had to postpone his Olympic dream. An immigrant from Morocco who worked as a dishwasher in New York before his rise to running fame, Khannouchi considers a spot on the U.S. Olympic team to be the crowing achievement to his career as an American athlete.

“This has been my dream and this may be my last chance,” said Khannouchi. “Qualifying and representing United States would be an honor for me.”

As a Muslim, Khannouchi has been training through the Ramadan holiday. In some cases, he has had to begin his training runs at midnight to honor his religious obligations, some of which include fasting from sun up to sun down.

“I feel pretty good,” said Khannouchi who is running an average of 100 mile per week. “I’m training really hard and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon will give me a good indication to see how I will perform in trials.”

Alongside Khannouchi will be a strong group of East African competitors led by Tom Nyariki, 36, and Tanzanian John Yuda, 27, who finished second and third respectively at last month’s prestigious Philadelphia Distance Run (half-marathon). Both men will need to live up to the dominant performance laid down by Kenyan Duncan Kibet who won the 2006 Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon San Jose in a time of 1 hour, 22 seconds, establishing the race as California’s fastest half-marathon.

Kibet’s time on American soil trails only that of running legend Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, who ran 58:55 on Jan. 15, 2006 at the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona, shattering the world half-marathon record, and Haile’s 59:24 from this August’s New York City Half Marathon. The world record has since been lowered to 58:33 by Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya.

Kibet’s absence at this year’s race leaves the door wide open for Yuda, who has the fastest half-marathon time in the field at 1:00:02. Yuda may be looking to strike back at Nyariki after finishing third behind him at the Philadelphia Distance Run.

Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi had to withdraw from the race with a calf problem. Keflezighi’s coach Bob Larson of Team Running USA told the San Jose Mercury News on Monday, “If he had any problem (at the race), there wouldn’t be enough time to recover for the trials.”

Including Khannouchi, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon San Jose will feature 11 men who have qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Qualifiers include Bay Area residents J.T. Service from San Jose, Steven Moreno from Oakland and Tom McGlynn from Burlingame. Other California qualifiers include Carlos Carballo from Cathedral City, Allen Wagner from Crescent City, Miguel Nuci from Turlock and Brad Poore from Davis. Jason Delaney from Golden, Colo., Daniel Mackey from Portland, Ore., and Marzuki Stevens from Detroit, Mich., round out the qualifiers.

A pack of seven Kenyan women are poised to dominate the race on Sunday. Edna Kiplagat, 27, Magdalene Makunzi, 24, and Anne Jelegat, 38 all finished in the top five last year in San Jose. However, they struggled against the consistent and rugged pace set by women’s champion Silvia Skvortsova from Russia.

Kiplagat has been running well as of late. She won the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon Virginia Beach (1:11:14), and two weeks later set a personal best time of 1:10:11 in her third place finish at the Philadelphia Distance Run.

Japan’s Megumi Oshima, 31, holds the second fastest half-marathon time in the women’s race (1:09:59) and has the potential to unhinge the Kenyans’ strategy.

Melissa White, 26, and Jennifer DeRego, 27, lead a group of five American women entered in Sunday’s race. DeRego, from San Luis Obispo, Calif., has qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Women’s Marathon to be held in Boston next April.

Saturn SKY to Pace the Race
The Saturn SKY is the official vehicle of the 2007 Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and will lead the professional athletes as they race for victory. The SKY will also be on display at the Health & Fitness Expo and finish line festival. To discover Saturn, please visit your local Saturn retailer or www.Saturn.com

About the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon San Jose – California’s fastest half-marathon
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon will welcome more than 13,000 runners and walkers to the streets of San Jose on Sun., Oct. 14, 2007. In addition to 16 live bands along the course, the scenic tour of San Jose features hundreds of local high school cheerleaders and water stations to provide further entertainment and motivation to runners and walkers. The event concludes with a finish line party and an afternoon headliner concert featuring a premier rock ‘n’ roll act. In 2006, three men and four women in the professional field ran under the old California state record times of 1:02:06 for the men and 1:11:16 for the women.

About Elite Racing, Inc.
Celebrating 10 years as the originator of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, Elite Racing, Inc. is a sports marketing and management company, and the leading producer of world-class road racing events for runners and walkers throughout the United States. Based in San Diego, Calif., the company has grown to manage seven musically themed marathons and half-marathons including the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in San Diego, Calif., the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe, the Country Music Marathon and ½ Marathon in Nashville, Tenn., the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon & ½ Marathon in San Antonio, TX., the Philadelphia Distance Run and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathons in Virginia Beach, Va. and San Jose, Calif. Each event features a live band on entertainment stages and cheerleaders at every mile along the course. Events attract between 13,000 and 35,000 participants.

2007 Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, San Jose Professional Field
As of Wednesday, October 10, 2007
MEN
NAME, AGE, COUNTRY, BEST, FACT/COMMENT
1)    Khalid Khannouchi, 35, USA (NY), 1:02:15, U.S. Men's Marathon Record Holder, four-time Chicago Marathon Champion, 1st ‘02 London Marathon
2)    Carlos Carballo, 25, USA (CA), 1:05:35, 2008 Marathon Olympic Trials Qualifier (A Standard)
3)    Steven Moreno, 29, USA (CA), 1:06:40, 2008 Marathon Olympic Trials Qualifier (A Standard)
4)    Tom McGlynn, 35, USA (CA), 1:06:53, Three-time Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier, 2nd 2007 Napa Valley Marathon
5)    Allen Wagner, 27, USA (CA), 1:06:55, 2008 Marathon Olympic Trials Qualifier, 1st 2007 Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon
6)    Miguel Nuci, 28, USA (CA), 1:06:57, 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier, 3rd ‘06 California International Marathon
7)    Jason Delaney, 27, USA (CO), 1:07:05, 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier (A Standard), 1st ‘07 Platte River Half Marathon (CR)
8)    Brad Poore, 28, USA (CA), 1:07:06, 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier, ‘06 US Half Marathon Champion
9)    Daniel Mackey, 28, USA (OR), N/A, 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier, 10th ‘06 U.S. Marathon Championships
10)    J.T. Service, 26, USA (CA), 1:06:55, 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier
11)    Marzuki Stevens, 33, USA (MI), 1:07:42, 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier, 5th American ‘05 Chicago Marathon
12)    John Yuda, 27, KEN, 1:00:02, 3rd 2006 Beach to Beacon 10k, 3rd ‘07 Philadelphia Distance Run
13)    McDonald Ondara, 23, KEN, 1:01:21, 5th 2007 Rock 'n' Roll Half MarathonVirginia Beach, 4th ‘07 Philadelphia Distance Run
14)    Charles Munyeki, 19, KEN, 1:01:34, 2nd 2006 Lilac Bloomsday Run, 6th ‘07 Philadelphia Distance Run
15)    Hillary Kipchumba, 22, KEN, 1:02:08, 2nd 2007 Nice Half Marathon, 2nd ‘07 Nedbank 10k
16)    Daniel Kipkoech, 28, KEN, 1:02:59, 9th, 2007 Lilac Bloomsday, 10th ‘07 Philadelphia Distance Run, 8th ‘07 Peachtree
17)    John Supsic, 29, USA (CO), 1:03:31, 3rd American 2007 Philadelphia Distance Run, 5th ‘07 Stockholm Marathon
18)    Joseph Ngetich, 22, KEN, 1:03:47, 9th 2007 3M Austin Half Marathon
19)    Sean Nesbitt, 32, USA (CO), 1:05:12, 1st 2007 Neder Nederland 10k, 2nd ‘06 Kentucky Derby Festival Half Marathon
20)    Francis Githama, N/A, KEN, 1:07:54, 5th 2007 America’s Finest Half Marathon
21)    Boaz Cheboiywo, 29, KEN, Debut, 4th 2006 Carlsbad 5000, 5th ‘06 Peachtree 10k
22)    George Misoi, 23, KEN, Debut, 1st  2007 Crescent City Classic 10k
23)    Tom Nyariki, 36, KEN, N/A, 2nd 2007 Philadelphia Distance Run, 3rd ‘07 Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Virginia Beach
24)    Eric Griffiths, 26, USA (CO), 1:08:22, 2nd 2006 Dash & Dine 5k
25)    Mario Macias, 26, MEX, 1:06:26, 18th 06 Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Virginia Beach           

WOMEN
NAME, AGE, COUNTRY, BEST, FACT/COMMENT
1)    Anne Jelegat, 38, KEN, 1:08:58, 5th 2006 Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, San Jose, 1st ‘06 Quad Cities Marathon
2)    Megumi Oshima, 31, JPN, 1:09:59, 7th 2007 New York City Half Marathon, 10th ‘05 Marathon World Championships
3)    Magdalene Makunzi, 24, KEN, 1:10:05, 3rd 2006 Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, San Jose, 4th ‘07 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler
4)    Edna Kiplagat, 27, KEN, 1:10:12, 1st 2007 Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, Virginia Beach, 3rd ‘07 Philadelphia Distance Run
5)    Caroline Cheptanui, 23, KEN, 1:13:57, 2nd 2007 Austin Half Marathon, 3rd ‘07 Crim 10 Mile, 3rd ‘06 Dallas Whiterock Marathon
6)    Claudia Camargo, 36, ARG, 1:13:39, 2nd 2007 New York City Half Marathon, 4th ‘07 Austin Marathon
7)    Rose Kosgei, 26, KEN, 1:14:18, 1st 2006 Dallas Whiterock Marathon, 5th ‘07 Crim 10 Mile
8)    Melissa White, 26, USA, 1:15:41, 7th 2007 USA 20k National Championships, 1st ‘07 Reeds Lake 10k
9)    Jennifer DeRego, 27, USA (CA), 1:15:55, 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier, 1st ‘07 Maui Surf & Sand 15k
10)    Kara Roy, 27, USA (CO), 1:16:56, 1st 2007 & ‘06 Colorado Marathon, 1st ‘06 USATF Colorado Half Marathon State Championships
11)    Heather Gibson, 26, USA (CA), 1:17:59, 9th 2007 US Nationals 10k, 4th ‘06 Big Sur Half Marathon, ‘08 Olympic Trials 10k Qualifier
12)    Dot McMahon, 30, USA, 1:18:22, 8th 2007 USA 20k National Championships, 1st ‘06 Solstice 10k
13)    Yolanda Flamino, 30, USA, 1:22:17, 1st 2007 San Francisco Marathon (CR), 5th ‘07 Walt Disney World Half Marathon
14)    L.J. Egbert, 42, USA (AZ), 1:23:36, 3rd 2006 VOS Half Marathon, 1st ‘06 Olathe Marathon
15)    Mary Davies, 25, NZL, Debut, Oklahoma State University All-American, 3rd ‘06 NCAA Division I 10,000m
16)    Evelyne Lagat, 26, KEN, N/A, 4th 2007 America’s Finest City Half Marathon, 2nd ‘07 Chips 'n' Salsa Half Marathon
17)    Jane Kibii, 22, KEN, N/A, 4th 2006 Arby's Rocky Mountain Half Marathon
18)    Maria Elena Valencia, 24, MEX, NA, 1st 2006 Powerade Monterrey Marathon

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