Meb to Run 2007 Flora London Marathon
by: HAWI Management
January 11, 2007

 
Mebrahtom (Meb) Keflezighi (Kef-lez-ghee), the nation's top marathoner, will run in the Flora London Marathon on April 22, it was announced today. In January 2006, the Boston, Flora London, real,-Berlin, LaSalle Bank Chicago, and ING New York City marathons collectively launched the World Marathon Majors. 
 
The Flora London Marathon has developed a global reputation for its fast, record-setting course. The fairly flat, city landscape and spring climate combine to provide the best backdrop for posting records – personal, national and world. Elite runners will compete for a portion of the $295,000 purse.   
 
"Running the Flora London Marathon will give me a chance to run a fast time and compete against some of the best marathoners in history," Meb said.  "I am preparing carefully for this unique opportunity."  
 
Meb, who is also the U. S. 10,000m record holder (27:13.98), is one of the world's top distance runners.  At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, he became the first American male since 1976 to win an Olympic medal in the marathon, taking the Silver (2:11.29). He's also had recent success at the ING New York City Marathon, placing second in 2004 and third in 2005, along with a third-place finish at the 2006 Boston Marathon.  
 
Meb will open the 2007 season on Jan. 14 at the USA Half Marathon Championships in Houston, TX.   After the race, he will return to Mammoth Lakes, CA for high altitude training in preparation for the USA Cross Country Championships on Feb. 10 in Boulder, CO.    

Meb is coached by Bob Larsen and is an original member of Team Running USA.  He is represented by his brother Merhawi Keflezighi of HAWI Management (Handling Adversity With Integrity).  More info about Meb is available on his website: www.RUNMEB.com.   

Meb's Bio

During the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Mebrahtom Keflezighi (pronounced Kef-lez-ghee) secured a place in history. In one of the most dramatic Olympic Marathons ever, Meb won a Silver Medal despite being ranked 39^th out of 100 competitors.  As the Silver Medal winner for the USA, Meb attracted new fans around the globe as he was awarded his Silver Medal in front on millions of viewers. Seventy days later, Meb would stun the track and field world by finishing second in the prestigious 2004 ING New York City marathon—a feat last achieved by an American in 1993.   

“You make us so proud Meb!” a woman with an American flag yelled from the stands as Meb crossed the finish line of the ING NYC Marathon.  This time, Meb had finished third at the 2005 ING NYC Marathon, and represented the United States on the medal stand for the second year in a row.  After years of racking up honors, Meb has vaulted himself and his truly encouraging story into the international spotlight. 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS  

2006 Boston Marathon, 3^rd place

2005 ING NYC Marathon, 3^rd place

2004 ING NYC Marathon, 2^nd place

2004 Olympic Marathon Silver Medalist

2000, 2004 Olympic Trials 10,000m champion

12th in 10,000m at 2000 Olympics

3-time U.S. 10,000m champ (2000, ’02, ’04)

2-time USA 12km XC champ (’01, ’02)

3-time U.S. 15 km champ (’01, ’02, ’04)

4-time NCAA champion

American 10,000m record holder

Olympic Trials 10,000m record holder

U.S. Championships 10,000m record holder 

Now considered "the top US distance runner” by USA Track & Field, Meb has astonished coaches ever since he ran a 5:20 mile in junior high. Meb’s athletic success at the high school level and 4.0 GPA attracted the attention of the best colleges in the nation.  Coach Bob Larsen offered Meb a full scholarship to the University of California-Los Angeles, a rare opportunity for a distance runner.  As an undergraduate at UCLA, Meb won four NCAA titles in one year. Meb’s accomplishments have earned him the title as "The Greatest Distance Runner in UCLA History." Meb’s special relationship with Coach Larsen started in 1994, when Meb was a freshman and continues today.  

After Meb earned his B.A. in Communication Studies with a specialization in Business from UCLA, he pursued a career as a professional runner.  During his transition from collegiate to professional running, Meb notified his potential sponsors of his goal to be one of the best distance runners in the world.  As a result of his athletic potential, great personality and naturally infectious smile, Meb was courted by major athletic apparel companies.  Meb’s persistence has enabled him to focus on his athletic development from a national class runner to one of the best in the world.  

Meb has persevered through stints of injuries after college to achieve remarkable success. This spirit of endurance is fueled by his parents’ fervent determination to save their family from the gruesome 30-year war between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Knowing that his life was threatened by the Ethiopian regime, Meb’s father fled the country and worked for four years as a laborer to save his family. The family reunited in Italy where they lived for two years before arriving in San Diego in the late 1980s. Despite the language barriers and life as immigrants, Meb and his ten siblings have created their own legacy by making education their number one priority. Among the children who are out of high school, they hold six undergraduate degrees, an MBA, an MD, a JD and another is a second year student at Stanford University.  In 1998, Meb became a US citizen and he possesses dual-citizenship with Eritrea. 
 

For more info, visit:   www.runmeb.com

For many Eritreans, Meb symbolizes what their families fought for in the war with Ethiopia: the freedom to succeed. For long distance running fans, Meb is a role model who has rejuvenated interest in the sport, attracting new fans in the same vein as Tiger Woods and the Williams sisters.  To the American public, Meb symbolizes what is possible when we take advantage of the resources and opportunities around us.   According to Ghebre Selassie Mehreteab, the CEO of the NHP Foundation, “Meb is an inspiration to all new Americans and his story demonstrates the power of the American Dream.” 
 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 
 
 
 

Source: www.usatf.org

2006: 1^st at Gate River Run 15k, 3^rd at debut in Boston Marathon, 2^nd at US Nationals 10k, 5^th at Bix 7, 2^nd at inaugural NYC Half-Marathon (1:01:28). Meb has been featured in a nationally-run MasterCard commercial year-round.

2005: 3rd at New York City Marathon (2:09:56)…2^nd at USATF Outdoor Championships 10,000m… Best of 13:20.71 in 5,000m in Oslo, Norway.

2004: Olympic marathon silver medalist (2:11:29)…1^st at Olympic Trials 10,000m (27:36.49); runner-up at Marathon Olympic Trials (2:11:47)…2^nd at New York City Marathon (2:09:53PR)…1^st at USA 15 km championships (43:18)…1^st at USA 8 km championships (22:16)…ranked #4 in world by T&FN…best of 2:11:53PR.

2003: Runner-up at USA Outdoor 10,000m (27:57.59)…16th at World Outdoors 10,000m (28:35.08)…2nd at USA XC Champs 12km (38:34)…11th at World XC Champs 12km (37:16)…12th in Stockholm 5000m (13:20.50, U.S. Leader)…ran 2:10:03PR at LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon;  ranked #2 U.S. at 5,000m, #2 in 10,000m by T&FN…bests of 13:20.50 & 27:57.59.

2002: USA Outdoor 10,000m champ…ran 27:20.15 10km at Stanford on May 3…won U.S. 12km Cross Country Championship (35:45), edging Abdi Abdirahman in a photo finish…1st at U.S. 15km Championships (42:49)…14th at World Cross Country Championships 12km (36:09)…9th at New York City Marathon (2:12:35)…at 5km he ran 13:21.87 in Rome and 13:30.05 at Prefontaine Classic…ranked #9 in the world at 10,000m & #1 in U.S. at 5,000m & 10,000m by T&FN…bests of 13:21.87AL & 27:20.15AL.

2001: Set new American record for 10,000m May 4 at Cardinal Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif., with a time of 27:13.98, a personal best by almost 40 seconds … his performance broke Mark Nenow’s 1986 AR …2nd in 10,000m at USA Outdoors (28:39.64)…USA 12km XC Winter Nationals Champ…23rd at IAAF World Championships (28:44.48…13th in 12km at World XC Champs (40:46)…won U.S. 15km Championship…ranked #2 in U.S. by T&FN…bests of 13:23.16 and 27:13.98.

2000: Won Olympic Trials 10,000m in a 28:03.32...made the 2000 Olympic final despite having the flu, where he placed 12th (27:53.63PR)...top U.S. finisher in men’s long race at World Cross Country Championships, 26th in 36:45...ranked #1 U.S. at 10,000m, 3rd in 5,000m by T&FN...Bests of 13:11.77 (at Heusden) and 27:53.63.

1999: 4th at USA Outdoors 10,000m...5th at Pan American Games 10 km)...bests of 13:40.86 for 5,000m and 28:29.27 for 10,000m.

1998: 4th at NCAA (5,000)...2nd at Pac-10, 4th at NCAA and 4th at USA Championships...bests of 3:42.29 (1500), 4:02.86 (mile), 13:26.85 (5,000), 28:16.79 (10,000).  

www.runmeb.com

1997: Won NCAA Outdoor 5,000m and 10,000m, Indoor 5,000m and men’s Cross Country Championships...bests of 3:43.95, 13:33.97 and 28:26.55.  
 

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