Professional Field Announced for Fifth Annual P.F. Changs Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon Running Down a Dream: 39 American women from 19 states take a decisive step towards Olympic glory by: Elite Racing
PHOENIX, (Jan. 8, 2008) The fifth annual P.F. Changs Rock n Roll
Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon on Sunday, January 13, 2008 will host
an Ethiopian dominated professional field and shine the spotlight on 39
American women from 19 states who are Running Down a Dream as they
race for a position at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Womens
Marathon.
Without Terefe Yae, the 2007 mens champion, in this years field,
Ethiopian Dejene Yirdawe, 29, who finished third at the 2007 Dublin
Marathon in a personal best time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, 8 seconds,
represents the fastest time in this years Arizona field.
Haron Toroitich of Kenya set the mens course record of 2:10:33 at the
inaugural P.F. Changs Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon in 2004. However,
the absence of Kenyan representation will be sadly noticed in 2008
after protests and ethnically charged riots swept across the East
African nation in late December. As a result, many of the Kenyan
athletes have had to restricted their travel and suspend their training
in the wake of the violent unrest.
We send our hopes for a quick cessation to the violence and our
prayers for the safety of all our friends and their families in Kenya,
said Tracy Sundlun, Executive Vice President for Elite Racing. All our
Elite Racing events have been blessed over the years to have great
Kenyan athletes on our start lines. They are not only fantastic
runners, but very kind and friendly people. We will run on Sunday with
them in our hearts.
Joining the men from their training grounds in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
is 25-year-old womens champion Adanech Zekiros who returns to defend
her 2007 title against second place finisher Salomie Getnet, 20.
Zekiros ran uncontested across the finish line in 2:31:43, nearly
missing the course record of 2:31:33 set by Shitaye Gemechu in 2004.
Zekiros and Getnet will push the pace against a large field of American
women focused on qualifying for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials
Womens Marathon, scheduled for Boston on Sunday April 20, the day
before the annual Boston Marathon. As part of this special invitational
program at the P.F. Changs Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon titled
Running Down a Dream, 39 athletes hope to run under the U.S. Olympic
Trials B standard time of 2:47:00 to secure a position in Boston.
Some of the American women selected to this years field include Linda
Somers Smith, 46, of Arroyo Grande, California, a member of the 1996
U.S. Olympic Marathon team, and 1994 U.S. national marathon champion.
Linda is gunning for a fifth appearance in the Olympic Marathon
Trials.
Joining Linda will be 38 year-old Becky Sondag of Casper, Wyoming who
missed the Olympic Trials B standard by just 25 seconds last fall
when she finished 12th at the Philadelphia Marathon. In 2000 Becky
missed qualifying by only four seconds.
Representing the new generation will be Arizonas Sally Meyerhoff, 24,
from Tempe. This two-time NCAA All-American at Duke University now
coaches cross country and is a substitute teacher at her high school
alma mater, Mountain Pointe High School. Sally will be making her
marathon debut in the Valley of the Sun. However, she ran 1:16:39 at
the 2007 AFC Half Marathon in San Diego, good for 5th place, and a time
that bodes well for her Olympic Trials chances.
This is likely the last opportunity for these women to qualify for the
Trials, said Sundlun. The P.F. Changs Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon
course has the potential to be very fast and the weather should be
ideal, and we hope it helps many of these athletes get to Boston in
April.
Saturn SKY to Pace the Race
The Saturn SKY is the official vehicle of the 2008 P.F. Changs Rock
n Roll Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon and will lead the
professional athletes as they race for victory. The SKY will also be on
display at the Health & Fitness Expo at the Phoenix Convention
Center and at the Finish Line Festival on race day. To discover Saturn,
please visit your local Saturn retailer or www.Saturn.com
For more information about the fifth anniversary P.F. Changs Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon, please visit www.RnRaz.com.
Elite Athlete Press Conference
All athletes will be available for interviews on Friday, Jan. 11 at
1:00 p.m. at the Marriott Buttes Resort in Tempe. 2000 Westcourt Way,
85282
2008 P.F. Changs Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon Elite Athlete List
As of January 6, 2008 - Subject to Change
Men's Elite Field NAME AGE COUNTRY BEST FACT/COMMENT
