Posted: January 6, 2004

Athletics: Inaugural P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Announces Prize Purse

Total Purse Exceeds $160,000 with Bonuses

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - (January 5, 2004) - The inaugural P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, set for Sunday, January 11, 2004, has unveiled a total prize package valued at more than $160,000, with $20,000 on the line for both male and female marathon champions.

Both the men and women's marathon champions receive $20,000, while the second place finisher is awarded $10,000. The complete prize package for the top 10 is as follows:

MEN/WOMEN
$20,000
$10,000
$6,500
$4,000
$3,000
$1,800
$1,400
$1,200
$1,100
$1,000

The P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona is offering a $5000 time bonus to the first male finishing the 26.2-mile race under 2:09:00. An additional $10,000 will be awarded for breaking 2:08:00, along with a $10,000 bonus for breaking 2:07:00. The first female to finish under 2:28:00 receives a $10,000 bonus and an additional $10,000 for finishing under 2:27:00 and $10,000 for a time under 2:26:00. Bonuses are cumulative, which means both champions could double their money with a sub-2:07 (men) and sub-2:27 (women) winning effort - going from a $20,000 payday to a $45,000 payoff.

The P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona event is the fourth in a series of musical marathons and race organizers have added an additional incentive for elite runners. An additional $25,000 prize purse is now on the line for the both the male and female champions of the Arizona marathon. If the Arizona champion wins another musical event this year - The Country Music Marathon in Nasville, Tenn. (April 24), the Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in San Diego, Calif. (June 6) or the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach, Va. (Sept 5) - they will receive the $25,000 bonus.

For the marathon, all elite American women who qualify for the 2004 Olympic Trials will receive their airfare to the Trials in addition to any other prize money they may have won.

In the half-marathon all elite American men who have qualified for the Olympic Trials and run a sub-64:30 half-marathon will receive a $500 training stipend. All American women elites who have qualified for the Olympic Trials and run a sub-74:30 for the half-marathon will also receive a $500 training stipend.

State and local residents will also have the allure of prize money to help them across the finish line. The first male and female finishers from the state of Arizona receive $1000, with $500 awarded to the second place finishers. Also, the first male and female finishers from Maricopa County will receive $1000 each in addition to any other prize money they may win. Second place county finishers will take home $500. The wheelchair (not crank chairs) marathon will present the top male (finishing under 2:05:00) and top female (finishing under 2:35:00) $700 in prize money. Both men's and women's masters marathon winners collect $1000 in prize money.

The inaugural P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona routes will be lined with more than 50 live bands. Forty local high school cheerleading squads will participate in a "Spirit on the Course" competition as they aim for more than $2000 in prize money, the largest cheerleading prize purse offered in the state of Arizona. After the race, participants will be treated to an evening concert featuring the Goo Goo Dolls with special guest JD Simo at Tempe Beach Park.

For more information on the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona please contact Elite Racing, Inc., 5452 Oberlin Drive, San Diego, CA 92121, call 858/450-6510, or visit www.rnraz.com..