Posted: June 30, 2004

Athletics: Keflezighi, De Reuck Top USA Running Circuit Standings

Next USARC Race New Haven Savings Bank 20K on September 6

INDIANAPOLIS - The 2004 USA Running Circuit, a USA Track & Field road racing series featuring USA Championships from 5 km to the marathon, has reached its annual summer break and at just past the mid-season point, 2004 U.S. Olympic marathon team members Meb Keflezighi and Colleen De Reuck are the USARC standings leaders with 54 and 55 points respectively. Both Keflezighi and De Reuck have won two USA road titles this year, 8 km and 15 km and 15 km and marathon respectively.

With two Women's Circuit races remaining, the two-time defending Women's USARC champion De Reuck of Boulder, Colo. is guaranteed at least second in the grand prix standings. For the men who have three Circuit races this fall, Keflezighi of Mammoth Lakes, Calif. holds a slim four point lead over 2001-02 Men's USARC champion Dan Browne of Beaverton, Ore. Defending Men's USARC champion and Keflezighi's Team Running USA teammate Ryan Shay of East Jordan, Mich. is currently third with 37 points and in grand prix contention.

The highlight of the 2004 Circuit has been the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. In Birmingham, Ala. last February, in a stirring battle, Alan Culpepper overcame Keflezighi and Browne to win the Men's Trials in 2:11:42, while in St. Louis in April, De Reuck upset race favorite Deena Kastor to set a Trials record of 2:28:25 and Jen Rhines ran an 11 minute plus personal record to nab the third and final Olympic marathon team spot.

So far this year, two national championship records also have been set by Keflezighi (22:16 at the USA 8 km Championship) and Browne (46:32 at the USA 10 Mile Championship).

After its summer hiatus, the USA Running Circuit resumes action at the New Haven Savings Bank 20K on Labor Day, September 6.

The 2004 USARC offers a record $818,700 in guaranteed prize money with a final $12,500 grand prix purse ($6000, $4000 and $2500) for the top three men and women point scorers overall. At each USARC race, the first ten U.S. runners earn points (15 points for first, 12 for second, 10 for third, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1), and Circuit points were doubled at the USA Marathon Championships.

The USA Running Circuit mission is to showcase, support and promote U.S. runners, and since its inception in 1995, the USARC and its races have provided over $4.7 million dollars to U.S. distance runners. Past USARC Grand Prix champions include Olympians Keith Brantly ('95), Dan Browne ('01-02), Mark Coogan ('96), Rod DeHaven ('98/'00), Colleen De Reuck ('02-03), Libbie Hickman ('99-00), Anne Marie Lauck ('96), Shelly Steely ('98) and Todd Williams ('99).

More USARC information and complete standings available at: www.usatf.org/events/2004/USARunningCircuit.

2004 USARC Standings
MEN after six races
1) Meb Keflezighi, 29, Mth Lakes, CA 54
2) Dan Browne, 28, Beaverton, OR 50
3) Ryan Shay, 25, East Jordan, MI 37
4) Alan Culpepper, 31, Lafayette, CO 30
5) Scott Larson, 34, Superior, CO 24

WOMEN after five races
1) Colleen De Reuck, 40, Boulder, CO 55
2) Deena Kastor, 31, Mth Lakes, CA 39
3) Debbi Kilpatrick-Morris, 40, Strongsville, OH 22
4) Jen Rhines, 29, Ardmore, PA 20
5) Sara Wells, 25, Edina, MN 18

Upcoming USARC Races:
New Haven Savings Bank 20K (M & W), New Haven, CT $34,000 Sept 6
CVS/pharmacy Downtown 5K (Men), Providence, RI $12,000 Sept 12
Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women, Boston, MA $20,300 October 11
Food World Senior Bowl Charity Run 10K (Men), Mobile, AL $25,000 Nov 6