Posted: August 7, 2004

Athletics: $1 Million Athens Marathon Challenge

Announced by LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and ING New York City Marathon

New York, August 9, 2004 -- In an unprecedented joint effort, the race directors of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and the ING New York City Marathon today announced the $1 million Athens Marathon Challenge. This history-making initiative will award $500,000 to an American man or woman who wins the 2004 Olympic marathon gold medal in Athens later this month, for a total possible payout of $1 million.

This year's U.S. Olympic marathon team is considered to be one of the strongest and deepest ever. The women's squad consists of Colleen De Reuck, 40, of Boulder, Colorado; Deena Kastor, 31, of Mammoth Lakes, California; and Jen Rhines, 30, of Ardmore, Pennsylvania. Dan Browne, 29, of Portland, Oregon; Alan Culpepper, 31, of Boulder, Colorado; and Meb Keflegzhi, 29, of San Diego, make up the men's team.

De Reuck, Kastor, Rhines, Culpepper, and Keflezighi all have previous Olympic experience, and Browne, a 2003 Pan Am Games bronze medalist, was the 2002 USA Marathon champion. Kastor, the American marathon record holder (2:21:16), is a two-time World Cross Country silver medalist. In a recent informal poll, Olympic writers from around the country agreed nearly unanimously that an American man or woman would finish in the top five in Athens.

The women's Olympic marathon will be contested on August 22; the men's race will close the Games on August 29.

LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon executive race director Carey Pinkowski and ING New York City Marathon race director Allan Steinfeld joined Culpepper, De Reuck, and Kastor in making the historic announcement via conference call.

"This collaboration is the first of what we expect will be many more combined initiatives between our two great marathons as we join forces to encourage and support our American athletes and raise the level of public awareness for our sport," said Steinfeld, also the president and CEO of New York Road Runners.

"We are extremely pleased to partner with the ING New York City Marathon to further our commitment to and support of our American athletes," said Pinkowski. "The American marathon team selected for Athens this year is arguably one of the best groups ever assembled to compete for Olympic gold. For the two premier U.S. marathons to collaborate in support of American athletes is a wonderful testament to the sport."

Only three Americans have ever won the Olympic marathon gold medal. Johnny Hayes was the 1908 Olympic marathon champion in London, Frank Shorter ran to victory in 1972 in Munich, and Joan Benoit Samuelson won the inaugural women's Olympic marathon in 1984 in Los Angeles.

About the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon

The 2004 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon takes place on Sunday, October 10, starting and finishing in Chicago's Grant Park. The race will be broadcast live on CBS 2 CHICAGO and ESPN 1000. Last year's race attracted the maximum 40,000 participants. Elite athletes will compete for a portion of the $650,000 prize purse, the highest in the sport. The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon draws world-class athletes and participants from all 50 states and from more than 96 countries around the globe. Runners may register online at ChicagoMarathon.com until September 2, 2004, or when the participation capacity has been reached (whichever comes first). Race weekend entries will not be accepted.

About the ING New York City Marathon

The ING New York City Marathon is the premier event of New York Road Runners (NYRR). Inaugurated in 1970 with 127 entrants, the ING New York City Marathon has grown into one of the world's premier road races, featuring 35,000 participants, more than two million spectators, a leading professional field, and a guaranteed prize purse of more than $500,000. Broadcast across the nation and in 125 countries worldwide, the 26.2-mile footrace is the United States' most watched one-day sporting event. The ING New York City Marathon joins the USA Men's 8K Championships and the Circle of Friends New York Mini 10K as the cornerstones of the NYRR Professional Racing Series and continues NYRR's tradition of bringing the very best runners in the world to New York City. The ING New York City Marathon 2004 will take place on Sunday, November 7. For more information visit INGNYMarathon.

About New York Road Runners

Founded in 1958 with a membership of 47, New York Road Runners (NYRR) is one of the world's foremost running organizations. NYRR is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the sport of running and walking for health, recreation, and competition, and provides full professional services related to all aspects of racing. The organization has a full-time staff of more than 60 employees, supplemented by a network of thousands of volunteers, serving 40,000 members from every U.S. state and more than 100 countries.