Posted: August 23, 2004

Athletics: Road Runner Akron Marathon Offers $25,000 Ohio State Record Bonus

AKRON, Ohio - (August 19, 2004) - The Road Runner Akron Marathon has announced it will offer a $25,000 bonus to the first man or woman marathon runner who sets a new Ohio marathon record during the 2nd Annual Road Runner Akron Marathon on Saturday, October 2.

"This offer of $25,000 for setting the Ohio marathon record is a huge incentive for elite marathon runners," said Jim Barnett, race director of the Road Runner Akron Marathon. "With this added financial incentive, we can expect a highly competitive field of marathon runners in October."

The current Ohio marathon record for men is 2:10:29, set in Cleveland in 2000 by Pavel Kokin of Russia. The women's Ohio record of 2:28:15 is held by Lyudmila Puskina, also of Russia. She established the Ohio record in Columbus in 2003.

Prize money for winning the marathon this year was doubled to $4000. If the winning marathon runner also establishes a new Ohio record, the total purse would be $29,000.

Marathon runners aiming to set a new Ohio record will be running a newly-designed course this year. The first 10 kilometers of the Road Runner Akron Marathon has been completely changed and includes a starting line in downtown Akron in front of the Morley Health Center on South Broadway Street. The new, fan friendly route will take runners across the All-America "Y" bridge to Akron's North Hill and then back across the bridge southbound into downtown past the Akron Municipal Building and the Summit County Courthouse on South High Street. Runners will continue south on High Street, turning onto South Main at Miller Avenue to Wilbeth Road. Once on Wilbeth Road, the runners will pick up the remainder of the course that was established in 2003.

"This new route at the beginning of the race is going to be great for spectators who will have a chance to see the runners at the start, at the 3 and 10 mile marks and finally at the finish at Canal Park Stadium, and never have to leave the downtown area," added Barnett.

Relay runners are not being left out in the cold, either. Each relay team finishing the marathon has the chance to win two rides in a Goodyear blimp for each of the five members of the relay team.

For additional information about the Road Runner Akron Marathon, or to register for the 2004 event on Saturday, Oct. 2, visit the Road Runner Akron Marathon website at www.akronmarathon.org or call toll-free at (877) 375-2RUN.