Posted: May 23, 2005

Athletics: Freihofer's Run for Women to Host USA 5K Masters Championship June 4

Three-Time Masters Race Champion Carmen Troncoso Headlines Entries

ALBANY, N.Y. - (May 17, 2005) - The Freihofer's Run for Women has a long tradition of attracting the best masters athletes in the country for the USA 5K Masters Championship. Last year, Colleen De Reuck set the masters 5K world record with a blistering 15:47, finishing 3rd overall and leading a pageant of world-class masters ladies, including Carmen Troncoso, Debbi Kilpatrick-Morris, Joan Nesbit-Mabe and Monica Joyce to the finish.

After last year's onslaught of the 40-and-over crowd, 1984 Olympic gold medalist and race spokesperson Joan Benoit Samuelson summed it up well - "strongest U.S. masters field ever." She should know.

This year, the 27th edition of the event, set for Saturday, June 4 in downtown Albany, should be no different. Even though De Reuck will not return due to other commitments, Troncoso, Kilpatrick-Morris and Joyce will be ready to assume the throne.

Troncoso's record of longevity with Freihofer's might be more amazing than any other athlete in the history of the event, including De Reuck's masters world record, Marla Runyan's three-peat from 2002-04, or even the incomparable Lynn Jennings' eight total victories. The 2005 race will be the 15th straight Freihofer's for Troncoso, dating all the way back to 1991. In that span, Troncoso, 45, has earned six top-10 finishes in the Open race, finishing as high as 4th in 1993. Her master's race record since 1999 is even more remarkable - three victories, one runner-up and one 3rd. She is the odds-on favorite to pick up her 4th master's title this year.

The secret to her success is really no secret at all, according to the petite, 93-pounder from Austin, Tex. "I just keep doing what has always worked for me. I take care of my aches and pains, and take time off if I need it. I don't have kids, so I haven't had to stop for very long, or deal with huge changes in my body. And, I have a very stable life with a very supportive husband. I love Austin, and I have other interests in my life, so running is still fun because it is just one part of my life."

"Sorry, no sad story here, I love running and I love my life," she said.

So, why the unwavering loyalty to Freihofer's? "Well, the only way I can run the times I want to run is to get into races with faster runners, like Freihofer's," explains Troncoso who was born in New York City, but grew up in Mexico. "It's at the right time in my training, the race course is fair, and the competition is always top level. But the main reason is that George (Regan, event director) and others in Albany have been so good to me."

Entries for the 2005 USA Masters 5K Championship (alpha order):

Margret Betz, 68, NY
Victoria Crisp, 52, TN
Toshika D'Elia, 75, NJ
Lee DiPietro, 47, MD
Gloria Jansen, 57, MN
Marie-Louise Michelsohn, 63, NY
Monica Joyce, 46, MI
Debbi Kilpatrick-Morris, 41, OH
Sarah Kramer, 44, UT
Catherine Lempesis, 54, SC
Kathryn Martin, 53, NY
Shirley Matson, 64, CA
Barbara Miller, 65, CA
Janet Robertz, 45, MN
Carmen Troncoso, 46, TX

Participants for the Freihofer's Run for Women, Kids' Run and Community Walk can pick up a registration form at any Capital Region Price Chopper store or by visiting FreihofersRun.com. Additional information on all three events is also available via email at info@freihofersrun.com.

Contact:
Edward Parham, Rueckert Advertising & PR, (518) 446-1091
George Regan, Freihofer's Run for Women, (518) 273-5552 x205

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.runningusa.org.