Posted: July 22, 2005

Athletics: San Francisco Marathon Draws Runners With A Mission

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - (July 21, 2005) - When Marian Lyons lines up to run the San Francisco Marathon presented by Runner's World on Sunday, July 31, she'll do it with particular pride. The 58-year-old San Francisco resident plans to complete her 100th marathon at the race. It is a milestone shared by, perhaps, a handful or two among the record 15,000 runners expected for the 28th edition of the event. Don Lang of Glendale, CA will celebrate his 71st birthday -- and his 400th marathon -- while negotiating the 26.2-mile route over the Golden Gate Bridge and around the picturesque city.

Lyons and Lang, who will proudly wear race numbers 100 and 400 respectively, are not the only runners with stories to tell and miles in their legs.

In Sarah Reinertsen's case, it is one leg.

Reinertsen is an amputee, missing a left leg above her knee. She doesn't let it slow her down. The holder of five world records in her physically disabled classification will compete in the companion half marathon (13.1-mile) race in San Francisco. Reinertsen is also the world record holder in the half marathon (2 hours and 12 minutes) and the marathon (5 hours and 27 minutes) for above-knee amputee women. Last year, the Solana Beach, CA resident became the first above-the-knee female amputee to finish the Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Hawaii.

According to data compiled by Running USA, a non-profit road running trade organization, there were 37,310,00 runners in the U.S. in 2004. This total has progressively increased for the last four years in a row. Many of today's runners, however, are inclined to tackle the marathon distance for reasons beyond the stopwatch.

How about Jose Nebrida, a 63-year-old school administrator from Chicago? He expects to finish near the back of the pack at the San Francisco Marathon. That doesn't matter because the Philippines native, now a U.S. citizen, is carrying an American flag from start to finish. He has waved the flag in 37 consecutive marathons since September 11, 2001 in tribute to the men and women who lost their lives in the attacks. Nebrida's goal is to run a marathon in all 50 states carrying the flag. He's already notched 25 states, accomplished despite suffering a heart attack and triple bypass surgery. Now, says Nebrida, he waves the flag to pay back a country that has given him many opportunities including a higher education (he holds three masters degrees) and a decent job.

"I've always felt that people in America will help you if you're a hard worker and they see that you want to get ahead," says Nebrida.

For Lyons, whose home is located at the 20-mile point of the marathon route, running her 100th marathon is an excellent way to communicate the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle. Lyons has recruited all her neighbors to get involved with the race. They are holding sort of a block party for runners as they reach 20 miles. Lyons feels that her African-American decent, and the fact that she is female, makes her particularly effective for communicating her message to these groups.

"I'd like to see more people supporting, and, better yet, participating in the race," says Lyons. "I don't care if I run another marathon because this one [San Francisco] will hold me forever. But I want younger people and my neighbors to get out there and take over where I'm leaving off."

Lang began his string of 400 marathons at the 1992 San Francisco Marathon when he was 58. Since then, he has averaged 30 marathons (and longer ultra-distance races) per year. Since turning 70 a year ago, he has placed first in his age group in 10 of the 32 marathons in which he's participated. Lang has tackled marathons in 41 countries and includes Mt. Kilimanjaro as one of his running conquests.

"I've completed all these events and have never been hurt or injured," says Lang.

The San Francisco Marathon asked this year's entrants to submit stories describing their reasons for entering the race.

B.G. Zaklina of Saratoga, CA is running her first marathon thanks to advances in cardiac pacemaker technology. Zaklina, a mother of three, says her new pacemaker allows her pulse to now shoot up to 180 during physical activity.

Jay Erickson, 29, of Palms, CA, a Navy family physician, is running 12 marathons in 12 months in honor of the Marines and sailors from the 29 Palms Marine Corps Base who have been killed or injured in Iraq. He begins his own tour of duty a week after the San Francisco Marathon.

John Ball, 61, of Whittier, CA has Parkinson's Disease, and is running in the marathon for Team Parkinson, an official charity participating in the marathon's Cause to Run program.

Many marathon participants are running to raise money for their favorite charities. The San Francisco Marathon's unique Cause to Run program allows race participants to conveniently contribute to about thirty charity organizations.

Robert Warns, 52, from Waukesha, Wisconsin is running with his family and friends for Team Bobby Warns to raise funds in support of his infant granddaughter. Warns son, Robert "Bobby" Warns II, a corporal in the U.S. Marines, was killed last November 8 in Iraq. The infant was born by the young Warns' finance after his death.

Dave Perkins, 37, of Dixon, CA, a nurse anesthetist in the U.S. Air Force, is running the race, he says, "to increase my endurance if I need to draw on it during operations."

Oakland, CA's Julie Chiron, 37, is running her first marathon after being struck by a car that ran a red light while riding her motorcycle in 2001. She is participating despite a titanium rod and a plate with six screws implanted in her legs, and a slight bone deformation.

Lyne Perry, 43, of Alpine, CA does a long run every year on her birthday. This year's San Francisco Marathon will be Perry's longest birthday run yet.

Jason Reinin, who lives in San Mateo, is tackling his first marathon in honor of his grandfather who has survived both throat and pancreatic cancer. "If he can beat cancer twice, I can run 26.2 miles for him; no problem," says Reinin.

Heather Robinson, 40, of Stockton, CA was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2002. She ran her first marathon in San Francisco last year. This year, she will run the companion half marathon before she tackles her first triathlon. "Can't stop me now," Robinson says.

Tony Rossman, a 64-year-old San Francisco lawyer, has participated in every San Francisco Marathon except one since its debut in 1977, and has run approximately 300 marathons.

Additional "mega" marathoners participating in the 2005 San Francisco Marathon: Laurie Kearney, a San Diego pediatrician (110 marathons) and Carol Dellinger of Spokane, WA (190 marathons).

San Francisco Marathon Weekend includes a free Expo, Friday and Saturday, July 29-30 at Justin Herman Plaza which features over 80 exhibitors, and running and fitness seminars at the nearby Hyatt Regency hotel.

The San Francisco Marathon presented by Runners World and its companion events (half marathon, 5K Run/Walk) takes place on Sunday, July 31, 2005. On-line registration is available via the marathon's web site at www.runsfm.com. The entry deadline for on-line registration is July 29. Mail-in registration is closed. For additional information, call the race hotline at (415) 284-9653, Email: sfmarathon@westendmanagement.com.

The marathon starts and finishes on the Embarcadero at Mission Street, near Justin Herman Plaza and the Ferry Building. The official starting time is 5:20 a.m. Top runners are expected to reach the finish line at approximately 7:50 a.m.

The 2005 San Francisco Marathon is sponsored by Runner's World (presenting sponsor), KPIX CBS Channel 5, UPN 44/Digital 45/Cable 12, Hyatt Regency, Organs 'R' Us, Cytomax, University of California-San Francisco, and See Jane Run. Our radio supporters are KGO 810 AM, KSFO 560 AM, 96.5 KOIT, and KDFC 102.1 FM.