Posted: November 4, 2005

Athletics: SunTrust Richmond Marathon Breaks Entry Record

Times-Dispatch Kids Run shatters mark; NTELOS 8K also on record pace

RICHMOND, Va. - (November 1, 2005) - The SunTrust Richmond Marathon has set a new record for the most entries in its 28-year history. As of midday, over 4,300 runners had registered for the marathon, breaking last year's record total of 4,221. With one and a half weeks left to register, a total field of over 4,700 is expected by race day on Saturday, November 12. This is the seventh consecutive year that the marathon has set a new entry record. The marathon's companion race the NTELOS 8K is on pace to shatter the record field of 4,037 participants set in 2003 with about 4,500 expected next week.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch Kids Run has also set a record for the number of entries. To-date, over 650 kids ages 6 thru 12 are already signed up. Last year's record field topped out at 582 registrants.

Online entries for the SunTrust Richmond Marathon, NTELOS 8K and Richmond Times-Dispatch Kids Run will be accepted at RichmondMarathon.com up until Wednesday night, Nov. 9. After that, people can sign up in person at the Race Expo at the Omni Richmond Hotel on Thursday, November 10 from 4:00-8:00pm and Friday, November 11 from 11:00am until 9:00pm. There is no race day registration.

More than twenty people directly touched by donation and transplantation are running the SunTrust Richmond Marathon or the NTELOS 8K as part of the Donate Life Team. Donate Life is the proud beneficiary of the SunTrust Richmond Marathon. The goal of the Donate Life Team is to educate people about the importance of organ and tissue donation. They will wear green Donate Life T-shirts to help spread the word about recycling life. These athletes on the attached sheet, who are running the 8K race, are interested in sharing their stories about donation and transplantation. To arrange an interview with any athletes, please call Dena Reynolds, LifeNet Media Relations Manager, at (804) 356-1220.

The best place for runners and the media to get updated news about the SunTrust Richmond Marathon, including traffic information and race day parking, is at: RichmondMarathon.com or call (312) 640-9700.

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.