Posted: January 26, 2006

Athletics: Shamrock Sportsfest Adds Half-Marathon & Incentives

From David Monti

© 2005 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

The Shamrock Sportsfest, a two-day road running festival in Virginia Beach, has added a half-marathon to their event line-up to accompany the existing 8-K and marathon.

The 8-K is scheduled for Saturday, March 18 at 8:00 a.m., while the half-marathon and marathon will be held the following day at 7:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., respectively.

According to elite athlete coordinator Rick Platt, all three events will offer prize money as follows (equal for men and women):

Open: $1,000 - 600 - 400 - 300 - 200 men and women for all 3 races (marathon, half marathon, 8K)

Masters (ages 40-and-over): $500 - 350 - 250 - 150 - 100 men and women for half marathon and 8K

Masters (ages 40-and-over): $300 - 200 - 100 men and women for marathon

U.S. Citizens: $300 - 200 - 100 men and women for half marathon and 8K (but not in the marathon, where they have the Olympic Trials Marathon qualifying time bonuses; see below)

The event is also offering the following bonus incentives:

Marathon:
World open record (2:04:55 men, 2:15:25 women) - $5,000
World Masters record (2:10:33, 2:26:51) - $2,500
U.S. open record (2:05:38, 2:21:16) - $1,000
U.S. Masters record (2:12:46, 2:28:40) - $500
Shamrock race record open (2:15:26, 2:38:14) - $1,000
Shamrock race record Masters (2:18:22, 2:46:55) - $500
U.S. Masters 5-year age-group record - $100
 
U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier - "A" standard (2:20:00 men, 2:39:00 women) - $250
U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier - "B" standard (2:22:00 men, 2:47:00 women) - $150

The 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon qualifying period began on January 1, 2006, so the Shamrock Marathon is a qualifying race.

Time incentives for all runners who don't finish in the prize money (top five or Masters), but better 2:30:00 (men) or 2:55:00 (women) - $100

Half-Marathon:
World open record (59:16 men, pending 58:55 men; 1:06:44 women) - $5,000
World Masters record (1:02:28, 1:11:41) - $2,500
U.S. open record (1:00:55, 1:08:34) - $1,000
U.S. Masters record (1:05:01, 1:13:57) - $500
U.S. Masters 5-year age-group record - $100

Time incentives for all runners who don't finish in the prize money (top five, U.S. or Masters), but better 1:07:30 (men) or 1:20:00 (women) - $100

8-K:
World open record (22:03 men, 24:28 women) - $1,000
World Masters record (23:13*, 25:56*) - $500
* current men's world Masters record is 23:13 by Nick Rose at the 1992 Shamrock Masters 8K
* current women's world Masters record is 25:56 by Tatyana Pozdnyakova at the 2003 Shamrock 8K

U.S. open record (22:04, 25:02) - $500
U.S. Masters record (23:25, 26:19) - $250
Shamrock race record open (22:09, 25:03*) - $500
* former world women's record of 25:03 by Grete Waitz at the 1986 Shamrock 8K
Shamrock race record Masters (23:13, 25:56*) - $250
* current women's world Masters record is 25:56 by Tatyana Pozdnyakova at the 2003 Shamrock 8K
U.S. Masters 5-year age-group record - $100*
*The Shamrock 8K currently has three U.S. Masters 5-year age records: 24:41 (Bill Rodgers, men 45-49, 1993), 28:07 (Norm Green, men 60-64, 1993) and 36:35 (Ed Benham, men 80-84, 1989).

Time incentives for all runners who don't finish in the prize money (top five, U.S. or Masters), but better 23:00 (men) or 27:00 (women) - $100

Time incentives for all runners who don't finish in the prize money, but better 23:30 (men) or 27:30 (women) - $50

Qualified athletes or their representatives should contact Rick Platt for consideration at: Run Fast Promotions, 113 Anthony Wayne Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185. Phone: 757-229-7375; Fax: 757-220-2751; E-mail: rickplatt@juno.com

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