- Professional women's field announced for the inaugural ING Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon
- Meseret Defar to make her half-marathon debut vs. U.S. Olympian Shalane Flanagan
- Watch a live webcast of the men's race Sunday morning at Competitor.com
- Women's race video to be posted in its entirety Sunday afternoon on Competitor.com
PHILADELPHIA - (September 17, 2010) -- As the site of five World and three American records, the race formerly known as the Philadelphia Distance Run is positioned for another historic performance in 2010. Featuring one of the most decorated half-marathon fields ever assembled, the newly branded ING Rock `n` Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon promises one of the fastest women's half marathons ever run on American soil. The current record, 1:07:52, was set by Ethiopia's Berhane Adere at this February's Rock `n` Roll Mardi Gras Half Marathon in New Orleans, besting the old mark held by America's Deena Kastor from her win in Philadelphia in 2005.
Shalane Flanagan, America's Olympic 10,000 meter bronze medalist from Beijing `08, carries America's hopes in Philadelphia as she preps for her November 7th marathon debut at the ING New York City Marathon. 29 year-old Flanagan is the reigning U.S. half marathon champion, winning the 2010 Houston Half Marathon in her debut at the distance in 69:41 this January. This Sunday she will square off against 2004 Olympic 5000 meter champion and multiple track world record holder Meseret Defar of Ethiopia who is competing in the first half marathon of her illustrious career.
"I am excited to be racing my second half marathon at the first ever ING Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia," said Flanagan. "The race will be an essential test in my build up to the New York marathon and I am looking forward to a great day in Philly!"
At the age of 26, Defar is destined to go down as one of the best distance runners -- male or female -- in history. She was the Olympic 5000m champion in 2004, the World Champion in 2007, and has set six World Records, four of which are still standing. She is a four-time and current IAAF World Indoor 3000 meter champion, and nine-time IAAF World Athletics Final Champion. Last year she was ranked #1 in the world at 5000m by Track & Field News. She holds a track PR of 14:12.88, the number two performance of all-time.
Alongside Defar will be the Ethopian trio of Derartu Tulu, Werknesh Kidane, and Teyba Erkesso. 38 year-old Tulu is the queen of Ethiopian running, having captured two Olympic gold medals in the 10,000 meters (1992 Barcelona & 2000 Sydney), and added a bronze in Athens 2004. She is also the defending ING New York City Marathon champion, a race she entered after her fourth place finish here in Philadelphia in the half marathon. Werknesh Kidane won the 2005 Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach, and will be making her marathon debut along with Flanagan in New York City November 7th. She has won eight World Cross Country medals, including gold in 2003, the most by any woman in history. The youngest of the Ethiopian champions at age 27 is Teyba Erkesso, winner of the 2009 Boston Marathon. Erkesso set her half-marathon PR of 67:41 at Ras Al Khaimah earlier this year.
Flanagan and the Ethiopians will be challenged by 2006 Philadelphia champion Lineth Chepkirui of Kenya, who has been tearing up the U.S. road racing circuit this year. In May she set a road world record with her 38:07 win at the Bay to Breakers 12K in San Francisco. She has the fastest 10K in the world so far in 2010 with a 30:45 win at the Crescent City Classic 10K in New Orleans, and has taken impressive wins at the Bloomsday 12K in Spokane, Washington, the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in Washington D.C., the Peachtree 10K in Atlanta, and the Beach to Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Also prepping for the ING New York City Marathon in November is New Zealand Olympian Kim Smith, winner of four NCAA championships at Providence College. Smith holds the New Zealand marathon record of 2:25:21 which she ran in finishing eighth at the London Marathon in April. It was her debut at the distance. She set her half-marathon personal best of 1:07:55 from the 2010 Rock `n` Roll Mardi Gras Half Marathon in New Orleans, which is the third-fastest time ever run on U.S. soil.
Japan's Yuri Kano, who has a 1:08:57 personal best, comes to the event with Rock 'n' Roll experience winning the 2008 Rock 'n' Roll San Jose Half Marathon, before going on to finish second that year in Tokyo Marathon. Other Americans include 2008 Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Runner-Up Katie McGregor and Serena Burla who owns a 1:10:08 half-marathon PR, finishing second to Flanagan this year in Houston.
The 69-minute mark has been broken by women in Philadelphia five times, with Deena Kastor's 1:07:53 from 2005 still standing as the event record. The professional field of elite runners will be introduced at the event press conference on Friday, September 17at 3:00 pm in the Health & Fitness Expo at the ING Runner's Lounge.
For 32 years the race had been called the "Philadelphia Distance Run." The revamped event, managed by San Diego-based Competitor Group, has been rebranded as part of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series and drawn entrants from all 50 states and 23 countries.
The race will begin Sunday at 8:00 am on the Ben Franklin Parkway in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Although the course of the Philadelphia Half-Marathon has been slightly modified for this year to accommodate the record 18,700 entrants, it remains flat and fast, starting and finishing in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art at Eakins Oval.
For more information, please visit Competitor.com.
About Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia
A Competitor event, the sold-out ING Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon will welcome a record 18,700+ runners to the City of Brotherly Love on Sunday, September 19. Known for 32-years as the Philadelphia Distance Run, one of the premiere half-marathons in the world, the event has been rebranded as part of the nationwide Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series. The 2010 race will feature live bands and cheerleaders entertaining participants along each mile of the historic 13.1 mile course, the home of five World and three U.S. records.
Event weekend kicks off Friday, September 17 with a free two-day Health & Fitness Expo at Philadelphia Convention Center, which is open to the public. The Expo, where all participants pick up their race number, will feature over 100 exhibitors with free samples, the latest in running apparel and a full schedule of interactive clinics. The men's will be broadcast LIVE on Competitor.com beginning at 7:55 am EST. The women's race will be shown later in the day. The event concludes Sunday afternoon with a finish line festival and post-race concert in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum. For more information, visit: Philadelphia.Competitor.com.
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