USA Men’s and Women’s HalfMarathon
Championships Return to Parkersburg
Over $51,000 in prize money and World Championships berths at stake
19 August 1999 - PARKERSBURG, W.Va.—For the tenth consecutive year, the Parkersburg Half-Marathon hosts the USA Men’s Championship and for the second straight year, the Women’s Championship. On Saturday, August 21, strong U.S. fields—including Todd Williams, 1996 champion Alfredo Vigueras, John Sence, Shelly Steely, Gwyn Coogan and Christine McNamara—are expected to compete. Besides national titles and over $36,000 in championship prize money, eight athletes (five men and three women) will qualify for the USA team for the World Half-Marathon Championships in Palermo, Italy on October 3.
"We again have a very strong field with a mix of veterans and new runners. This is the only national road championship where the top five male and top three female runners earn automatic berths for the USA World Championships team. The race also promotes the Association Athlete Development Program for Women which grooms runners for future success in long distance running. It will be a great race day for U.S. distance runners and the State of West Virginia," commented Louie Haer, Race Director.
Last year, Rod DeHaven and Libbie Hickman won the USA Track & Field titles in 1:03:42 and 1:13:29 respectively. Next week, both athletes will be competing at the World Championships in Seville, Spain. DeHaven will run the marathon and Hickman the 10,000 meters.
Pre-race favorite Williams, 30, from Knoxville, Tennessee, makes his first appearance at Parkersburg as he goes after his third 1999 USA road title. On May 8, at the Old Kent River Bank Run 25K, the two-time 10,000 meter Olympian won his eighth U.S. road crown in 1:17:15. In early March at Gate River, Williams captured his fifth USA 15K championship in 43:59; the Tennessee graduate holds the U.S. 15K record holder (42:22). The four-time U.S. 10,000 meter champion also leads the Men’s USA Running Circuit with 30 points.
Top U.S. men expected to challenge Williams include:
1) Alfredo Vigueras, 36, (Woodland, CA), 1999 USA marathon champion (UPMC/City of Pittsburgh, 2:14:20); 1996 USA half-marathon (Parkersburg) and 25K champion (Old Kent River Bank) and 2nd USARC Grand Prix
2) John Sence, 29, (Cincinnati, OH), 1998 USA 25K champion (1:16:15, Old Kent River Bank Run) and 3rd at Parkersburg (1:05:06); 1997 USARC Grand Prix champion and USA 25K champion (Old Kent); 1996 World Half-Marathon Championships team (top U.S., 1:04:07, 26th)
3) Mark Coogan, 33, (Boulder, CO), 1998 USA Championship runner-up (Midland 10 Mile); 1997 USA Championship runner-up (Gate River Run 15K and Midland 10 Mile); 1996 USARC Grand Prix champion, 2nd U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (2:13:05) and USA champion (Palm Desert 5K and Examiner Bay to Breakers 12K);
1995 Pan Am Games marathon silver medalist (2:15:21) and 2nd USARC Grand
Prix; 1993 USA 12K champion
4) Jerry Lawson, 33, (Jacksonville, FL), 1998 3M Austin Half-Marathon winner (1:01:43); in 1997 set U.S. marathon record (2:09:35, LaSalle Banks Chicago) and top U.S. male in USATF World Road Rankings; in 1996, tied U.S. marathon record (2:10:04) at LaSalle Banks Chicago, top U.S. male in USATF World Road Rankings and USA 25K and half-marathon (Parkersburg) national runner-up
5) Jimmy Hearld, 31, (Louisville, KY), 1998 USA 10 Mile champion (47:44, course record, Midland Run); 1996-97 World Half-Marathon Championships team
Other top American men at Parkersburg include Paul Aufdemberge (Redford, MI), 2nd at 1999 USA 25K Championship (Old Kent); Jeff Campbell (Alamosa, CO);
Chris Chattin (MD); Peter DeLaCerda (Alamosa, CO), 2nd at Parkersburg ‘98;
Darrell General (Mitchellville, MD); Brad Hudson (Boulder, CO); Kelly Mortenson (Colorado Springs, CO), 1998 St. George Marathon winner; Eric Morrison (Lakewood, CO), 1997-98 World Half-Marathon Championships team; Guy Murray (Farmington Hills, MI) and Todd Reeser (Macedon, NY), 4th at Parkersburg ‘98.
The women’s race has no clear favorite, but several women—Gwyn Coogan, Chris McNamara, Shelly Steely and Vicki Mitchell have run well this year. Here are the top U.S. women expected at Parkersburg:
1) Gwyn Coogan, 34, (Boulder, CO), 7th 1999 Beach to Beacon 10K (32:46); 1998 USA marathon champion (Methodist Health Care Houston Marathon); 4th 1996 Olympic Marathon Trials (2:33:51); 1995 Twin Cities marathon winner (2:32:58) and USA 12K road champion (Examiner Bay to Breakers); 1992 Olympian 10,000 meters
2) Christine McNamara, 33, (Boulder, CO), 1999 USA 25K champion (Old Kent River Bank); 2nd 1998 USA 15K Championship (51:23, Gate River Run); 1997 USA 10 mile champion (Park Forest Scenic 10, 54:12); the fastest 1997 U.S. female marathoner (2:28:18 at London); 1993 U.S. 5000 meter champion
3) Shelly Steely, 36, (Albuquerque, NM), 1999 USA 25K runner-up (Old Kent) and 5th U.S. 10,000 meters (32:54.80); 1998 USARC Grand Prix champion, USA 10 mile and 25K champion and USA Half-Marathon runner-up (Parkersburg); 1997 3rd USARC Grand Prix; 1993 Carlsbad 5000 winner (15:36); 1992 USA 5K champion (15:30) and 1992 Olympian 3000 meters (7th in final)
4) Vicki Mitchell, 30, (Buffalo, NY), 1999 Subaru Buffalo 4 Mile Chase (21:10) and Michael Forbes Trolley Run 4 Mile (20:33) winner
Other U.S. women include Laurie Corbin (Morristown, NJ); Kelly Cordell (Gilbert, AZ); Jennifer Crain (River Hills, WI), 7th 1999 Pan Am Games Marathon; Lynn Fitzsimmons (Mequon, WI); Betsy Kempter (Chapel Hill, NC);
Julia Kirtland (South Harpswell, ME), 1997 USA marathon champion; Kirsten Russell Kindt (Boulder, CO); Kathy Smith (Irvine, CA); Patty Valadka (Houston, TX), top U.S. master and Liz Wilson (Eugene, OR), 1998 Silicon Valley Half-Marathon winner (1:13:58).
The total prize purse equals $51,500. The top ten U.S. men and women will be competing for $36,950 national championship money ($6000, $4000, $3000, $1500, $1200, $850, $700, $500, $400 and $325).
The 13th annual Parkersburg Half-Marathon is also the fifth race of the Men’s and Women’s USA Running Circuit (USARC) and the top ten finishers will earn important Circuit points.
The USA Championship will be aired via tape delay on FOX Sports Net Pittsburgh on Sunday, August 22 from 3:30-4:00pm (EST). The race will also be covered live (8:00am) on WLTP radio and later shown three times (race day, Sunday and Monday) on local NBC affiliate WTAP. For uplink information (B-Roll and soundbite highlights), contact Greg Smith at (304) 424-2412.
The loop course with rolling hills starts and finishes in downtown Parkersburg. Over 1,600 participants from elite runners to middle-of-the-pack runners are expected. The race also celebrates the bicentennial of Wood County. Principal sponsor is Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital. Visit their website (www.ccmh.org) for race information and results.
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USA Half-Marathon History and Records
Recent USA Men’s Half-Marathon Champions
1987 Paul Cummings 1:02:32 New Bedford/Bank of Boston, MA
1988 Mark Stickley 1:02:42 Citrus Bowl, Orlando, FL
1990 Mark Curp 1:03:37 Parkersburg, WV
1991 Jon Sinclair 1:03:44 Parkersburg, WV
1992 Don Janicki 1:03:44 Parkersburg, WV
1993 Ed Eyestone 1:03:19 Parkersburg, WV
1994 Rod DeHaven 1:03:38 Parkersburg, WV
1995 Steve Spence 1:04:42 Parkersburg, WV
1996 Alfredo Vigueras 1:04:00 Parkersburg, WV
1997 David Morris 1:05:53 Parkersburg, WV
1998 Rod DeHaven 1:03:42 Parkersburg, WV
Recent USA Women’s Half-Marathon Champions
1989 Diane Brewer 1:13:00 Fairfield, CT
1993 Elaine Van Blunk 1:12:06 Fairfield, CT
1996 Anne Marie Lauck 1:12:10 Motorola, Schaumburg, IL
1998 Libbie Hickman 1:13:29 Parkersburg, WV
Half-Marathon Records
Course 1:02:25 Steve Kogo (KEN) Parkersburg, WV 08/18/90
U.S. 1:00:55 Mark Curp Philadelphia Distance Run, PA 09/15/85
World 59:17 Paul Tergat (KEN) Stramilano, ITA 04/04/98
Course 1:11:42 Olga Markova (RUS) Parkersburg, WV 08/17/91
U.S. 1:08:34 Joan Benoit Philadelphia Distance Run, PA 09/17/84
World 1:07:59 Elana Meyer (RSA) Ohlsson’s S.A. Championships, RSA
05/18/91
Compiled by USATF Road Running Information Center, 5522 Camino Cerralvo, Santa Barbara, CA 93111; Phone: (805) 683-5868, FAX: (805) 967-5958, email:
rric@runningusa.org, website: www.usaldr.org
