Press Release - Twin Cities Marathon - 10/1/09

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

       DE REUCK, FRIEDMAN AMONG COMPETITIVE FIELD READY FOR 
            USA WOMEN'S MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIP CONTEST

Sunday, October 4 is Only 2009 Opportunity to Qualify for 2012 Women's 
Marathon Olympic Trials

(Minneapolis)- As the only opportunity in 2009 for women to qualify for the 
2012 Women's Marathon Olympic Trials, Sunday's USA Women's Marathon 
Championship at the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in Minnesota is an 
all-important race.  The "B Standard" qualifying time for women is 2:46:00 
and the "A Standard" is 2:39:00 or better.   There's an Olympic Trials 
Qualifier incentive, plus the USA Women's Marathon Championship prize purse 
for the top ten finishers in this race is more than $72,500.  There is also 
a $25,000 incentive for any woman who breaks the current women's Medtronic 
Twin Cities Marathon course record of 2:26:51. 

Four-time Olympian Colleen De Reuck said earlier this week that she's 
hoping for a faster time than her 2:35:37 finish in Boston and feels her 
training indicates she's "capable of my goal.  I'm hoping for a top five 
finish in the open and I'm going for a win in the master's race."  

Top competitor Robyn Friedman said she looks forward to Sunday's 
Championship.  "This will be a fun field to compete against.  All of those 
gals... have been racing very well in the last year and I know they will be 
coming in ready to race hard and hit fast times!  Hopefully several of us 
can work together and bring in a group of mid to low 2:30s times. "

The USA Women's Marathon Championship is in it's 36th year and the fastest 
championship time is 2:26:26 posted by Julie Brown in 1983.  

The Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon is also the host of the USA Masters 
Marathon Championships. Both events start at 8:00 a.m., Sunday, October 4 
in front of the HHH Metrodome in Minneapolis and finish in front of the 
State Capitol in St. Paul.
   
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