Contact: Dan Finanger
Executive Director
612-925-3500, Ext. 12
Jackie Liu
Media & Public Relations Manager
612-925-3500, Ext. 13
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CLIF SHOT PACE TEAM LEADING THE WAY AT TWIN CITIES MARATHON
Elite athletes pace runners of many abilities
Minneapolis, Minnesota – August 29, 2002 – Running shoes, energy gels and
plenty of course entertainment won’t be the only things helping this year’s
field of runners in the 21st annual Twin Cities Marathon (TCM). Runners
will have the opportunity to rely on the guidance and marathoning expertise
of an extremely talented group of athletes – the Clif SHOT Pace Team.
The Clif SHOT Pace Team, comprised of 11 highly skilled and experienced
marathon runners, will lead TCM participants to their finishing goal times.
The team is a fixed slate of highly skilled runners appearing at 5
marathons throughout 2002. Sponsored by Clif SHOT, the energy gel of Clif
Bar, Inc., the team debuted at the Los Angeles Marathon in March to high
acclaim from all participants, and received a red carpet reception at the
Flying Pig Marathon in May. The goal of the Clif SHOT Pace Team leaders is
to get a team of runners across the finish line in a set amount of time,
offering a range of 10 finish time goals between 3:15 and 5:30.
Clif SHOT Pace Team leaders run even splits throughout the race were each
mile is run at the same pace, which prevents runners from making the common
mistake of starting too fast and burning precious energy reserves too soon.
Additionally, team leaders remind their groups to take in plenty of fluids
and Clif SHOT, a fast-acting, easy-to-digest energy gel that is critical to
sustaining endurance and improving overall performance. Serving as a
coach, motivator, guide and friend, the team leaders keep runners’ spirits
high and legs moving throughout the race.
The main benefit supplied by the Clif SHOT Pace Team, that many other teams
may lack, is the level of experience. Carefully selected based on past
performances, each team leader has run a minimum of 12 marathons, and paced
at least three times prior to this race. Several leaders have run up to
fifty marathons and paced dozens of others.
"By assembling a group of pacers with such a high level of personal
experience with the marathon, we assure that no matter what a runner goes
through in the marathon, their Pacer has felt the same way at some point.
This enables our leaders to better help their groups," says Darris
Blackford, the team’s head coordinator.
But it’s not only the leaders that members of a pace group can learn from –
they have a unique opportunity to meet and learn from other runners at
their same level of fitness. Clif SHOT Pace Team leader Dan Leite says,
"The camaraderie that comes from running with one of our groups is
invaluable. The group dynamic, and the ability to gain strength from
equally trained and talented runners sharing the same experience, can be an
enormous help in the final miles."
To learn more about the team, visit www.clifbar.com/paceteams or stop by
the Clif SHOT Pace Team sign up booth at the TCM Healthfair 11 Fitness
Expo. The expo is Friday, September 27 and Saturday, September 28, in the
Touchstone Energy® Place at RiverCentre, 175 West Kellogg Boulevard in St.
Paul.
The 2002 TCM weekend is September 27-29. TCM will host the 2002 USA Men’s,
Women’s and Masters Marathon Championships. The three-day weekend
celebration of fitness includes a 5K fun run/walk, children’s fun runs, a
pasta dinner, a two-day health and fitness expo, and a 10-mile race in
addition to the marathon. Major corporate sponsors for the marathon are
Cub Foods, Calhoun Beach Club and Seagate Technology. The major media
sponsors are KARE 11 and Cities 97. Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. is a
non-profit organization that directs the TCM weekend as a community service
for the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Visit us at www.twincitiesmarathon.org.
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