CONTACT: Kristine Smith, Marketing and Public Relations Manager

(763) 287-3888 x 113

September 19, 2008                                                               

PAST CHAMPIONS RETURN TO MINNESOTA TO HEADLINE MEDTRONIC TWIN CITIES MARATHON FIELD

October 5^th race will serve as USA Men's and Masters Marathon Championship, attracting a national field of professional runners vying for a prize purse of over $300,000

(Minneapolis, MN) - Past Twin Cities Marathon Champion Dan Browne (2002), along with defending USA Masters Champions Tracy Lokken and Susan Loken, are set to return to compete for $302,000 in prize money at the 27^th Annual Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on Sunday, October 5^th.

Olympian Dan Browne headlines a strong men’s field that will compete for the USA Men's Marathon Championship.  The field features over 20 runners that qualified for last November's Olympic Trials Marathon, including 6 runners who finished in the top 25.  In addition to Browne’s 6^th place finish, that list includes Mike Morgan (12^th), Fasil Bizuneh (13^th), Christopher Raabe (16^th), Chad Johnson (20^th) and Josh Ordway (21^st). 

Adding to the depth of the field is Fernado Cabada, the American 25K record-holder and Justin Young, who lowered his personal best by over five minutes to 2:13:54 at the Rotterdam Marathon in April.  This year's race will also be the debut marathon for Ryan Sheehan, Celedonio Rodriguez, Antonio Vega and Josh Moen, all who've run sub-1:05 half marathons.

In the women's race, Mary Akor could become the first woman to win Grandma's Marathon and Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in the same calendar year.  Akor's biggest challenge could come from Russians Silvia Skvortsova and Olga Glok.  Not only does Skvortsova have the best time in the field (2:27:07), she’s the only woman that has run sub-2:30 in the last five years - a feat she has accomplished in seven of the last eight years.  While Glok has yet to break 2:30, she did run 2:31:12 in Istanbul and 2:30:40 in Paris within the last year.  In addition, 10 women who ran in the Olympic Trials Marathon in April add depth to the field.

For the 18^th consecutive year, the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon will be the host of the USA Masters Marathon Championship.  Susan Loken of Phoenix is the three-time defending champion on the women's side.  Loken looks to be challenged by three other women who qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon, Meghan Arbogast, Susan Empey and Doreen Manske.  Also looking to make a splash, in her marathon debut, is Jody Hawkins.  Hawkins is familiar with Loken, having finished two seconds behind her earlier this year at the More Magazine Half Marathon in 1:20:16.

2007 USA Masters Champion Tracy Lokken returns to defend his title.  Other top runners in the field include a couple of newly minted Masters in John Ashton and Carl Rundell, along with Paul Aufdemberge, John Mirth and 2004 USA Masters Marathon Champion Dennis Simonaitis.

2008 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Elite Field Top Competitors (as of 9/16/08)

About the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon
The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America is recognized as one of the top marathons and great road races of our time. Join us as the tradition continues October 3-5, 2008. The three-day weekend celebration of fitness includes a 5K run/walk, children's fun runs, pasta dinner, health and fitness expo and Medtronic TC 10 Mile, in addition to the marathon. Medtronic is the title sponsor of marathon events and other major sponsors include C9 for Target, KARE 11, the Pioneer Press and CBS Radio-Minneapolis.  Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. is the non-profit organization that directs race weekend as a community service for the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Visit www.mtcmarathon.org for more information.

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An updated seed list will be available on race weekend.  For media credentials and media guides, please contact Kristine Smith at kristine@mtcmarathon.org or 763-287-3888 ext. 113.

Posted by Mackenzie Lobby