Big Sur Half Marathon --Monterey Bay

For Immediate Release
Contact:
Franca Gargiulo
Director Media Relations
415-564-2600
Franca.gargiulo@att.net


Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay Announces Elite Field


(October 24, 2006 – Carmel, CA) The Fourth Presentation of the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay once more embraces a sold-out field that includes a world-class group of elite runners from around the country. On October 29 over 4,500 runners and walkers will participate in the Half Marathon and 10-Mile Walk on a scenic course that winds through historic downtown Monterey, along world-famous Cannery Row, and continues along the Pacific Grove coastline. The race will end at Custom House Plaza, adjacent to Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf.

A revamped prize purse for the 2006 race has drawn interest from world-class runners around the United States. A strong women’s field is headlined by Jen Rhines, a 2004 Olympian competitor in the marathon event who owns a marathon PR of 2:29. She will be joined by another Olympian, Kate O’Neill, who represented the U.S. in the 10,000 meter event in 2004 and has a PR at that distance of 31:34.

These two female runners will be challenged by Hannah Mitei, a Kenyan training in Albuquerque, NM whose half marathon PR is 1:16 along with Heather Gibson of Oakland, CA who claims 5K/10K PRs of 16:34 and 33:59. Rounding out the women’s field are Camille Herron of Corvallis, OR, 2005’s third place finisher at the Big Sur Half; Angela Strange, a triathlete from Palo Alto, CA and winner of the 2003 Detroit Marathon in a time of 2:43; local professional triathlete Alexis Waddell who placed second here in 2004; and the 2005 female masters winner, Christine Kennedy of Los Gatos, CA.

The men’s race is equally impressive with two Americans headlining the field. Fernando Cabada out of Tennessee is the U.S. 20km record holder, while Ian Dobson, also of Tennessee, holds a fast PR of 13:12 in the 5000m. They will be joined by Ibrahim Limo of Albuquerque, NM, a former Big Sur Marathon winner and 2nd place finisher at the 2005 Big Sur Half. Kenyan Richard Kimeli, also of Albuquerque, has a 2004 half marathon PR of 1:03:15 and has run 10 miles in 49:07 this year. His training partner McDonald Ondara placed fifth in the recent Baltimore Half Marathon and hopes to improve his time at the Big Sur Half. The field is completed by Christian Hesch, Sergio Reyes, Jeff Gardina, and Miguel Nuci, four fast Central Coast runners with PRs in the 1:06 range. Vying for the master’s title are local runners Jeff Magallanes and Dwight Smith, both of Seaside, CA.

In addition to the Half Marathon and 10-Mile Walk, the Run Forrest Run 5K will take place on Sunday, October 29 as well. There will be a Health & Fitness Expo on the Friday and Saturday preceding the races, held at the Monterey Conference Center. Race participants as well as the general public are invited to this fun and informative event with a focus on health screening checks and demonstrations, sports medicine and fitness programs, the latest in fitness clothing, shoes and training aids and a variety of other run and walk related products and services.

To learn more about the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay, visit www.bsim.org.