For more information, contact:
Greg Smith, (304) 424-2412; (304) 482-1902 (race day)
www.ccmh.org

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. - (August 17, 2000) - For the eleventh consecutive year, the Parkersburg Half-Marathon--to be held on Saturday, August 19--hosts the USA Men's Championship and for the third straight year, the Women's Championship. Although last year's champions Todd Williams and Gwyn Coogan will not defend their titles, strong U.S. fields including 2000 U.S. Olympians Rod DeHaven and Libbie Hickman are expected.

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 Veracruz, Mexico on November 12.

"The Parkersburg Half-Marathon National Championships has a very strong field this year which includes two 2000 Olympians and a mix of veterans and new runners. The weather is predicted to be clear and cool, and the potential is there for a record setting pace. It will be a great race day for the U.S. distance runners and the State of West Virginia," stated Louie Haer, Race Director.

As the 1994 and 1998 USA Half-Marathon champion at Parkersburg, Rod DeHaven from Madison, Wisconsin knows the course well and his experience and recent performances make him the men's race favorite. On May 7, DeHaven, 33, won the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (2:15:30) in Pittsburgh, and the South Dakota State graduate will represent the U.S. in the Olympic Marathon in Sydney Australia on Sunday, October 1. He recently finished 8th at the U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000 meters (28:48.98) in Sacramento. Last January, the 1998 USA Running Circuit Grand Prix won the Naples Half-Marathon (1:03:12). The Parkersburg race could be his final tune-up before the Olympics.

Top U.S. men expected to challenge DeHaven include:

1) Scott Larson, 30, (Boulder, CO), 4th 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (2:17:15); USA Half-Marathon national runner-up last year at Parkersburg (1:04:26), 2nd 1999 USARC Grand Prix and 1999 World Half-Marathon Championships team (top U.S.); 1998 RRCA Roads Scholar

2) Peter DeLaCerda, 29, (Alamosa, CO), 2nd 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (2:16:18, PR) and 3rd USA 15K Championships (Gate River Run); 4th last year at Parkersburg (1:04:35) and 5th 1999 USARC Grand Prix; in 1998, second at Parkersburg (1:04:48)

3) Shawn Found, 29, (Boulder, CO), 4th 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000 meters (28:33.73), USA 25K champion (Old Kent River Bank) and USA 15K national runner-up (Gate River Run); current USA Running Circuit leader with 27 points

4) Mark Coogan, 34, (Madison, WI), 3rd 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and Shamrock Shuffle 8K winner (22:59); 1998 USA Championship runner-up (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), 2nd USARC Grand Prix; 1993 USA 12K champion

5) David Morris, 30, (Albuquerque, NM), in 1999, Morris set the U.S. marathon record (2:09:32) at the LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon; 1997 Half-Marathon champion at Parkersburg; 1993 NCAA 3000 meter indoor champion

Other top American men at Parkersburg include Jeff Campbell (Alamosa, CO); Darrell General (Mitchellville, MD); Phillimon Hanneck (Clackamas, OR), 1999 USA 10K and 20K champion; Eddy Hellebuyck (Albuquerque, NM); Jerry Lawson (Boulder, CO), former U.S. marathon record holder (2:09:35, LaSalle Banks Chicago); Teddy Mitchell (Alamosa, CO); Carlos Paradelo (Tempe, AZ) and Todd Reeser (Macedon, NY), 4th at Parkersburg '98.

For the U.S. women, Libbie Hickman, 35, from Ft. Collins, Colorado is likely to win her second USA Half-Marathon title (she also won in 1998). After a disappointing 8th place at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February, the 1999 USARC Grand Prix champion has come on strongly with a USA 5K title at Freihofer's (15:35), a 3rd place at the U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000 meters (31:58.68) and a close second at the recent Beach to Beacon 10K (32:19)

Hickman's main competitors at Parkersburg should be:

1) Sylvia Mosqueda, 34, (Los Angeles, CA), 6th 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000 (32:18.06), 2nd Bix 7 Miler (37:12), 3rd USA 5K Championship (Freihofer's, 15:44) and 4th Crescent City Classic (32:44); 1988 NCAA 10,000 meter champion

2) Shelly Steely, 37, (Albuquerque, NM), 1999 USA Half-Marathon and 25K national runner-up (Parkersburg and Old Kent); 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)

3) Kristy Johnston, 35, (Shepherdstown, WV), 2nd 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (Columbia); 1994 Chicago Marathon winner and 1993 Houston Marathon winner

4) Susannah Beck, 32, (Eugene, OR), 4th 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials; 1998 USA 12K champion; 1996 RRCA Roads Scholar winner

5) Jennifer Crain, 32, (River Hills, WI), 10th 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000 meters; 9th last year at Parkersburg (1:18:26) and 7th Pan Am Games Marathon; 2nd 1998 Columbus Marathon; 1997 World Half-Marathon Championships team

6) Anne Schaefers-Coles, 35, (Algonquin, IL), 6th 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials; 6th 1998 USA Marathon Championships

Other U.S. women include Marie Boyd (Albuquerque, NM), top master; Michelle Byrne (Dallas, TX), 6th last year at Parkersburg; Rachel Cook, (Athens, GA); Kelly Cordell (San Luis Obispo, CA), 8th last year at Parkersburg; Kelly Keane (Winchester, MA), 7th last year at Parkersburg; Michelle LaFleur (Savannah, GA); Kristin Schwartz (Colorado Springs, CO); Jennifer Tonkin (Seattle, WA), 2nd 1999 USA Marathon Championships and Maria Trujillo de Rios (Los Gatos, CA), top master.

The total prize purse equals $52,050. 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).

As an added incentive, the top five men and top three women earn automatic berths on the USA team for the 9th IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships in Veracruz, Mexico on November 12. The 14th annual Parkersburg Half-Marathon is also part of the Men and Women's USA Running Circuit (USARC) and the top ten finishers will earn important Circuit points.

Highlights of the USA Men and Women's National Championships will be aired via tape delay on FOX Sports Net Pittsburgh 11:30-12:00 noon EST Sunday, August 20 and 5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Saturday, August 26. FOX Home Team Sports (OH/WV/PA/MD) on Sunday, August 20th from 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. and Saturday, August 26th from 1:00 – 1:30 p.m. EST.(Wash DC, PA, MD, VA and NC). Same day local coverage will be via NBC affiliate WTAP-TV from 7:00-7:30 p.m. EST Saturday, August 19 and re-broadcast Sunday, August 20, 11:00-11:30 a.m. and Monday August 21, 7:00-7:30 p.m. EST.

B-Roll and Soundbite highlights can be satellite downlinked via Galaxy K11T12, Audio 6.2,6.8 Saturday, August 19, 17:00-17:15 (Eastern), WSAZ-TV (304) 344-3522, satellite control room: 1-800-321-3959.

West Virginia Governor Cecil Underwood will start the race and present the World Half-Marathon Championships team.

The loop course with rolling hills starts and finishes in downtown Parkersburg. Over 1,600 participants from 36 states are expected. Principal sponsor is Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital. Results with JPG photos of the top finishers will be posted at the race website at http://www.ccmh.org immediately following the race.

# # #  

Special thanks to 
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Coordinator for providing us this press release.
USATF Road Running Information Center
5522 Camino Cerralvo, Santa Barbara, CA 93111
(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 696-6252
http://www.usaldr.org