Team Gloucester Running Club c/o 68 Granite Street Rockport, Massachusetts 01966 (978) 546-2080

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: John Barbour August 24th, 2006 978-281-5642 mcbarbour@verizon.net

TEAM GLOUCESTER ANNOUNCES AROUND CAPE ANN 25K PERPETUAL AWARD IN HONOR OF GILLIAN HOROVITZ

Gloucester resident had unprecedented streak of wins and course records in historic road race; represented Great Britain in major international competitions.

Gloucester: Team Gloucester running club announces the establishment of a perpetual award in honor of long-time summer Gloucester resident and former world-class marathoner Gillian Horovitz. On Labor Day Monday, September 4 at 9:00 a.m., women entrants in the Around Cape Ann 25K road race will compete to become the first-ever winner of the Gillian Horovitz Trophy.

Horovitz has compiled a record on the Cape Ann course that may never be duplicated. According to the Association of Road Racing Statisticians, Horovitz's 11 ACA 25K wins between 1980 and 2001 ranks as the most by a woman in any American road race. In addition, she was Masters (age 40 and up) champion seven times (1996-2002) and went undefeated in that category.

As Gillian Adams of Kent, England, she won her first ACA 25K in 1980 in a then-course record 1:39:43. She went on to run the ACA 25K 18 times, with five 2nd-places, a 3rd, and a 6th to go along with her 11 wins. As Gillian Horovitz, she was the top finisher from Cape Ann every time she raced (17). She holds current women's course records for Masters (1:35:42, 1998) and Cape Ann Residents (1:35:19, 1984).

Horovitz's athletic career away from Cape Ann is equally memorable. She completed 92 marathons with a personal best of 2:36:52 at the 1993 Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota. She placed 3rd at Boston in 1980 (2:39:17), 2nd at New York in 1979 (2:38:33), and 4th in 1980 (2:37:55). Horovitz ran New York a total of 21 times, winning three masters titles (1995, '97, '99) and three 45-49 titles (2000-01, '03).

At one point Horovitz had run more sub-2:40 and sub-2:50 marathons than any woman in history. Her most outstanding effort may have come at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where, representing Great Britain in steamy, humid conditions, she placed 4th in 2:46:58 at age 43. Horovitz twice represented the UK in World Cup Marathons (Hiroshima, Japan 1985 and San Sebastian, Spain 1993) as well as international cross country competition. She currently ranks #8 all-time among British women age 40-44 and #6 age 45-49 for the marathon.

Creation of the award coincides with the retirement of Horovitz's husband, Israel Horovitz, as Artistic Director of the Gloucester Stage Company. Gillian Horovitz will present the silver bowl to the female winner at the post-race awards ceremony. Afterwards it will remain on display at the Cape Ann YMCA, with the new winner's name engraved each year. The award is a part of the new partnership between the Cape Ann YMCA, as race organizers and beneficiaries, and Team Gloucester.