Courtesy of Running USA wire.

Top U.S. fields also vie for $26,000 national championship
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - (August 29, 2002) - The USA Men's and Women's 20K Championships return to the New Haven Road Race on Labor Day, Monday, September 2. As the race celebrates its 25th edition, top American fields including the defending champions Dan Browne and Milena Glusac and ten past national champions and four Olympians are expected to compete for U.S. 20K titles and $26,000 in USA Championship money. For ten consecutive years for the men and for two straight years for the women, New Haven has hosted the national 20K road championships.

As a USA Championship, the New Haven 20K is also part of the USA Running Circuit (USARC), a USA Track & Field road series. Many of the top contenders for the $25,000 USARC Grand Prix will be at the race including the top three women - Colleen De Reuck, Jeanne Hennessy and Libbie Hickman and male contenders - Jim Jurcevich (#3), Peter DeLaCerda (#4), David Morris (#6) and Browne (#8). The top ten U.S. finishers will earn important Circuit points.

"We are very excited about this year's national championship, particularly with both defending champions Dan Browne and Milena Glusac returning to face formidable fields. We expect the racing to be intense and highly competitive," said John Bysiewicz, Race Director.

Last year, over the final miles, Browne pulled away from Morris for the U.S. title in 1:00:10 with Morris second (1:00:25), while Glusac led from the start and went unchallenged to the women's crown in 1:07:49 (the 4th fastest American woman all-time) with Christine Clifton second (1:08:25).

Browne, 27, of Portland, Ore. is a favorite to claim his second consecutive U.S. 20K road crown. The 2001 USARC Grand Prix co-champion - who is coached by American legend Alberto Salazar - has excellent finishing speed as evidenced by his 10,000 meter personal record of 27:47.04 set in May and his five 1998 USA titles (5K, 10K, 10,000m, 3000m indoor and 4K cross country).

Browne's likely challengers at New Haven should be:

1) Peter DeLaCerda, 30, (Alamosa, CO), 2002 USA Half-Marathon champion (1:05:57, UMKC Hospital Hill); 2001 USA 25K Championships runner-up (River Bank); 2nd 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (2:16:18, personal record); Team USA California

2) David Morris, 31, (Albuquerque, NM), 2002 USA 25K champion (River Bank) and World Half-Marathon Championships team; former U.S. marathon record holder (2:09:32 at 1999 LaSalle Banks Chicago); 1997 USA Half-Marathon champion

3) Jim Jurcevich, 26, (Columbus, OH), 2002 USA Half-Marathon Championships runner-up (UMKC Hospital Hill), third USA 25K Championships (River Bank) and World Half-Marathon Championships team; 6th 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000m

4) Scott Larson, 32, (Boulder, CO), 2001 USARC Grand Prix co-champion with Dan Browne and USA Marathon champion (2:15:26, New York City); 2001-2 World Half-Marathon Championships team; 4th 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (Pittsburgh)

5) Keith Dowling, 33, (Reston, VA), top American at the 2002 Boston Marathon (2:13:28, 15th overall); 2001 USA Half-Marathon Championships runner-up (1:03:59, Parkersburg)

Other top U.S. men expected at New Haven include:

Jeff Campbell (Rochester Hills, MI); Kevin Collins (Craryville, NY); Tony Cosey (Knoxville, TN), 2000 Olympian steeplechase; Darrell General (Mitchellville, MD); Teddy Mitchell (Boulder, CO); Todd Reeser (Canandaigua, NY), 2000 USA 20K champion (New Haven); Matt Thull (Wauwatosa, WI); Clint Verran (Rochester Hills, MI), 2001 USA Marathon Championships runner-up (New York City) and Chris Wehrman (Chicago, IL)

In the women's race, Milena Glusac, 26, of Fallbrook, Calif. will need another stellar New Haven performance to repeat as U.S. champion because her competition includes 1998 New Haven champion Colleen De Reuck who set the 20K world record (1:05:11) that year, 2000 Olympian Libbie Hickman and Team USA California teammate Jeanne Hennessy, and they are fit. Glusac - the 2001 USARC Grand Prix champion - is also race ready as she recently finished 3rd at the SBLI Falmouth Road Race against a top international field (where De Reuck finished 4th, Hickman 8th and Hennessy 13th). In June, the Oregon graduate finished second at the USA 10,000 meter championships in a personal record, 32:15.09. Last year, she won three U.S. road titles (20K, half-marathon and 25K).

Glusac's main challengers should be:

1) Colleen De Reuck, 38, (Boulder, CO), 2002 World Cross Country Championships bronze medal, USA 7 Mile champion (Bix 7), USA 5K Championships runner-up (Freihofer's), current USARC leader (34 points) and Steamboat Classic 4 Mile winner (19:59); 2001 USA 8K champion (Carolina); became U.S. citizen in December 2000; in 1998, set world records at 20K (1:05:11, New Haven) and 10 Mile (51:16, Nortel Cherry Blossom); three-time Olympian for South Africa

2) Libbie Hickman, 37, (Ft. Collins, CO), returning to competition after 2001 maternity leave; 3rd 2002 USA 7 Mile Championship (Bix 7); 2000 USA 5K champion and 10,000m Olympian; 1999-2000 USARC Grand Prix champion; 1998-2000 USA 10K champion; 1999 10 Mile champion and 1998/2000 Half-Marathon champion

3) Jeanne Hennessy, 24, (Mahopac, NY), 2002 USA 25K champion (River Bank) and currently second in the USARC standings (23 points); 5th 2001 USA Marathon Championships (2:39:58, PR); former soccer goalie at Villanova; Team USA California

Other top American women at New Haven include:

Gordon Bakoulis (New York, NY), top master and 1993 New Haven winner; Faith Byrum (Boulder, CO); Christine Clifton (Auburn, WA), 2001 USA 20K Championships runner-up (New Haven); Machelle Cochran (Rochester, NY); Nicole Hunt (Deer Lodge, MT); Judy Johnson (Marietta, GA); Beth Old (Douglasville, GA), 2002 USA 25K Championships runner-up (River Bank); Michelle Simonaitis (Salt Lake City, UT); Linda Somers Smith (San Luis Obispo, CA), top master and 1996 Olympic marathoner and Molly Taber (Boxford, MA)

The $30,100 total prize purse includes $26,000 for the USA Championship ($5000, $3000, $1500, $1250, $1000, $500, $300, $200, $150 and $100 for 10th). In addition, the first runner to break the course record (57:37 for m en and 1:05:11 for women) will earn an extra $1000 bonus.

The New Haven 20K is home of four Open records (women's world, men's and women's U.S. All-Comers and U.S. women's).

20K Road Records U.S. 59:13 Paul Cummings, New Bedford (split), MA, 03/15/87 1:07:07 Trina Painter, New Haven, CT, 09/04/95 U.S. All-Comers 57:37 Khalid Khannouchi (MAR), New Haven, 09/07/98 1:05:11 Colleen De Reuck (RSA), New Haven, CT, 09/07/98 World 56:18 Paul Tergat (KEN), Stramilano (split), ITA, 04/04/98 1:05:11 Colleen De Reuck (RSA), New Haven, CT, 09/07/98

Compiled and verified by USATF Road Running Information Center (805) 696-6232; USATFRRIC@aol.com; www.usaldr.org

The flat, fast loop course starts and finishes at the New Haven Green. Over 5,000 participants in the 20K and accompanying 5K and 1/2 mile children's runs are expected at the 25th annual Labor Day race, the fourth largest 20K in the country (2,072 finishers in 2001). The New Haven Road Race is sponsored by New Haven Savings Bank, Bayer Corporation and the City of New Haven. For more information, visit the race website at http://www.newhavenroadrace.org.

Recent Men's USA 20K Champions 1985 Jon Sinclair 1:01:45 Big Boy Classic, WV 1986 Mark Curp 1:01:31 Big Boy Classic, WV 1987 Mark Curp 1:02:21 Big Boy Classic, WV 1988 Mark Curp 1:02:26 Big Boy Classic, WV 1989 Paul Gompers 1:02:31 Big Boy Classic, WV 1990 Ed Eyestone 1:01:54 Big Boy Classic, WV 1991 Mark Curp 1:03:29 Big Boy Classic, WV 1992 Paul Pilkington 1:03:09 Big Boy Classic, WV 1993 Keith Brantly 59:55 New Haven Road Race, CT 1994 Ed Eyestone 59:16 New Haven Road Race, CT 1995 Joe LeMay 59:30 New Haven Road Race, CT 1996 Joe LeMay 59:37 New Haven Road Race, CT 1997 Brian Clas 1:00:43 New Haven Road Race, CT 1998 Terrence Mahon 1:00:58 New Haven Road Race, CT 1999 Phillimon Hanneck 1:01:02 New Haven Road Race, CT 2000 Todd Reeser 1:00:00 New Haven Road Race, CT 2001 Dan Browne 1:00:10 New Haven Road Race, CT

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New Haven 20K Next Stop for USA Running Circuit

The USA Running Circuit - a USA Track & Field road series featuring USA Championships from 5K to the marathon - returns to action at the 25th New Haven 20K on Labor Day, Monday, September 2. The 2002 USARC, the eighth edition for the men and seventh for the women, offers over $340,000 in championship prize money plus a $25,000 grand prix purse. The 2002 Circuit features nine events for men and seven events for women.

At New Haven, Women's USARC leader Colleen De Reuck can solidify her position with a top performance as well as Jeanne Hennessy (currently #2) and 1999-2000 USARC champion Libbie Hickman (#3). For the men, Jim Jurcevich (#3) or Peter De La Cerda (#4) can move into the #1 spot with a top three performance there.

Per USARC race, the first ten U.S. runners earn points (15 for first, 12 for second, 10 for third, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1), and USARC points at the Twin Cities Marathon (September 29) will be doubled.

Since its inception in 1995, the USA Running Circuit and its races have provided over $3.3 million dollars to U.S. distance runners. The USARC mission is to showcase, support and promote U.S. runners. Past USARC Grand Prix champions include Olympians Keith Brantly ('95), Mark Coogan ('96), Rod DeHaven ('98/'00), Libbie Hickman ('99-'00), Anne Marie Lauck ('96), Shelly Steely ('98) and Todd Williams ('99).

2002 USARC Standings

MEN after five races 1) Abdi Abdirahman, 25, Tucson, AZ 31 2) Meb Keflezighi, 27, San Diego, CA 30 3) Jim Jurcevich, 26, Columbus, OH 22 4) Peter DeLaCerda, 30, Alamosa, CO 21 5) Kyle Baker, 26, Mason, MI 17 6) Tim Broe, 25, Ann Arbor, MI 15 David Morris, 31, Albuquerque, NM 15 8) Dan Browne, 27, Portland, OR 12 Todd Williams, 33, Knoxville, TN 12 10) Clint Wells, 27, Boulder, CO 11

WOMEN after four races 1) Colleen De Reuck, 38, Boulder, CO 34 2) Jeanne Hennessy, 24, Mahopac, NY 23 3) Libbie Hickman, 37, Ft. Collins, CO 17 4) Deena Drossin, 29, Mammoth Lakes, CA 15 Marla Runyan, 33, Eugene, OR 15 6) Sylvia Mosqueda, 36, Los Angeles, CA 14 7) Elva Dryer, 30, Albuquerque, NM 12 Katie McGregor, 24, Minneapolis, MN 12 Beth Old, 27, Douglasville, GA 12 10) Jen Rhines, 28, St. Davids, PA 10 Lori Zimmerman, 32, Cedar Creek, TX 10 Nicole Kulikov, 26, Ft. Collins, CO 10 Cheri Kenah, 31, Reston, VA 10

2002 USA Road Champions MEN Meb Keflezighi 42:28 Gate River Run 15K, Jacksonville, FL, March 9 Tim Broe 22:26 NYRR 8000, New York, NY, April 6 David Morris 1:17:15 Fifth Third River Bank 25K, Grand Rapids, MI, May 11 Peter DeLaCerda 1:05:57 UMKC Hospital Hill HM, Kansas City, MO, June 1 Meb Keflezighi 32:36 Quad-City Times Bix 7, Davenport, IA, July 20

WOMEN Deena Drossin 48:12* Gate River Run 15K, Jacksonville, FL, March 9 Jeanne Hennessy 1:27:18 Fifth Third River Bank 25K, Grand Rapids, MI, May 11 Marla Runyan 15:27 Freihofer's Run for Women 5K, Albany, NY, June 1 Colleen De Reuck 37:44 Quad-City Times Bix 7, Davenport, IA, July 20 *U.S. record

Remaining USARC Races:

CVS/pharmacy Downtown 5K (Men), Providence, RI, Sept 15 $15,000 Twin Cities Marathon (M & W), Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, Sept 29 $86,900 Tufts 10K Health Plan for Women, Boston, MA, October 14 $17,950 Food World Senior Bowl Charity Run 10K (Men), Mobile, AL, Nov 2 $50,000