Month: June 2020

NASA Astronaut Suni Williams to Run Boston Marathon in Space

Needham native will have earth support running on ground as she does 26.2-miles aboard the International Space Station.

Boston, Mass. – For the first time, a Boston Marathon qualifier will run the race in space. NASA astronaut and Needham, MA, native Sunita (Suni) Williams (41) is planning on running the 26.2 mile race on a treadmill onboard the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday, April 16, the same day as the world’s most prestigious marathon: the 111th Boston Marathon.

Williams will be supported on the actual marathon course from Hopkinton to Boston by an Earth Support Unit, headed by her sister Dina Pandya, fellow Naval Academy alumnus Ronnie Harris and up to a dozen of her friends, and NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg.

Today, the B.A.A. issued to Williams bib number 14,000, in honor of the Expedition 14 which she is currently executing. Boston Marathon Race Director McGillivray sent the bib electronically to NASA, who will forward it to Williams.

Onboard ISS, more than 200 miles above earth, Williams will be harnessed to a specially designed treadmill with bungee cords. A NASA engineer came up with a treadmill vibration isolation system to lessen the pounding impact on the space station, but this makes for an uncomfortable running experience that pulls on the runner’s hips and shoulders. She has had to slowly work herself up from a couple of miles per run since she arrived at the space station in December, to the marathon distance she is planning on completing in April.

Williams grew up in Needham, MA, and graduated from Needham High School in 1983. Her parents Deepak and Bonnie Pandya reside in Falmouth, MA. Her sister Dina lives in East Falmouth and is employed at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Williams qualified for the 2007 Boston Marathon when she ran a 3:29:57 marathon in Houston, TX in 2006. This is her main motivation for running a marathon in space. “I considered it a huge honor to qualify and I didn’t want my qualification to expire without giving it a shot,” Williams said.
Running a marathon also gives her a goal for the physical activity that is necessary to maintain bone and muscle density while in space. “In microgravity, both of these things start to go away because we don’t use our legs to walk around and don’t need the bones and muscles to hold us up under the force of gravity,” Williams said.

As a member of Expedition 14 and 15, she serves a six-month stint as a flight engineer onboard ISS. She recently set the record for women’s space walking with more than 29 hours in space. Williams is set to return to earth this summer.

Back on earth, Pandya and Harris are planning her support unit which will consist of runners from Delaware, Maryland and Houston, TX. A spectator support group will be within the 14th mile in Wellesley in honor of Williams’ Expedition 14.

Two NASA astronauts, Jeff Williams and Karen Nyberg, will be available during marathon weekend in Boston to help educate the public about the International Space Station and NASA in general. NASA will have a booth at the John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo at the Hynes Convention Center on Friday, April 13, (noon to 6 p.m.), Saturday, April 14 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and Sunday, April 15 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.).

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of managing athletic events and promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.’s Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock Financial Services. In 2006, the Boston Marathon launched – along with the Flora London Marathon also in April – the World Marathon Majors Series. Other events in the series are the real,-Berlin-Marathon, The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, and the ING New York City Marathon.

Sanya Richards won her third straight women’s 400m title
Sunday at the IAAF World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany,
becoming the first athlete ever to win a 200-400 double at the meet and
posting one of three American titles on the day.

The
winner of the 200m on Saturday, Richards went out hard Sunday in the
400, knowing all three Olympic medalists were in the field. In addition
to bronze medalist Richards, the gold medalist, Christine Ohuguoru of
Great Britain, and silver medalist Shericka Williams of Jamaica, were
in the race.

Although Ohuguoru ran her usual
strong final straight, Richards won easily in 50.41, with Ohuguoru
second in 50.83. Jamaica’s Novlene Williams was third in 51.30, and
American Mary Wineberg was sixth in 51.65.

Olympic
bronze medalist David Oliver led a very strong American showing in the
men’s 110m hurdles, winning in 13.22, with Ryan Wilson third (13.54),
Aries Merritt fourth (13.56), Tyron Akins sixth (13.62) and Joel Brown
eighth (13.81).

Olympic Trials champion Derek
Miles (5.80m/19-0.25) and American record holder Brad Walker
(5.70m/18-8.25) went 1-2 in an unpredictable the men’s pole vault, as
temperatures began the competition at roughly 52 degrees Fahrenheit.
Miles’ mark was a seasonal best.

Olympic gold
medalist Stephanie Brown Trafton was third in the women’s discus with a
throw of 62.23m/204-2, with Olympic Trials champ Aretha Thurmond sixth
with 56.99m/186-11 and Becky Breisch seventh with 53.92m/176-11.

Team
USA went 3-4-5-6 in the women’s 100, led by Marshevet Hooker in third
(11.06) behind Olympic gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser (10.94) and
bronze medalist Kerron Stewart (11.06) of Jamaica. In a photo finish,
Stewart got the nod for second over Hooker. Also for the U.S.,
Carmelita Jeter was fourth (11.21), Torri Edwards fifth (11.22) and
Lauryn Williams sixth, also in 11.22, in a blanket finish that saw
Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas seventh in 11.23 and Debbie
Ferguson-McKenzie of the Bahamas eighth in 11.25.

Tiffany
Ross-Williams placed third in the women’s 400m hurdles (55.16) with
Olympic silver medalist Sheena Tosta fifth (55.33), behind gold
medalist Melanie Walker of Jamaica in first (54.06). American Christine
Spence was seventh in 58.15.

In other American
performances, Rodney Martin was fifth (20.66) and Joel Brown eighth
(21.23) in the men’s 200. Olympic Trials champion Chaunte Howard was
fifth in the women’s high jump with a height of 1.97m/6-5.5), and
Miguel Pate was sixth in the men’s long jump (7.99m/26-2.75); Liz
Wanless was sixth (17.72m/58-1.75) and Kristin Heaston seventh
(16.87m/55-4.25) in the women’s shot put. Olympic Trials champion
Bernard Lagat was sixth in the men’s 1,500 in 3:38.79 and Sara Slattery
eighth in the women’s 3,000 in 9:16.24.

For complete results and event reports, visit www.iaaf.org

by John Barbour

Dear High School Freshman,

I understand that you’re considering trying out for cross country. Good. Do it. Don’t wait.  Go see the coach. Today. Because when you become a cross country runner you become not only part of a truly great New England athletic tradition, but you get to be part of the finest and most pure sport on planet Earth.

Years ago, in junior high, I passed a local golf course and saw a pack of college runners flash by. I knew what they were doing was “cross country”‰ÛÓI wasn’t exactly sure what that meant, but I knew that I wanted to do it when I got to high school. We’re told that when the great miler Jim Ryun first went out for cross country, he wasn’t sure what it was, either. Maybe that’s you.

Or perhaps you have some experience running with a youth club and already know the exhilaration of running hard through the New England autumn. Either way, there’s no better way to spend your afternoons, and the effects will stay with you for life.

A few days ago I pored through some boxes of stuff I hadn’t looked at for years, and the big surprise was finding my high school running scrapbooks. As I looked at the first few pages the feelings and sensations of freshman cross country season came pouring back. 

At times it was really, really tough; in the early stages I was working hard and getting sore without knowing where it would take me. (Ryun, Cordner Nelson tells us in The Jim Ryun Story, was sore for a week after his first team workouts.) 

I experienced both failure and success in large doses. There were wet and muddy bus rides home after dark from meets, including once when we had to sit on the bus for half an hour, locked out by the football coach while he ranted to his team after a loss. But without question it was the best part of that whole year.

In a sense it was easier to become a runner in 1968 than it is in 2009. No video games chained us to chairs, no iPhones distracted our every waking moment. When we watched the Olympics everyone was glued to track & field (simply “athletics” the rest of the world over) not made-up stuff like rhythmic gymnastics, beach volleyball, synchronized diving et al. 

Schools had daily P.E. classes where “soccer” consisted mainly of running around madly after the ball (league soccer was unheard of). Youth running clubs were nearly nonexistent, but maybe this wasn’t so bad, as we came into high school fresh and eager.

At Junior Olympics meets today the sight of hundreds of young runners is thrilling, though the sound of some coaches yelling at (rather than giving encouragement to) their charges is not. And in 1968 fewer sports vied with cross country in the fall for attention‰ÛÓno field hockey, soccer, or (shudder) cheerleading.

But today is your time: you’re a freshman now, and you deal with what’s before you today. Still, some things don’t change. No matter how much flat-screen HDTV dances before your eyes, or how many downloads you have on your iPod, we human beings are still made of flesh, blood, and bone, and we have evolved (or created, as you choose) as bipeds whose greatest physical talent is to run long distances.

No matter what goes on in the outside world, inside of every human being is a cross country runner waiting to be born. And you know what the greatest thing is? This may be the only sport around where a willingness to work hard, to muck in every day and the day after that, pays off more than innate talent (plus in cross country, unlike team sports, everybody’s a starter and plays the whole game). 

In the fall of ’68 I was exactly five feet tall and weighed 80 pounds. You think I was going to play football? I couldn’t run fast either, but I could go out there and build some endurance. Once I got through that first soreness I could try keeping up with a few sophomores and juniors.

But what about racing‰ÛÓisn’t it scary? Shoot yes, it’s scary.  You’ve just started running and you’re supposed to go out and run two miles on a hot September day fast? I was a nervous wreck and the weather was crazy that first race, but more than 41 years later I remember almost every step and it’s a memory I wouldn’t trade for anything.

So here are a few ideas on how to approach your first high school cross country season, plus a few for your coach to keep in mind (though good coaches already know them).

(1) Listen to your coach, have faith in his or her program, and learn from your teammates’ experience.  Coaches, encourage and support your runners and nurture the beginners‰ÛÓ”tough love” can be valuable, but use it appropriately.

(2) Be patient. The first aches will subside in a few days. Give your full effort each workout and you will improve. Coaches need patience too, especially in those first few meets you’re trying to win. Don’t expect too much of newcomers early (but keep your eyes open for surprises).

(3) In the same vein, start slowly. If it’s your first or second week don’t try to run 10 miles just because the seniors are doing it. Coaches, starting newbies more slowly doesn’t equate to “easy.” In those early fall days of ’68 we just went to a park for an hour to run at our own pace; sometimes for variety we’d end by breaking into teams and doing relays around a pond, which was not only fun but helped us get to know our upperclass teammates.

(4) Run every day. Weekends too, on your own or with some of your new teammates, for at least 30 minutes‰ÛÓmore as you are able, but run.

(5) Work hard. Lest we ignore the obvious, hard work is hard. In the early stages even a small load may seem tough, but do not quit. The work not only makes you stronger, but when your teammates see you giving your best they’ll work hard too, and you’ll have a winning team on your hands.

Finally, to both athletes and coaches, (6) make it fun and enjoy every single day. To be a runner on a cross country team is one of life’s great gifts. Appreciate and make the most of it, and you’ll discover the Great Paradox: that the most difficult things bring the greatest satisfaction.

If you think that pleasure should come easily, or if you crave the blind adulation that accrues to football players, then you’ll have a tough time adapting to cross country. But go out anyway. In a month’s time you won’t be the same person and you will not regret it. You’ll be changed for the better, and you will never look back. Ever.

JOHN HANCOCK ANNOUNCES RETURN OF DEFENDING AND
PAST CHAMPIONS TO 2010 BOSTON MARATHON

‰Û¢ 2009 Champions Deriba Merga and Salina Kosgei Set To Defend Titles On April 19
‰Û¢ Additional Past Champions Return To Celebrate 25th Anniversary of Sponsorship

BOSTON, MA, February 10, 2010‰ÛÓJohn Hancock Financial today announced the return of 2009 Boston
Marathon champions Deriba Merga of Ethiopia and Salina Kosgei of Kenya for the 114th running of the
race on April 19.

John Hancock has also signed past champions Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Catherine Ndereba of
Kenya, Dire Tune of Ethiopia, and Lidiya Grigoryeva of Russia.

In the 2009 men’s race, Deriba Merga of Ethiopia clipped Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot’s three-in-a-row
streak and ran away from the lead pack in the Newton hills, unchallenged to the finish. Merga is just one
of three Ethiopians to interrupt Kenyan dominance of the event over the past two decades.

Cheruiyot, a four-time Boston winner and the 2:07:14 course record holder, is back again, fresh from a
runner-up spot in New York City. The formidable Kenyan shares the honor of at least four Boston wins
with Gerard Cote and Bill Rodgers (4 wins each) and Clarence DeMar (7 wins).

In the 2009 women’s race, Salina Kosgei was challenged every step of the way by a determined Dire
Tune who sought to defend her 2008 title. In the closest finish ever recorded, Kosgei edged an exhausted
Tune at the tape to win by one second. The year before, Tune was on the winning end of the finish sprint
as she dueled to the wire with Russian Alevtina Biktimirova, prevailing by two seconds.

Challenging Kosgei and Tune are former winners Lidiya Grigoryeva and Catherine Ndereba. A year after
winning the 2007 “Nor’easter” Boston Marathon, Grigoryeva brilliantly won over a highly competitive
field in Chicago. And “Catherine the Great” needs no reintroduction to Boston as she has written the
history books here as the only woman to ever win four times. Ndereba is the second fastest woman
marathoner of all time (2:18:47) and has earned two Olympic silver medals and two World Marathon
Championship titles.

“As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of our sponsorship, John Hancock Financial could not be more
excited with the outstanding global field of runners we will have in Boston this year. We are thrilled to
have Deriba and Salina back to defend their titles and wish them all the best. They are certain to be part of
another great race as they will be challenged by Robert, Catherine, Dire and Lidiya, all past champions
and among the world’s best,” said Jim Boyle, President of John Hancock Financial. “In the next few
months, we will round out the field, announcing the participation of other elite runners, but this list today
gives a sense of why the world’s top runners return to Boston every spring on Patriot’s Day. They want
the challenge of beating the best on one of the world’s great courses to win the Boston Marathon,
inarguably one of the world’s premier road races.”

Mr. Boyle added that John Hancock is pleased to again fulfill its promise to the city of Boston and
surrounding communities with its continued, steadfast support of the race.
“Not only will the Boston Marathon once again be a great event for spectators, it also continues to be a
tremendous economic benefit for Boston and the region, generating a direct and indirect economic impact
estimated at $110 million,” he said.

“John Hancock Financial’s effort to bring back our defending champions whenever possible has been a
priority, leading to compelling stories and interesting match-ups,” said Guy Morse, Executive Director of
the Boston Athletic Association. “By its commitment over the last quarter century, John Hancock has
helped maintain Boston’s position among the world’s most elite marathons.”

About John Hancock and Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 22 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$436.5 billion (US$407.1 billion) as at September 30, 2009. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as
‰Û¢MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‰Û¢945′ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at
www.manulife.com.
The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including life insurance, fixed and variable annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at www.johnhancock.com.

BOSTON, MA, December 1, 2010‰ÛÓIn their 26th year as the
principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon, John Hancock Financial today
announced the return of top American Ryan Hall, for the 115th
running of the race on April 18, 2011.

Hall has proven himself as one of the best distance
runners of all time and has shown he can compete successfully with Boston’s
world-class fields. After finishing third in 2009, Hall returned to Boston this
past April and set a new U.S. course record with his 2:08:41 fourth-place finish.

Hall is the second fastest American marathoner of all
time with a 2:06:17 personal best and currently holds the American record in
the half marathon. The Stanford University graduate was first at the 2007 U.S.
Olympic Trials and went on to place 10th at the 2008 Beijing Olympic
Marathon.

“I am excited to be part of the John Hancock elite
team for the third year in a row. I can’t wait to be back in Hopkinton in April
ready to test myself over the most historic marathon course in America,” said
Hall. “I love the Boston Marathon and hope that both my experience training on
and racing in the Boston Marathon will lead to something very special in the
2011 race.”

In the 2010 race, Hall dictated the pace to the lead
pack and his hard work helped Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot set a new course record of
2:05:52. Hall’s strong closing miles put him within 2 seconds of a podium position
as he led the U.S. men to three spots in the top ten.

“Regardless of the day’s results, all of us who take
on the unique journey of covering the 26.2 trying miles to Boylston Street can
all say we partook in history,” added Hall. “I am training with eager
anticipation for the opportunity that the Boston Marathon offers, believing
that all things are possible. What better place to break through than in Boston?”

With necessary experience on the course and added
motivation to become the first American champion since Greg Meyer won in 1983,
Hall returns determined to seek the win. “Ryan’s performances at the last two
Boston Marathons prove that he runs to win every time he toes the starting
line,” said B.A.A.

Executive Director Guy Morse. “He is an inspired and
highly motivated individual, and we can look forward to an exciting marathon
and another competitive race from him in April.”

“As it is each year, John
Hancock remains committed to securing the strongest fields of runners from
around the world for the Boston Marathon. We’re very pleased to have Ryan
return to Boston again this year, not only as the top U.S. runner, but also as
part of what will be an elite global field for the 2011 race,” said Jim Boyle,
President of John Hancock Financial Services. “Ryan and the other elite runners
every year provide spectators and viewers with a thrilling race. While
marathoning is a global sport, the growing prominence of U.S. runners among the
world’s elite has been a terrific development for fans and for the sport.”

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial
Corporation

John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife Financial
Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions
of customers in 22 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife
Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the
United States, Manulife Financial Corporation offers clients a diverse range of
financial protection products and wealth management services through its
extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. For more than 120 years, clients have looked
to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions
for their most significant financial decisions. Funds under management
by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$474 billion (US$460
billion) as at September 30, 2010.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‰Û¢MFC’ on the
TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‰Û¢945′ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial may be found
on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies,
comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock
offers a broad range of financial products and services, including life insurance,
fixed and variable annuities,
fixed
products, mutual
funds, 401(k) plans,
long-term
care insurance, college savings,
and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John
Hancock may be found at www.johnhancock.com.

Click:925 Sterling Silver Custom Jewelry Gift

NDIANAPOLIS 
– Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Brown-Trafton set an American record
of 67.74m/222-3 on Friday at the Altius TC Throwdown in Maui, Hawaii.

Brown-Trafton‰Ûªs mark improved her own personal best from 2009 by more
than five feet, and this was her third personal record set in Hawaii.
Brown-Trafton easily won the competition, as second place finished more
than three meters behind.

‰ÛÏI knew that I had been throwing well this entire season, and I knew
that I‰Ûªve been pulling out the stops this year with everything from
workouts to diet to technique,‰Û Brown-Trafton said. ‰ÛÏI knew this year
was probably going to be a record setting year for me, not only a
personal record, but I did have the intention of breaking the American
record.‰Û

The winning mark came on Brown-Trafton‰Ûªs third attempt of the day and
bettered Suzy Powell-Roos‰Ûª record of 67.67m/222-0 from 2007 by three
inches.

‰ÛÏThe actual throw where I broke the record didn‰Ûªt necessarily feel like
my best throw,‰Û Brown-Trafton said. ‰ÛÏI really wasn‰Ûªt happy with the
throw technically. Then the guys out in the field were like, ‰Û÷that‰Ûªs
it, that‰Ûªs the record. Pull out the steel tape, she‰Ûªs got it.‰Ûª But I
know I‰Ûªve got so much more in me, and I’d love to break the record by
10 feet, not three inches. So there is this fine line with never being
satisfied. I guess I‰Ûªd
call myself a perfectionist.‰Û

Olympian Ian Waltz served as the meet director for the Altius TC
Throwdown. Complete results can be found online at: www.altiustc.com

 
About USA Track & Field

USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track
& field, long-distance running and race walking in the United
States. USATF encompasses the world’s oldest organized sports, the
World’s #1 Track & Field Team, the most-watched events at the
Olympics, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory
sport, and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States: www.usatf.org.

By David Monti

(c) 2012 Race Results Weekly all rights reserved

(Used with permission)



NEW YORK (06-Sep) -- Coming off of strong track 

seasons which culminated with personal best performances 

at the London Olympics, Janet Bawcom, Julie Culley and 

Amy Hastings will extend their competitive year by competing 

for the first time in the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, 

November 4, organizers announced today.  They are the best of 

17 American women who are slated to run in the all-women's professional 

race of what is the world's largest marathon, and will be competing for 

their share of a special USA-only $100,000 prize money purse.



Bawcom, 34, of Flagstaff, Ariz., is the reigning USA 25-K champion and record holder, and finished 12th in 

the Olympic Games 10,000m in a career best time of 31:12.68.  She has a marathon personal best of 2:29:45 

set at the USA Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston last January where she finished fifth.  Culley, 30, of 

Annandale, N.J., will be making her marathon debut in New York after winning the USA Olympic Trials 5000m 

title last June and finishing 14th in the Olympic final at the same distance.  Like Culley, the 28 year-old 

Hastings of Leavenworth, Kan., won the USA Olympic Trials 10,000m title last June and finished 11th in the 

Olympic final in a career best 31:10.69.  Hastings, who finished fourth at the USA Olympic Marathon Trials, 

has a career best time of 2:27:03.



"Twenty-twelve has been the most incredible year of my running life," Hastings said through a statement 

provided by the New York Road Runners, the race founder and organizer.  "There have been ups and downs to try

 and make the Olympic team, but that only made it better when I finally was able to race in front of the 

Olympic torch for the U.S.  For me, there is only one fitting way to finish a year like this, only one way 

that can live up to the hype of the Olympics, and that is by racing on the shut-down streets of Manhattan for

 the famous ING New York City Marathon.  It is a race I have dreamed about running for years, but racing my 

first one in 2012 just seems right."



In addition to the trio of Olympians, race director Mary Wittenberg also announced that Serena Burla, Molly 

Pritz, Michelle Frey, and Alisha Williams would also be competing.  Burla ran a career best 2:28:27 in Seoul

 last March; Pritz, the top American finisher at New York last year, has a best time of 2:31:52; Frey's 

fastest marathon is 2:35:51; and Williams's best is 2:35:09, set in her debut at the distance at this year's 

Olympic Trials.



"We are honored to welcome a blockbuster field of up and coming American women," Wittenberg said through a 

media release.  "Our Olympians, Amy, Janet, and Julie will lead the U.S. team and it will be a special treat 

to host 'local' Julie Culley in her marathon debut."



With a live national television broadcast on ESPN2, live local broadcast on WABC-TV, and different streaming 

options, more Americans will be able to watch the race than ever, the Road Runners said.  Factoring in their 

global broadcast partners, the Road Runners said 330 million people would be watching the event.



PHOTO: Amy Hastings on her wan to winning the 2012 USA Olympic Trials 10,000m 



NOTE: Race Results Weekly provides professional athletes consulting to the New York Road Runners --Ed.

For the Sept/Oct New England Runner issue replication click on “Download Now” below.

Hartford Marathon Foundation Seeks Dynamic Runners

Across the Region for New Ambassador Program

March 6, 2014,
Glastonbury, CT ‰ÛÒ The Hartford Marathon Foundation is seeking running enthusiasts
with active race schedules in New England and the tri-state region to be part
of the newly created team of brand ambassadors called Team HMF.  Applications
are being accepted online through March 20 for the 20-member team of men and
women who will receive exclusive benefits and race experiences in exchange for
participation in the Team HMF program.

Team HMF members will be selected based on past participation
in Hartford Marathon Foundation events, social media activity and influence,
community involvement and geographic location around the region including CT,
MA, NJ, NYC and PA.  Members will help
inspire peers in their running communities, participate in awareness
initiatives for runners and share perspective on Hartford Marathon Foundation
events through their personal experiences.

Team members will train and race in Hartford Marathon
Foundation apparel, post updates and photos regularly on social media channels,
host a fun run, shakeout run or other group activity and compete in races
throughout the region.  Team HMF members
will receive apparel including one complete Team HMF running uniform (race
singlet, technical shirt and shorts), free running shoes, Timex watches as well
as free entry to five Foundation events annually.

To be considered for Team HMF, please fill out on the online application form (http://bit.ly/1idoJZj)
between today and March 20. Please contact HMF via Facebook.com/HMFevents or
Twitter @runHMF with questions or for more information.

About the Hartford
Marathon Foundation

The Hartford Marathon Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit
organization founded in 1994 to create and manage fitness events that inspire
people to be healthy and fit. Located in Glastonbury, Connecticut, the Hartford
Marathon Foundation organizes nearly 42 annual athletic events, including the
Hartford Marathon, and 25 training programs. For more information, visit www.HartfordMarathon.com
and on Facebook at HMF Events.