Posted: April 15, 2005

Athletics: National Running Organization Says Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Is One Of Fastest In The Country

CLEVELAND, (April 15, 2005) – Marathon runners participating in the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon are among the fastest in the country according to statistical information released by a professional running organization.

RunningUSA, a non-profit professional association devoted to improving the status of road racing and long distance running in the United States, has released its annual marathon report which concludes that Cleveland’s marathon course had the fastest median times in 2004 among all larger marathons with over 1,000 finishers. The median time recorded by computer chips worn by athletes for timing purposes, was 4:04. The report, prepared by the Road Running Information Center of RunningUSA said Cleveland and Philadelphia “remain the fastest of the larger marathons RRIC had complete results for in 2004.”

“Not only is Cleveland one of the fastest marathons in the country, it is also one of the most scenic,” said Jack Staph, executive director of the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon & 10K. “Our new marathon course, which we unveiled last year, takes runners on a scenic tour of the city of Cleveland that includes numerous ethnic neighborhoods, a revitalized downtown and the wonderful park-like setting around University Circle; capped off with a breathtaking view of Lake Erie in the final miles of the race.”

RRIC says the 230 marathons in the U.S. grew by 3.7 percent last year over the previous year. The report shows dramatic growth in the number of U.S. marathon finishers since records were first kept in 1976. The total number of finishers in 1976 was 25,000 compared to 423,000 finishers last year

The RRIC report concludes that there were 58 marathons in the U.S. last year that had 1,000 or more finishers, compared to only 26 marathons fifteen years ago.

In addition to being the fastest marathon in the U.S., the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon is also one of the 50 longest running marathons in the country.

For additional information or to register for this year’s marathon on May 22, visit www.clevelandmarathon.com. To view the complete RRIC Annual Marathon Report, visit Runner's Web.

About the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon & 10K

The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon & 10K is now in its 28th year of providing a running experience for all individuals who want to participate regardless of their abilities. More than 250,000 runners have participated, generating more than $6.8 million annually to benefit the Cleveland community and raising more than $1 million for various charities.

Sponsors of the 28th Annual Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon & 10K include:

Rite Aid				Alpine Springs Natural Spring Water
American Greetings			Miller Brewing
Lamisil Tablets			Carb Boom Energy Gel
Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield	WKYC-TV3
Hershey’s Payday Pro		WAKS Kiss 96.5 FM
Coca-Cola			WGAR 99.5 FM
Sports Health/Cleveland Clinic		WMJI Magic 105.7 FM
Asics				WMMS 100.7 FM
Galleria at Erieview			WMVX Mix 106.5 FM
Powerade			WTAM 1100 AM
Panera Bread