Posted: February 19, 2007

Athletics: Local Running Legends to be a Part of Loveland Challenge in April

CINCINNATI - (February 13, 2007) - The Midwest's Biggest Spring Warm Up has announced a new line up of the area's local running and walking legends - John Sence, TJ Lentz and Walk Magazine Publisher Cindi Leeman - will all participate in the Loveland Challenge as speakers. The Loveland Challenge includes the Mercedes-Benz 1/2 Marathon, the Runner's Depot 5K Fun Run and Walk and a 10K Walk on Saturday, April 14 in the heart of Loveland. There will be an Event Pavilion where runners and walkers and their families can enjoy breakfast and casual conversation and words of advice from these running and walking pros. The 1/2 Marathon will begin at 8:00am followed by the 10K walk at 8:10 and the 5K at 8:20am. Sence and Lentz will be speaking at the Event Pavilion at Nisbet Park in the heart of downtown Loveland at 9:30 and 10:30am, while Leeman will be providing walking advice at 10:00am. John Sence, a two-time USA 25K national champion (1997-98), has crossed the American Heart Association's Heart Mini-Marathon seven times as the champion and won numerous half-marathons nationally including the Dallas White Rock Half, Toronto International Half (set course record at 1:04:40) and Las Vegas International Half. He has been an inspiration to many in the area and beyond and will offer down to earth and proven training tips to participants of the Loveland Challenge. TJ Lentz is well known in area racing circles for both his speed and his eye patch, the result of an auto accident many years ago. As the winner of the 2005 P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon in Phoenix (1:10:53), the 2004 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon (2:38:07) and the 2002 Heart Mini-Marathon winner amongst many other notable accomplishments, Lentz will offer his perspective on running and training for various distances. Like Sence, Lentz is also a past Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier. Cindi Leeman is Editor / Publisher of Walk Magazine, a publication she started to reach out to walkers, filling the void of information specifically for walkers who are tremendous athletes or just starting out. Leeman began casually walking in her late thirties after being out of shape. Training with a friend, she became hooked on the results and participated in her first marathon the year of her 40th birthday. Having conquered many distances through a variety of events and continuing to elevate her walking goals, she will have much to offer the walkers of the Loveland Challenge. The American Red Cross-Cincinnati Chapter and the City of Loveland's Parks and Recreation's Fund for inclusion and accessibility needs will benefit from the Loveland Challenge. Registration for the Loveland Challenge is open and available online at BigDogEventz.com or download an application from the website and mail it in or obtain applications from the Runner's Depot or by calling the BigDog Eventz at (859) 426-1952. Sponsors of this event include Mercedes-Benz Cincinnati, Runner's Depot of Loveland, Walk Magazine, America on the Move, Runner's World, New Balance, Clif Bar, the City of Loveland, Alpine Valley Water, Panera Bread, Symmes Chiropractic and BigDog Eventz. Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director (805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016 Ryan@RunningUSA.org www.RunningUSA.org. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest