FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Kruchowski
(218) 733-7649
Janet Blixt
(218) 723-4743
Running Champion Dick Beardsley to Teach "Running the Marathon"
Lake Superior Online College Course
(Duluth, Minn.) -- Now you can have Dick Beardsley as your personal
trainer. The former Grandma's Marathon champion and long-time record
holder will serve as instructor for Lake Superior College's new online
course, "Running a Marathon."
Lake Superior College recently announced two new online classes that allow
students to earn physical education (PE) credits by training for and
running in Grandma's Marathon, or the Garry Bjorklund Half-Marathon. "I'm
highly motivated to work online with students training for the marathon,"
said Beardsley. "This is a unique college opportunity and I am pleased to
help prepare my students to cross the finish line."
Beardsley, a two-time Grandma's champion, set the course record in 1981.
Beardsley is also noted for running the fourth fastest U.S. men's marathon
of all time (Boston, 1982). In that race, he finished a close second to
Alberto Salazar in a legendary race that has been dubbed "The Duel in the
Sun." After a series of crippling accidents resulting in painkiller
addiction and treatment, Beardsley returned to the race scene,
completing many best-time marathons. His newest venture is a marathon
running camp, held each summer in Waubun, Minnesota.
Beardsley is also a noted speaker and writer. In 2002, the Minnesota
Meeting and Events Association awarded Beardsley the "Best Speaker" Award.
That same year, the University of Minnesota Press published Beardsley's
autobiography, Staying the Course: A Runner's Toughest Race.
Enrolled students will be required to complete online coursework,
participate in and document a personal training program, and run a race to
earn grades in the courses.
"We are extremely happy to be associated with one of the region's premiere
sporting events," stated Barry Dahl, LSC's Vice President of Technology and
the Virtual Campus. "The addition of Beardsley, with his long association
with Grandma's Marathon, adds a lot of credibility to the course offerings,
especially among serious runners."
For several years, LSC has offered an online version of its Associate of
Arts degree, but, until this semester, students pursuing the degree had to
substitute health courses for the physical education requirement.
"We've been looking for a way to provide a meaningful activity-based
physical education course," Dahl explains. "The new courses offer students
another option for meeting the degree requirement, and the opportunity to
participate in a world-class marathon.
The new courses are:
PE 2999: Special Topics: Running a Marathon - 2 credits. A late start
online course for the spring semester with a virtual training course that
covers the nutritional and conditioning information related to distance
running plus required participation in a marathon.
PE 2999: Special Topics: Running a Half-Marathon - 1 credit. A late start
online course for the spring semester with a virtual training course that
covers the nutritional and conditioning information related to distance
running plus required participation in a half-marathon.
The courses begin March 21, 2005 and end June 24, 2005. In addition to
tuition and standard fees, a special fee of $60 will be charged to provide
guaranteed entry to the June 2005 Grandma's Marathon or Garry Bjorkland
Half-Marathon in Duluth and a unique LSC running shirt. To maintain
flexibility for distant learners, students may also complete the course
requirements by training for and running a comparable race at a different
location.
Grandma's Marathon is one of America's most highly regarded road races.
Run along the scenic north shore of Lake Superior, between Two Harbors and
Duluth, Minnesota, it features an excellent course, enthusiastic
volunteers, and crowds of spectators to cheer runners on as they stride to
the finish line. The 29th annual Grandma's Marathon weekend is June 16
through June 18, and will feature some of the finest road racing in the
nation with athletes from around the globe competing in the marathon, the
Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and William A. Irvin 5K. Last year's events
drew over 16,000 participants from 30 different countries and all 50
states. For more information, log onto www.grandmasmarathon.com.
With more than 130 courses offered via the Internet and over 650 full time
equivalent students, Lake Superior College's Virtual Campus is the leader
in providing online for-credit college classes in Minnesota.
For more information, contact Christine Torma, (218) 733-2030,
or check out the following website:
www.lsc.mnscu.edu/online/.
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