FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kaiser permanente Napa Valley Marathon: Once Again a Sellout Field
33rd Annual Race Resonates with Wide Array of Runners
NAPA, Calif. - February 10, 2011 - A sold-out crowd of 2,400 marathon
participants from ten countries and 44 U.S. states will line up for the
33rd Annual Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon on Sunday, March 6,
2011. When they do, this year's race theme, "All Things Boston," will
resound in their ears, a tribute to the venerable Boston Marathon. The two
marathons on opposite coasts have ties going back to the 1980s.
One of these ties is through Dick Beardsley whose marathon best of 2 hours,
8 minutes, and 54 seconds, set at the 1982 Boston Marathon -- the memorable
"Duel in the Sun" with Alberto Salazar -- is the fifth fastest marathon
time by an American man. In 1987, Beardsley set the current Napa Valley
Marathon (NVM) course record of 2:16:30. He suffered a series of freak
accidents and multiple surgeries from 1989 through the early 1990s, a
difficult addiction to prescription pain-killing drugs, and a lengthy
rehab. Beardsley restarted his running career at the 2000 Napa Valley
Marathon, running 3:23:05. He has returned to the event every year since
then, often competing, and always serving as a popular motivational
speaker.
"Among my eighty-some marathons, I've run Napa more times than any other,
around seven times," Beardsley said. "And, I've said this for years: My two
favorite races in the world are Napa and Grandma's marathons. Of course,
Boston is right there, too."
On April 18, 2011, Boston will celebrate the 115th running of its annual
marathon. This year, Beardsley will join a special group of dignitaries who
are invited to NVM in acknowledgment of the Boston Marathon's vaunted place
among the world's myriad of footraces. They include Guy Morse (former
Executive Director, now Senior Director of External Affairs, of the Boston
Athletic Association - organizers of the Boston Marathon), Bill "Boston
Billy" Rodgers (four-time winner of Boston), and Joan Benoit-Samuelson (a
two-time Boston champion and winner of the inaugural women's marathon at
the 1984 Olympic Games). The group will appear and speak at NVM's Marathon
College on Saturday, March 5 at the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa
(marathon host hotel).
The Napa Valley Marathon was born in 1979 during the U.S. running boom that
was triggered by Frank Shorter's stunning victory at the 1972 Olympic Games
Marathon. Throughout this running boom, which is enjoying a dramatic
resurgence today, the venerable Boston Marathon has retained its status as
the gold standard among popular marathons. Each year, numerous everyday
runners set their sights on Boston as their personal "Olympic Games."
Boston Marathon participants must earn their entry into the race by
achieving a fairly demanding marathon qualifying time, based on the
entrant's gender and age.
Historically, the fast, point-to-point, USA Track & Field certified (for
accurate distance) marathon course through the scenic Napa Valley has
attracted marathon devotees whose goal is to achieve a qualifying time for
the Boston Marathon. This year, 30 NVM entrants stated on their entry form
that their primary motivation for running Napa is to qualify for Boston.
"The Napa and Boston courses are similar to each other in many ways,"
Beardsley said. "They're both rolling, point-to-point, and potentially fast
if you run them intelligently. And, Napa has its own rendition of
(Boston's) Heartbreak Hill at 20 miles. Napa has the right combination of
factors for a Boston qualifier: Good weather for the most part, some good
downhills where you can fly, and excellent aid station and volunteer
support."
Both NVM and the Boston Marathon have enjoyed sold-out participant fields
annually during the past decade. For its 2011 edition, NVM reached its
2,400-particpant limit last New Year's Eve, the earliest sellout date ever
for the event. This year's Boston Marathon sold out its 26,790 entries in
just eight hours; last year it took just over two months. Entry limits for
NVM are largely determined by the number of available hotel rooms in the
world-renowned Napa Valley wine producing and tasting region.
Indeed, the Napa Valley Marathon's popularity has paralleled the steady
growth of running in the U.S. In 2010, the U.S. established record annual
highs in total marathon finishers (more than 500,000) and active marathons
(more than 600) according to Running USA, a non-profit organization created
in 1999 to improve the status of road racing. What fuels this growth at the
challenging 26.2-mile marathon distance?
"The success and growth of popular marathon training programs, for both
charity and non-charity purposes, have prepared many new runners for the
distance," said Ryan Lamppa, Running USA's Media Director. "Well-
organized, fun marathons tied to a community -- such as Napa Valley -- have
created a 'brand' and tremendous goodwill that runners want to experience.
Also, increased media coverage of marathon mania has fueled the buzz.
Through websites and email, runners hear about the sellouts so when
registration opens for their marathon of choice they sign-up earlier and
earlier, creating earlier sellouts."
Runner's World magazine selected NVM as one of the top ten U.S.
marathons for first-time marathon participants in its January, 2011 issue.
A remarkable 30 percent of NVM's 2,400 entrants in 2011 indicated on their
entries that the race will serve as their marathon debut.
NVM ENTRANT PROFILE STORIES
The Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon asks each marathon registrant to
submit a short "interesting story" about their motivations for running the
26.2-mile race. A selection of these stories appears below.
Jesus Mendez, 20, of Napa, Calif. was overweight as a teenager, which
caused him to suffer psychological problems, and other related illnesses.
With counseling and support from the late Dr. Sarah Clary Martin, a
pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente's Napa medical offices, the current Napa
Valley College student was able to adopt an active lifestyle, lose weight,
improve his overall health, and pursue a higher education. Mendez began
running four years ago, and is entered in this year's NVM, his first
marathon.
"Running has been a big factor in obtaining my weight goals along with a
healthier diet," said Mendez. "Overcoming my health obstacle wasn't an easy
task. And, I know that completing the Napa Valley Marathon won't be easy,
but through the lessons I learned from Dr. Martin and my family I know that
if I'm dedicated, motivated, and believe in myself, there's no challenge I
can't overcome."
NVM entrant Adam Tidd, 32, of Boston, Mass. grew up with the Boston
Marathon by watching it on TV every Patriot's Day. "But never in a million
years did I ever think I would run a marathon, or even Boston," he said.
That changed in 2002 when Tidd ran the Disney Marathon in honor of his
father, Keniston, who passed away two weeks later at age 57 with colon
cancer. Since then, Tidd has completed many marathons and half marathons as
his "personal mantra," as he describes it, in honor of his father and his
sister, Lisa, 34, who is a breast cancer survivor. After Lisa's cancer
diagnosis last year, he dedicated his first Boston Marathon to her, and
completed it -- with Lisa cheering him on the sidelines.
Major John Baron, 35, of Vacaville, Calif. serves as a medical physician in
the U.S. Air Force. He was deployed in Afghanistan between September, 2010
and January, 2011 where he treated trauma-associated injuries and prepared
for his first marathon: the 2011 Napa Valley Marathon. A friend of Baron's
who lives in Vacaville entered NVM and asked Baron if he wanted to "train"
with him for the race by long distance correspondence.
Baron accepted his friend's offer. Baron ran around the perimeter of his
Afghanistan military base to prepare for the race. He lost 25 pounds in the
process.
"Training for Napa has given me a personal goal to strive for, and
something to keep my mind and body active when I was off duty and wasn't at
war, so I wouldn't think about things you really shouldn't think about,"
Baron said. "Plus, it has kept me fit."
Jennifer Marana, 36, of Claremont, Calif. is inspired to run by her six-
year-old son, William, who was diagnosed at birth with a condition called
hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain) and spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy.
Doctors informed Jennifer and her husband, Joe, that William would be in a
vegetative state for the rest of his life.
"I initially began running to get in shape, but after William was born my
running gained a whole new significance," Marana said.
She ran the 2006 San Francisco Half Marathon, calling it her "Run for
Will," and raised nearly $5,000 for the Hydrocephalus Association. The
2011 NVM will be her second 26.2-miler.
"We feel great pride in how far Will has come," said Marana. "While I run
for him today, I hope to one day run with him."
Note: Running USA estimates that the sport of road running generates
approximately $1 billion annually for charitable causes in the U.S. This
estimate is bolstered by a 2007 USA Track & Field study that revealed road
runners and walkers raised $714 million for charities in 2006.
Patricia Mott, 52, of Woodland, Calif. was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma in her early 40s, shattering her dream of running her first
marathon by age 45. Five years and five different therapy treatments later,
she was disease-free. In 2009, ten years after she was diagnosed with NHL,
Mott completed her first half marathon. Then, she entered last year's NVM,
her first marathon, and completed it in 4:30.
"I realized then, while running through the Napa Valley, that I was
extremely blessed to be alive," Mott said. "I felt truly alive running
through the beautiful countryside. "That's why I'm back in 2011 to run the
Napa Valley Marathon."
In 1998, Dr. Norril Sumanqui, MD, 50, of San Jose, Calif. was 60 pounds
overweight, prediabetic, and was placed on medication for high cholesterol
and high blood pressure. He started running to get fit, and now maintains
normal weight and is not taking medication. As the primary care physician
serving veterans at the Veterans Home of California- Yountville (Calif.),
he advocates regular exercise to his patients. The 2011 NVM will be his
third marathon. "I have to lead by example," he said.
Dr. Joel Weber, MD, 50, of Elk Grove, Calif., an anesthesiology specialist
at the Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center, completed his
first marathon four years ago. His 2008 NVM finish of 3:27:25 earned him a
qualifying time for his first Boston Marathon. He was hooked. Now, he has
run 23 marathons and has finished two NVMs and the last three Boston
Marathons. Two years ago, Weber trained for, and completed, a marathon with
his 15-year-old son.
2011 NVM entrant Ben Wienand, 33, of Tracy, Calif. was not a runner, at
least until last year's NVM, a race that he and his wife, Vicki, attended
as spectators. They came out to support their friend, George Downes, who
ran the race with the Leukemia Society's Team in Training program in honor
of his older brother, and raised money for leukemia research. Downes'
brother died from leukemia at an early age. Wienand and his wife were so
inspired that they began training for, and completed, the San Jose Rock 'n'
Roll Half Marathon last October. Now, Wienand will tackle his first
marathon. "It's the next logical step," Wienand said. "Coming back to Napa
where I was originally inspired just brings it full circle for me."
Before he was diagnosed with head and neck cancer, Tom Simpson, 59, of
Scottsdale, Ariz. had been a runner for years and had completed eight
marathons with a personal best of 3:12. His goal was to qualify for the
Boston Marathon, but he always came up seconds short. Now, as a cancer
survivor, Simpson, who teaches communications studies at Paradise Valley
Community College and Arizona State University, serves as a role model.
"I have students that say they could never run a marathon, and I tell them
that, yes, they can," Simpson said. "I tell them how I started to run again
after my cancer. And, now I will run Napa. I believe that it will be my
Boston qualifier."
Matthew Barnes, 35, of Pollock Pines, Calif. works as the Principal at El
Dorado High School (Placerville, Calif.) where he runs with students every
Thursday afternoon during his Detention Run program that he started several
years ago. "It gives students an opportunity to work off detention hours
doing something active and good for themselves," Barnes said. Barnes has
also challenged his high school staff members to a "100 Day Challenge"
consisting of 30 minutes of intentional movement per day for 100 days.
Barnes holds a marathon personal best of 3:12. NVM will be his 13th
marathon.
Brian Cain, 33, of Alamo, Calif. will run in the 2011 Napa Valley Marathon
amidst a quest to earn entry into the Seven Continents Club, reserved for
runners who have run a marathon on seven continents. So far, he has
completed marathons in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America.
Cain hopes to complete his journey and join less than 200 members in the
exclusive club by completing the Rio de Janeiro Marathon (South America)
later this year and the Antarctica Marathon in 2012.
Paula Erdle, 58, of Salt Lake City, Utah will run in her third Napa Valley
Marathon, this time with a friend who is a former smoker turned running
addict. Erdle can relate. She smoked nearly three packs of cigarettes a day
for almost 20 years. After Erdle's father died of cardiomyopathy at age 64,
she decided to make changes in her life. She quit smoking and finished her
first marathon at age 47. Since then, she has run 88 more. Erdle has run
marathons in all 50 states.
Jennifer Carvalho, 44, of Paradise, Calif. will participate in her second
NVM and mark 12 marathons completed in her running log to celebrate 12
years of sobriety after struggling with alcoholism for most of her adult
life. "I literally could not have accomplished either goal without the
other," she said.
Maria Maydeck, 56, of Reno, Nev. calls breast cancer "the race I was unable
to work out for." Her experience as a racer, though, helped her to beat her
rival.
"I always finish a race no matter how much my body or mental state is
telling me to quit," said Maydeck who completed her first two marathons in
2004, at the Los Angeles and Orange County Marathons.
After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, Maydeck endured a
lumpectomy, chemotherapy, a mastectomy, and two reconstruction surgeries.
Her goal now is to finish the 2011 Napa Valley Marathon.
"Through my battle with cancer, I want to help as many women as I can
understand that they, too, can develop their own race strategies and fight
this thing called breast cancer," Maydeck said.
The 2011 Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon starts on Sunday, March 6th
at 7:00 a.m. sharp in Calistoga on the Silverado Trail near the
intersection of Rosedale Road. The marathon's fast, USA Track & Field
certified (for accurate distance) road course runs the length of the
beautiful Silverado Trail and finishes at Vintage High School in Napa.
Entry slots are still available for the companion Kiwanis 5K Fun Run, which
starts (8 a.m.) and finishes at Vintage High School on marathon morning.
Every Napa Valley Marathon participant assists important local causes.
All proceeds from the Napa Valley Marathon (a non-profit organization) are
donated to local charities and schools in the Napa Valley region.
For more information about the Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon,
please visit the marathon's web site at www.napavalleymarathon.org.
The Napa Valley Marathon appreciates generous sponsor support from Kaiser
Permanente/Thrive, Gatorade, ASICS America Corporation, Silverado Trail
Wineries Association, Marathon & Beyond, Road Runners Club of America, USA
Track & Field, MarathonFoto, Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa, GU, CBS 5
and The CW, Comcast, Napa Valley Register, KVYN/99.3 The Vine, KVON 1440
AM, the Napa Running Company, KCBS 740 AM, Silverado Brewing Company, Wine
Country Inn/Napa Valley, Arrrowhead Water, and Southgate Mini Storage.
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