FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Karla Goldstein
314/727-0888
THOUSANDS EMBRACE THE SPIRIT OF FITNESS AS THREE DAY FESTIVAL OF
EVENTS HITS NEW RECORD
Karl Gilpin and Christine Ensign Take First Place in Marathon
Mathew Chesang and Serena Ramsey Place First In Country's 18th
Largest Half Marathon
Governor Matt Blunt Participates in Marathon Relay
ST. LOUIS, MO—Rising temperatures and the first sunshine in days greeted
more than 10,000 runners and walkers from 46 states and five countries as
they crossed the finish line at the 7th Annual Spirit of St. Louis Marathon
& Family Fitness Weekend. At the start line, event Chair J. Kim Tucci,
Governor Matt Blunt, Mayor Francis G. Slay and Cindy Brinkley, president
AT&T Missouri offered words of encouragement to the multitude of athletes.
Both Blunt and Brinkley participated in the four person relay. Tucci and
Nancy Lieberman, president Spirit of St. Louis Marathon greeted all of the
runners at the finish line in front of Soldier's Memorial. Final race
results and more information are available at www.stlouismarathon.com
"Today's endurance events come as a culmination of goal setting, hard work
and months of training by those who participated. Witnessing their sense
of accomplishment is such a thrill for everyone involved. Our goal is to
encourage St. Louisans to make their health a year around marathon. With
activities and programs like the Read, Right & Run Marathon, training runs
and new community partnerships we intend to serve as a resource for fitness
in the community," said Lieberman, president.
More than a dozen area business leaders participated in the organization's
newest feature, the CEO WELLNESS CAMPAIGN. The focus of the project was
not to determine the fastest or the fittest CEO in the metropolitan area,
but rather for CEO's, individually and collectively, to lead by example and
to challenge their employees and the St. Louis community to get fit.
Three hundred members of the 50 States Marathon Club enjoyed a weekend of
site seeing and fun at their quarterly reunion. Members of the club have
run a marathon in at least 10 states with a goal of running one in all 50
states. Today, several members added running a marathon in Missouri to
their list of accomplishments.
Runners and walkers enjoyed the world's longest art gallery featuring 30,
6'x 4' mile-marker murals that were created by local artists and were
treated to performances by nearly 30 area entertainers and bands positioned
along the course. The course traversed from downtown St. Louis, south
through the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, back west through Forest Park, Clayton
and University City before looping back to Soldier's Memorial.
Hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers were on hand to cheer, greet athletes
at the finish with medals, water, snacks and congratulations
Winners by category: The Spirit of St. Louis Marathon uses the
ChampionChip Timing System
AT&T Marathon: Karl Gilpin, Russellville, MO 2:28:59, Christine Ensign,
Liberty, MO 2:52:38
2nd Place: John Aerni, St. Louis, MO 2:29:38, Jamie Pusateri, Kirkwood,
MO, 3:04:18
3rd Place: Brian Whitehead, Cape Girardeau, MO, 2:34:29, Stephanie Hill,
Pevely, 3:04:40
National City Half Marathon: Mathew Chesang, Olathe, KS, 1:09:02, Serena
Ramsey, Chesterfield, MO, 1:14:13—New Course record
2nd Place: Tim Bradley, St. Louis, MO 1:10:33, Heather May, Bloomington,
IN 1:20:19
3rd Place: Brian Gudowski, Buffalo Grove, IL 1:10:41, Katie Sutton,
Kirkwood, MO, 1:21:30
Lockton Companies Marathon Relay: Team Members, Mike Dorsey, Brian Lyons,
Brian Soule and Greg Michler, 2:36:33. Female: Marjorie Clever, Erin
Mullen, Cece Strohschein and Stephanie Sanburg 3:15:15
Prize Money for the marathon and half marathon increased. First place
winners male and female in each of these events received $1,000. Second
and Third place finishers received $500 and $350.
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