Press Release - Twin Cities Marathon - 9/29/08

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
       CO-COURSE RECORD HOLDERS RETURN TO MINNESOTA TO HEADLINE 
             MEDTRONIC TWIN CITIES MARATHON MASTERS FIELD
    
     This Sunday's race serves as USA Masters Marathon Championship 

(Minneapolis, MN) – For an unprecedented 18th consecutive year, the 
Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon will play host to the USA Masters Marathon 
Championship.  2007 USA Masters Champion Tracy Lokken returns to defend his 
title.  Other top runners in the field include a couple of newly minted 
Masters in Eric Ashton and Carl Rundell, along with Paul Aufdemberge, John 
Mirth and 2004 USA Masters Marathon Champion Dennis Simonaitis.

Susan Loken of Phoenix is the three-time defending champion on the women's 
side.  Loken looks to be challenged by three other women who qualified for 
the Olympic Trials Marathon, including Meghan Arbogast, Susan Empey and 
Doreen McCourbrie.  Also looking to make a splash, in her marathon debut, 
is Jody Hawkins.  Loken should be familiar with Hawkins, having beaten her 
by two seconds at this year's More Magazine Half Marathon.

While Loken looks to defeat these other American women over 40-years old 
for the USA Masters title, she'll also have to keep an eye on the co-course 
record holders from Russia in order to earn the overall Masters crown.  
Past champions, Irina Permitina (2004) and Zinaida Semenova (2001), return 
to Minnesota, both having run 2:26:51 on the course.

2008 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Masters Field Top Competitors (as of 
9/29/08).

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