FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fast Times and Fun in the Big Easy at Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans
- Mike Popejoy, Janet Cherobon Bawcom win half marathon; Alabama-locals
win marathon
- Saints punter Thomas Morstead ran the 10K in 1:07:47 on behalf of Team
Feed The Children
- 2016 pre-sale available online with special $50 half-marathon
registration and $25 10k
New Orleans - January 25, 2015 - New Orleans' famous French Quarter was
rockin' Sunday morning at the sixth edition of the Rock 'n' Roll New
Orleans Marathon & 1/2 Marathon benefiting Feed the Children. One of the
most colorful and festive cities in North America came out to celebrate the
achievements of thousands of runners in true New Orleans style with a good
dose of its famous Dixeland Jazz. And with sunny skies and 60-degree
temperatures, the weather couldn't have been more perfect.
Mike Popejoy from Somerville, Massachusetts. broke the tape first in the
half marathon. The 29-year-old who is studying to get his PhD in Philosophy
at Harvard blazed the speedy course in one hour, 5 minutes, and 18 seconds.
Popejoy lead the race after the first half mile. It was his first time
coming to New Orleans and he had selected the event because of its
historical fast times and ideal running weather.
"I live up in Boston so it's nice to come down here where it's warm," he
said. Popejoy is hoping to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials and missed
the mark by 18 seconds. But Popejoy wasn't fazed about that. "I've got over
a year to get it," he admitted.
Coming in 30 seconds behind Popejoy was the pre-race favorite, Ben Bruce of
Flagstaff, Arizona, while third place was awarded to Zachary Meineke from
Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1:06:27).
The women's half marathon was entirely a solo affair with Janet Cherobon
Bawcom, an eight-time collegiate All-American and 2012 Olympian setting a
blistering early pace that gapped the field. She went on to cross the line
in 1:12:22.
"I'm pleased with my time," said the former Kenyan citizen who now wears
the Team USA singlet said afterwards. "The crowd was amazing. The weather
was awesome; it was really comfortable-not too cold or not too hot."
A full three minutes behind Bawcom came Eduador's Maria Elena Calla
(1:15:31). Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania resident Jennifer Bingham was third in
1:15:59.
Over an hour after the half-marathon winners crossed the line came the
marathon champion, John Brigham who celebrated his achievement in 2:28:46.
The 29-year-old high school teacher lives not too far away from New Orleans
in Mobile, Alabama. "I tried to hang back early on because of the half
marathoners who started with us," said Brigham who then began to reel them
in. "After the half, I was pretty much all by myself from there to the
finish." Brigham, who has won marathons in Alabama, set a personal best in
New Orleans today.
Second and third place in the men's marathon was awarded to Ashley Liew
(Spartanburg, South Carolina, 2:32:12) and Matt Peharda (Boulder, Colorado,
2:42:06) respectively.
The women's marathon champion also turned out to be from Alabama.
Twenty-nine-year-old Samantha Gardner from Daphne clocked 3:04:24 for the
win. It was her first marathon victory. "It's like a dream come true,"
Gardner said afterwards. "It is so awesome to have the whole crowd cheering
for you. It was awesome." Gardner has come to New Orleans to run the half
marathon, but today was her first time running a full marathon in the
Crescent City. "The crowd support was great and the bands were fun," she
said.
Gardner's first marathon win was a commanding one. Livvy Jernigan of
Pensacola, Florida finished second 3 minutes behind Gardner (3:07:53) and
Christina Perry of Salt Lake City, Utah (3:08:04)
But everything on Sunday wasn't about personal achievement and breaking the
tape. New Orleans Saints punter Thomas Morstead ran the 10K with his wife
to support the race's benefiting charity, Feed the Children, which seeks to
end childhood hunger by providing over 350,000 meals a day around the world
to kids. Through Team Feed the Children, runners dedicated their event
training and race participation to make a lasting change in the lives of
children in the New Orleans community.
"It was great, slow and steady," Morstead said of the race. "I got a couple
high-fives. This is the first time I've ever participated in something like
this, and I had a lot of fun. I didn't know what to expect, but I really
enjoyed. It was even better participating on behalf of a great cause like
Feed the Children."
"It's been an incredible experience for Feed the Children to participate in
our first ever Rock 'n' Roll Marathon," said Kevin Hagan, Feed the Children
president and CEO. "It was an amazing start and a rocking finish. We
believe the time we spent here this weekend will help bring all of those
who participated - runners, walkers, volunteers - together in the fight
against childhood hunger."
There to keep spirits high at the finish-line concert in New Orleans' City
Park was KONGOS, a multi-cultural, multi-faceted, multi-instrumentalist duo
as well as New Orleans native, Trombone Shorty and his
funk/jazz/rock/hip-hop band, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue.
The 2016 Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon & 1/2 Marathon benefiting Feed
the Children will take place on February 28, 2016. Special pre-sale
registration prices for the marathon ($50), half marathon ($50) and 10K
($25) are available online this week only:
https://runrocknroll-register.competitor.com/register/?event=31393.
About Feed the Children
Feed the Children believes that they should create a world where no child
goes to bed hungry. Just as important, they believe they can. Since 1979,
Feed the Children has grown into one of the largest U.S. based charities.
They are accredited by GuideStar Exchange and the BBB Wise giving Alliance
and have a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. By banding together to
defeat hunger, Feed the Children distributed over $344 million in food,
essentials, educational supplies, and medicine to over 10 million
individuals in the United States and 18 other countries in fiscal year
2013. Visit www.feedthechildren.org for more information.
About Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon & ½ Marathon
The 6th annual Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon & ½ Marathon benefiting
Feed the Children will take place on Sunday, January 25, 2015. Previously
known as Rock 'n' Roll Mardi Gras, the event is renowned for its fast, flat
course as the site of two U.S. all-comers' records. Runners get a first
class tour of historic New Orleans, rocking to the sounds of live, local
bands playing every mile of the 26.2 and 13.1-mile courses, along with
enthusiastic cheerleaders to keep participants moving. The event concludes
with a headliner concert and finish line festival in City Park. A two-day
Health & Fitness Expo kicks off race weekend at the New Orleans Morial
Convention Center. The expo will feature more than 60 vendors featuring the
latest in running gear, nutrition and training tips. To register for the
race or for more information, visit runrocknroll.com.
###
|
