FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE contact: Valerie McLean
Race Director
(205) 870-7771 (office)
(205) 870-7729 (fax)
Mercedes Marathon sweetens pot for 2004 event
More prize money, M Class up for grabs
Birmingham, Alabama --- The 2004 Mercedes Marathon will offer a guaranteed
purse of $21,000 for the top finishers at the February 8 event in
Birmingham, Alabama.
Male and female first place finishers in the open division receive $3,000.
Second place gets $1,500, third place $750, fourth place $500, and fifth
place $250.
In the master’s division (40 years and older), first place earns $600,
second place $400, and third place $200.
In a nod to the home folks, the top finishing male and female Alabamian
gets $250.The oldest official finisher within the six hour time limit gets
$100.
For the Mercedes Half Marathon, the first place male and female finishers
in the open division receive $1,000. Second place earns $750, and third
place gets $500.
In the master’s division the prize is $300 for first place, $200 for
second, and $100 for third. The first male and female Alabamian each
receive $150.
A separate $5,000 purse is up for grabs in the Lakeshore Foundation
Wheelchair Half Marathon which features men’s and women’s open, quad, and
master’s divisions.
Following the Mercedes Marathon and Half Marathon, one lucky finisher will
drive away in a 2004 Mercedes M Class. The names of ten finishers will be
drawn. Each will receive a key and the one that starts the M Class takes it
home.
To make a stellar running weekend even better, Birmingham will host the
2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Men’s Marathon on February 7, the day before
the Mercedes Marathon. The Team Trials will offer $271,500 in prize money
and team bonuses, along with the three spots on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team
heading to Athens, Greece.
“Birmingham will definitely be at the center of the running universe the
weekend of February 7-8, 2004 with the pairing the Mercedes Marathon and
the Olympic Team Trials,” said Valerie McLean, race director for both
events. “It’s fantastic that the people in the Birmingham area can see two
of the nation’s premier running events for free in one weekend.”
For more information on the 2004 Mercedes Marathon, call 205.870.7771, or
visit www.mercedesmarathon.com.
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