FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: April Hanna
apeshanna@hotmail.com
Next generation of Canada's elite marathoners
attend High Altitude Training Camp in Arizona
Participants training to run in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront
Marathon on September 28.
Toronto,(August 19,2003) - For the second year, a group of Canada's most
promising marathon runners will be given a leg up in training to run the
king of distance races, the 42 km marathon.
The 2nd annual Altitude Camp, the brainchild of Bruce Deacon, Canada's
current top-ranked marathoner, and a recent Siler Medal winner at the Pan
Am Games earlier this week. The camp will run from August 17th to
September 7th in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Three of Canada's most promising young marathoners will work under the
guidance of Dave Reid, a former Canadian 1500M record-holder and 10000M
champion. Jim Finlayson of Victoria, Steve Osaduik of Nanaimo and
Stephane Gamache of Ottawa, will be joined by Pamenos Ballantyne of
St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a former Olympian and consistent 2:15
marathoner. All the Canadian runners will take part in the Scotiabank
Toronto Waterfront Marathon on September 28th, with Ballantyne taking
part in the first exchange between Toronto and Run Barbados.
"The High Altitude Camp is endorsed by Athletics Canada, the Canadian
governing body for track, road and cross-country running and is part of
a long-term strategy to grow the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon
into a world-calibre marathon."
Said Bruce Deacon: "These athletes won't have to worry about scraping
together their rent. They can focus solely on running, with all the
obvious benefits of training hard at high altitude. What's more, the foot
hills around Albuquerque are where some of the world's top marathoners
also go to train, so they'll be sharing ideas and rubbing shoulders with
the best in the world."
But how will Finlayson, Osadiuk and Gamache shape up in Toronto on
September 28th at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon?
"Realistically," says Camp Director Dave Reid, "with $38,000 in prize
money on the line, they'll be part of the second group, chasing Pamenos
Ballantyne and a couple of already-confirmed Kenyans who clock in at
2:11-2:12. Marathon champions aren't built overnight. It's one foot in
front of the other, just like the event itself. But give us five years
with the Camp and the Waterfront Marathon, and we'll get there."
For full information on the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon,
including regular reports from the athletes in Albuquerque, contact
Lori Wilson 416-628-5610 lwilson@holmesmark.com or April Hanna
apeshanna@hotmail.com
Visit the website for more info
www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com.
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