“When I received the award, it was a really significant moment for me, so it felt great to surprise Futsum with the news and invite him into one of the most prestigious legacy programs in high school sports,” said Ritzenhein, the former American record-holder at 5,000 meters and USA Track & Field’s brightest hope for a medal in the 5K or 10K at the 2012 games.  ”Gatorade has been on the sidelines fueling athletic performance for years, so to be recognized by a brand that understands the game and truly helps athletes perform is a huge honor for these kids.”

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Zeinasellassie as the nation’s best high school boys cross country runner.  A national advisory panel comprised of sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select Zeinasellassie from nearly 250,000 high school boys cross country runners nationwide. Zeinasellassie is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.

The 5-foot-8 senior raced to the Nike Cross Nationals championship this past season with a course-record time of 15:02.41. The state’s returning Gatorade Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, Zeinasellassie also won his third consecutive individual state championship in a course-record 14:48.8, by a meet-record margin of 44 seconds. He broke the tape at the NXN Midwest Regional championships in 15:42.8, the Foot Locker Midwest Regional championship in 14:58 and finished second at the national Foot Locker Cross Country Championships with a time of 14:52.1.

Zeinasellassie has maintained a B average in the classroom. A devoted member of his church community, where his father is a pastor, he has volunteered with youth track programs and raised funds to benefit a school in Kenya.

“Futsum certainly had one of the finest seasons any prep harrier has had,” said ESPNHS Dyestat Senior Editor Steve Underwood. “In his biggest races before a one-second loss at Foot Locker nationals, he produced stunning performances:

Beating a course record held by two-time Gatorade National Runner of the Year Lukas Verzbicas in his dominant state meet triumph, then breaking the Nike Cross Nationals Final meet record in Portland— where he also enjoyed the biggest margin of victory in meet history. Only Verzbicas has won both national meets (in a single season) and the fact that Futsum came within a second of doing so as well, speaks volumes.”

Zeinasellassie remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.

“Without question, Futsum is deserving of recognition as the nation’s best high school boys cross country runner based on his statistics on the course and the impact his accomplishments have had on North Central’s success,” said Gatorade President North America and Global Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Robb O’Hagan.  “But he is also a shining example to peers and aspiring young athletes of what a leader and a student-athlete should be.  He represents everything we hope for in a Gatorade Player of the Year recipient.”

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPNHS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Former notable Gatorade National Players of the Year include:

• Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning
• WNBA all-time leading scorer and rebounder Lisa Leslie
• NFL all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith
• American Mile Record-holder Alan Webb

The award-winning race attracts more than 20,000 participants and 45,000 spectators from all 50 states, 1,000 U.S. cities and 18 foreign countries.  Staged on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5, 2012, detailed information is available at www.runsurfcity.com.

Myriad reasons account for the growing appeal, ranging from the development of running clubs to the unique ocean-front course (voted 2nd most favorite in the nation by readers and fans of Marathon and Beyond), but the allure of Surf City and its mild winter weather is clearly strong.  Participation from Arizona, Illinois, Colorado, Washington and Nevada has spiked recently; all boast 100 or more runners.  Several states feature 50 or more runners—Illinois, Oregon, Texas, Utah, New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Massachusetts.  Canada tops international registrations followed by the UK, Australia, Mexico, Italy and Japan.

Another major draw is Huntington Beach itself, boasting seven miles of beaches and an iconic pier that is home to international surfing competitions.  Many runners spend time hiking in the spectacular Bolsa Chica wetlands while others embrace Surf City’s namesake surfing culture via the Surfers’ Hall of Fame and International Surf Museum along with world-class retailers like Huntington Surf & Sport and surf-stoked restaurants like the famed Dukes, named after legendary Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanamoku.

Led by the Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel, the city’s hotel rooms are now filled to capacity with overflow going to Newport Beach and surrounding communities.  Furthermore, room stays have evolved from one to three-night packages as attendees are spending more time and money visiting Surf City’s famed landmarks.  To that end, the event works closely with the community to foster an appealing environment for runners and merchants, offering valuable discounts and FREE shuttles on race day for runners.

“The Surf City Marathon brings a nice group of people to Huntington Beach hotels, downtown merchants and area attractions during a traditionally ‘slow’ season,” said race GM Amy Tomchak.

The Surf City USA Marathon
Staged in front of The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton hotel, the Surf City Marathon’s exclusive oceanfront course runs on Pacific Coast Highway, past the famous Huntington Beach Pier and winds through the surfing beaches that define Southern California.  Weekend highlights include the two-day Active Lifestyle Beach Expo and Michelob Ultra Post Race Beer Garden.  Official Sponsors include Oakley, Michelob Ultra, the Waterfront Beach Resort, Kona Brewing, Arrowhead, Vitalyte Sports Drink and Hoag Hospital. Through Free Wheelchair Mission’s Run for Mobility, the race as raised more than $2.0 million over the past six years and distributed nearly 40,000 specially engineered wheelchairs to needy and developing nations.  More information is available at www.runsurfcity.com.

Registration is open for the 15th Annual Chicago Half Marathon and 5k on September 11, 2011 where 20,000 runners will hit the scenic Chicago streets, starting and ending just south of the Museum of Science and Industry in Jackson Park.

Runners will enjoy a beautiful half-marathon course along Lake Shore Drive, starting and finishing in Jackson Park, offering scenic views of the iconic Chicago skyline. Runners will experience entertainment along the course and the benefit of water and Gatorade Endurance at 11 water stations throughout the course including the start and finish.  Participants will also receive a custom finisher’s medal and a commemorative technical long-sleeve t-shirt.  

Special this year, Runner’s World Magazine has selected the Chicago Half Marathon, the 5th largest half marathon in the country, as a Runner’s World Challenge race.  Participants that register as a part of the Runner’s World Challenge are offered the exclusive opportunity to receive coaching from Bart Yasso, the “Mayor of Running,” train with Runner’s World editors, and get advice from experts on training, nutrition, and injury prevention.  Runner’s World Challenge participants also receive a number of event-day perks including:

• Private race packet pick-up
• Private bag check
• Access to the Runner’s World pre-race and post-race parties where you’ll enjoy special refreshments, plus private bathrooms!
• Free post race massage

To register for the Runner’s World Challenge, please visit http://www.active.com/register/index.cfm?event_id=1893610

Register now for only $80 for the half marathon or $35 for the 5K – the event is limited to only 20,000 and will sell out fast! For more information and to register, go to the site’s registration page.

Superman, AKA David Stone from Exmouth in Devon, flew through the finish line in a time of 2 hours 42 minutes and 46 seconds, smashing the record for the Fastest Marathon Dressed as a Superhero in the process. Hot on his heels was Sheffield’s Jon Morgan who, dressed as Fred Flintstone, recorded a time of 2hours 46minuted and 59seconds breaking the Guinness World Record for the Fastest Marathon Dressed as a Cartoon Character.

Male runners wearing ‘female nurse’ uniform always go down well with the marathon spectators, but Kevin Harvey, a 36 year-old physiotherapist from Birmingham, proved no laughing matter with a finish time of 2hours 52minutes and 26seconds, breaking the Guinness World Record for the Fastest Marathon in a Nurse’s Uniform. Arguably the most impressive run on the day came from Carl Creasey who attempted the Fastest Marathon Carrying 60 lb pack. A Sergeant serving in the Royal Marines, Carl from Ipswich achieved an agonising new record in a time of 4hours 50minutes and 56seconds.

Marathon stalwart John Sandford Hart from Mudeford achieved two Guinness World Records with Fastest Marathon Completed on Crutches – one leg (6h 24m 48s) and Most Marathons Completed on Crutches (6).

Germany’s Uli Killian achieved a new Guinness World Record for the Most Rubik’s Cubes Solved Whilst Running a Marathon (100 solved in 4hours 45minutes 43seconds), while a team of 47 runners led by David Whillans showed true team-work by making it round the course in 7h 28m 43s to take the record for the Most Runners Linked to Complete a Marathon.

One of the final Guinness World Records achieved on the day also provided the most jubilant celebrations. 7 hours and 55 minutes after the marathon officially started, a band consisting of 20 musicians crossed the finishing line and achieving a new Guinness World Record for the Fastest Marching Band, having played for the entire 26.2 mile course.

Full List of Guinness World Records Achieved on the day:

    Record Category                   Name                     Time

    Fastest marathon in superhero
    costume (male)                    David Stone              2h 42m 46s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    cartoon character                 Jon Morgan               2h 46m 59s
    Fastest marathon in a nurse's
    uniform (male)                    Kevin Harvey             2h 52m 26s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    book character (male)             David Ross               3h 02m 30s
    Fastest marathon in an animal
    costume (male)                    Martin Indge             3h 04m 00s
    Fastest marathon in police
    uniform                           Paul Swan                3h 09m 52s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    fairy (male)                      David Hellard            3h 10m 56s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    jester                            Alexander Scherz         3h 11m 57s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    Viking                            Ben Afforselles          3h 12m 11s
    Fastest marathon wearing a gas
    mask                              Andy McMahon             3h 12m 11s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    fairy (female)                    Emily Foran              3h 20m 52s
    Fastest marathon dressed as
    television character (male)       Simon Bryant             3h 21m 22s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    sailor                            Subhashis Basu           3h 24m 12s
    Fastest marathon in an animal
    costume (female)                  Barbara Stcherbatcheff   3h 42m 11s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    gingerbread man                   David Smith              3h 42m 20s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    lifeguard                         David Bayley             3h 44m 33s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    fruit                             Mike Barton              3h 45m 42s
    Fastest marathon dressed as an
    astronaut                         Darren Cox               3h 53m 21s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    bottle (male)                     Gavin Rees               3h 53m 26s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a nun Ben Bradley              4h 00m 28s
    Fastest marathon carrying 40 lb
    pack                              Lee Riley                4h 01m 17s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    Roman soldier                     Les Slinn                4h 05m 34s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a
    vegetable (female)                Julie Tapley             4h 06m 17s
    Fastest marathon in a wedding
    dress                             Eleanor Franks           4h 11m 01s
    Fastest marathon dressed as a Mr.
    Potato Head                       Peter Barlow             4h 17m 38s
    Fastest marathon carrying 60 lb
    pack                              Carl Creasey             4h 50m 56s
    Fastest married couple            Jez Mancer (2:35:36) and
                                      Lucy Mancer (3:02:00)    5h 37m 36s
    Fastest parent and child same sex Kelvin Amos (3:12:04)
                                      and Shane Amos (2:51:03) 6h 03m 07s
    Fastest parent and child mixed    Richard Collinson
                                      (2:45:26) and Libby
                                      Collinson (3:36:39)      6h 22m 05s
    Fastest marathon completed on
    crutches (one leg)                John Sandford Hart       6h 24m 48s
    Most marathons completed on
    crutches                          John Sandford Hart       6 marathons
    Fastest marching band to complete
    a marathon                                                 7hr 55m
    Most money raised by a marathon                            Total amount
    runner                            Steve Chalke             TBC but
                                                               already over
                                                               GBP1.8m
    Most Rubik's Cubes solved running                          100 cubes in
    a marathon                        Uli Killian (Germany)    4h 45m 43s
    Most runners linked to complete   Scope team led by David  47 runners in
    a marathon                        Whillans                 a time of 7h
                                                               28m 43s

Organized by Mount Laurel, NJ resident and PCVB Sales Director Maria Grasso, this annual event is part of awareness and fund-raising efforts during March, National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.  Both survivors and those lost to colorectal cancer will be honored.  Grasso lost her own father and grandfather to the disease and hopes that more people will get the message how early detection can make a difference in survival.

“Statistics tell us that more than 150,000 are diagnosed every year and 50,000 do not survive,” said Grasso.  ”Many of those people are from this region.  We want to change those numbers.”

Stop Colon Cancer Now, a community of 200 outpatient surgery centers and more than 700 physicians specializing in digestive tract treatment, including the prevention of colon cancer, also returns as presenting sponsor. The centers are affiliated with AmSurg Corporation, America’s leader in specialized outpatient surgery centers.

At the event, those visiting the StopColonCancerNow.com tent to talk with doctors of Main Line Endoscopy Center West and Main Line Endoscopy Center South to get answers to questions about digestive health, colon cancer risk factors and the importance of screening.  Visitors to the tent will be invited to schedule their screening. StopColonCancerNow.com has a goal of scheduling 100 at risk individuals for screening during the race. Former Philadelphia Eagle and colon cancer survivor Vince Papale will also be at the tent from 7:30-11:30 a.m.

The American Cancer Society will also host a Survivorship and Education Tent on site with special activities to honor survivors.

When Grasso began planning the event in 2009, she worked with the National Colon Cancer Coalition that oversees similar events in other cities. She, at best, expected a hundred people to show up for a first time race.  This year, due to popular demand, GYRIG added a 10K component to its tradition 5K Walk/Run.

“The inaugural event built the foundation for continued and growing success,” she said.  ”Our sponsors and the many survivors, caregivers, families and friends of people affected by colon cancer continue to encourage participation.  The 10K has attracted a whole new level of participant and this year’s numbers are growing fast!  To date, registration numbers are more than twice what they were at this time last year.

“The number of people affected by this disease is astounding,” said Grasso.  ”And, while we have not eliminated colon cancer, we have certainly worked toward eliminating much of the suffering, thanks to awareness that leads to earlier and earlier detection.”

Get Your Rear in Gear Philadelphia’s Honorary Chair, Mayor Michael Nutter, will welcome sponsors, runners, walkers, and event participants on Sunday and join NBC 10′s Terry Ruggles, also a cancer survivor, to kick off the race.

• Proceeds from the event will help raise awareness and funds for colon cancer.  Event registration is $25 (until March 15) and $30 (after March 15). Mayor Michael Nutter is the event Honorary Chair.
• Awards will be given for the top overall male and female run finishers, multiple age categories in the 10 K and 5K, and to the Largest Registered Team, the Top Fundraising Team and the Top Fundraising Individual.
• A new award titled the Maude Daniels Award, named after New Jersey resident Maude Daniels who succumbed to colon cancer last year at age 97
• In addition to the new 10K and traditional 5K, the Get Your Rear in Gear Philadelphia event will feature the third annual Tony’s Trot for Kids Fun Run, honoring the memory of former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow.  Tony Snow lost his battle to colon cancer in July, 2008, and his family will be at the event to present the youth participants with special medals.
• Every year, colon cancer kills more than 50,000 Americans – 43 percent of those diagnosed. Remarkably, as the second largest cancer killer, the disease is preventable with early screenings and treatable if caught in the early stages.
• For more information, to make a donation, or to register for the Get Your Rear in Gear Philadelphia 10K or 5K Run/Walk, visit http://www.getyourrearingear.com/events/list/2011/philadelphia-pa/

Marathon officials today unveiled an aggressive charity fundraising campaign designed to raise $4 million in connection with the March 20, 2011 Honda LA Marathon Presented by K-Swiss.  Through a new partnership with Crowdrise, an innovative fundraising website launched in 2010, the Marathon is making it easier than ever for runners to support the charity of their choice as part of the largest fundraising effort in the Marathon’s 26-year history.

“Crowdrise is all about giving people the right tools to raise money for their favorite cause in a new, fun and compelling way,” said actor and activist Edward Norton, who founded the online platform.  ”The Honda LA Marathon is an event that truly connects the entire city, and it has the potential to be an incredible fundraising force as well.  We are thrilled to be on board this year to help unite the entire LA Marathon running community.”

The $4 million fundraising target would double charitable totals from the 2010 race – which was already the largest in the race’s first 25 years.  The expanded charity program is in line with the vision of Marathon Owner Frank McCourt, who directed Marathon staff to make the charitable component of the race a much higher priority.

“The marathon is not only a great running event, it is a civic asset for all of Los Angeles, and an opportunity to do a lot of good for our community,” McCourt said.  ”This partnership moves us one step closer to the day when every participant will raise funds for the charity of their choice.”

Crowdrise utilizes cutting-edge ideas about crowd sourcing and combines them with the power of social networking to create a fun and captivating environment for fundraising and volunteerism.  Any runner, for example, can set up a fundraising page, and reach out to a network of friends, family members and colleagues in a matter of minutes.  Even those who are not running can take part – by supporting a friend who is running, or by setting up a fundraising page of their own.  The goal is to make it easy for runners, volunteers and other passionate supporters to raise money for their favorite causes.

Through incentive prizes, the website drives participation and creates viral fundraising campaigns, while Crowdrise’s signature sense of humor and irreverence keep runners and their social networks coming back to the site regularly.

Norton and his partners at Crowdrise realized the power of online fundraising two years ago in preparation for the 2009 ING New York City Marathon.  As part of Norton’s effort to raise money for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, he launched a website using many of the tools now available on Crowdrise and raised nearly $1.2 million in less than eight weeks for the wilderness conservation non-profit.

By enabling runners to support the charity of their choice, Marathon officials hope not only to raise more money, but to engage more runners than ever in the community spirit of giving.

“For the past two years, we’ve been working aggressively to expand the charity program here at the Honda LA Marathon,” said Ginger Williams, Director of Community Relations for the Marathon.  ”Crowdrise has proven itself as an exciting and engaging new fundraising platform, and we believe it will help bring added life to our fundraising effort.  Our partnership with Crowdrise will make it easier than ever for runners to raise money for whatever cause they support, and help them have a lot of fun in the process.”

The new partnership builds on the Marathon’s official charity program, in which 65 non-profits receive special designation by the Marathon, as well as assistance to grow their Marathon-related fundraising efforts.  Many of these charities, including Team in Training and ThinkCure!, will be featured on the homepage of the LA Marathon’s Crowdrise website.

70-year-old neurosurgeon Dr. Joe Maroon, MD, competed in the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii this past weekend, finishing in 15:40:31, cutting 17 minutes off his 2008 time. This was the 7th Ironman for Dr. Maroon, who credits his endurance to a healthy Mediterranean diet supplemented with D-Ribose, fish oil, resveratrol, COQ-10, alpha lipoic acid and Longevity Factor multi-vitamins, all available at GNC.

“I have been using D-ribose, green tea and grape seed extract in my water bottles for years,” says Dr. Maroon. “In addition to the COQ-10 and alpha lipoic acid, they restore cellular energy, respiration, cardiac and skeletal muscle function, particularly with high intensity workouts.”

Bioenergy markets the only patented brand of D-ribose, found in many energy and athletic performance functional foods and beverages. Bioenergy RIBOSE® stimulates the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the essential energy compound found in the body. Bioenergy Corvalen with D-ribose is available through professional experts nationwide.

Dr. Maroon, who performs about 450 operations per year, has noticed an improvement in his professional ability due to his diet and high level of physical activity. He explains, “This lifestyle enhances my surgical ability. Neurosurgery is an endurance event, too. There can be very lengthy operations that can take hours at a time.”

In addition to his work with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dr. Maroon is medical advisor to GNC and Nordic Naturals and ResVitale, and a member of the board of directors for Mylan Laboratories.

On the brink of Chicago’s popular marathon, 45,000 marathon runners from all 50 states and more than 100 countries will turn corners and pick up their pace for the big race in October. But training for a 26.2-mile race is no easy feat, which is why it is so important to take precaution and keep your body in tow to prevent injury before, during and after the race. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) urges runners to follow a running regimen that suits their activity-level and to not overlook aches and pains, no matter how minor they may seem.

“Completing a marathon is a huge accomplishment, but what many people don’t realize is that just getting to the starting line is half the battle,” said Ron Noy, MD. “Many common overuse injuries, such as tendonitis, shin splints and stress fractures, which take runners out of the race, can be prevented.  Have at least a year of consistent running under your belt before beginning marathon training and then find a progressive program that matches your skill level.”

• According to the Running USA Road Running Information Center annual marathon report, 2009 saw a record 467,000 U.S. marathon finishers, an increase of 42,000 over the previous year.
• In 2009, more than 165,000 people were treated in hospitals, doctor’s offices and emergency rooms for running injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Preparing for a 26.2-mile race means high mileage, and high mileage means runners are spending more time on their feet and out in the sun than ever before, making them vulnerable to a number of injuries. The AAOS wants to help these athletes get to the finish line safely and offers the following training and injury prevention tips:

• Throw out old athletic shoes. After 250-500 miles of use, 60 percent of a shoe’s shock absorption is lost.
• Take the time to warm up. A good warm up prepares your body for more intense activity. It gets your blood flowing, raises your muscle temperature, and increases your breathing rate.
• Avoid doing too much, too soon. Planning a progressive running program that also includes stretching, warm-ups and cool-downs will help prevent injuries. A running group is another option that allows runners to follow a program that will gently build up mileage, and do so at a realistic pace. Keep in mind to gradually increase your mileage, no more than 10% per week and allow yourself at least one day off each week.
• In high altitudes, runners should gradually acclimate themselves to lower oxygen levels, by slow, steady increases in speed and distance.
• During hot weather, running should be scheduled in the early morning or evening hours, to avoid heat exhaustion. Keep hydrated and wear at least SPF 15 sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat with a visor to help stay cool.
• In cool weather, you are less likely to get chilled if you run into the wind when you start running and run with the wind at the finish.
• Make sure you have access to water on your route. You can lose between six and 12 ounces of fluid for every 20 minutes of running. For every pound lost, drink one pint of fluid.
• Just as a warm up prepares your body for exercise, an effective cool down gives your body time to recover. Once you are breathing easily, stretch while your muscles are still warm.
• Rest days are just as important as training days. Give your muscles the time they need to rest and rebuild each week to avoid overuse injuries.

What if you could harness the transformational power of sport not only to change your life, but to change the life of someone far less fortunate? That’s the shared objective of the 65 Official Charities of the Honda LA Marathon presented by K-Swiss, and that’s the reason why so many of them will be running the Marathon’s Stadium to the Sea route on Wednesday, September 22.

In an effort to kick-off fundraising for the 2011 race, runners representing a wide variety of non-profit organizations will run the Stadium to the Sea route. They will start their journey at 7:00 AM at Dodger Stadium and run the full 26.2 miles of the course, finishing just before the Santa Monica Pier at the finish line of the 2011 race.

Race organizers have set an aggressive goal of helping charities to raise more than $4 million in contributions around the 2011 Honda LA Marathon presented by K-Swiss. “Perhaps nothing exemplifies our mission statement of ‘inspiring athletes and connecting communities’ more than our Official Charities Program,” said Ginger Williams, Director of Community Relations for LA MARATHON LLC. “Wednesday’s run is all about letting Los Angelenos know that they can make their miles count for so much more on race day.”

WHO: Dozens of runners on behalf of their favorite charities

WHAT: Honda LA Marathon Preview to Raise Awareness for Official Charity Program

WHERE: Official Stadium to the Sea Race Course: Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica Pier

WHEN: Starting at 7 a.m. (see below for locations/times along the way)

TIMETABLE

Start @ Dodger Stadium / 7:00 a.m. runners depart

Mile 6.5 @ Sunset & Mohawk / Runners arrival estimated 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Mile 13 @ Sunset & Fairfax / 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Mile 19.5 @ Santa Monica & Veteran / 10 a.m. to noon

Finish @ Santa Monica & California / Noon to 2 p.m.

The Official Charities of the Honda LA Marathon encompass a range of important causes. A complete list can be found at www.lamarathon.com/charities.

Paul Ngeny, 31, of Auburn, Calif., led a record field of more than 14,000 registered runners Sunday at the fifth annual Disneyland Half Marathon, crossing the finish line first with a time of 1:07:24, beating the fastest Disneyland Half Marathon time by 41 seconds.

“The course was very nice and comfortable,” Ngeny said. “I liked running through the parks and all the music. I could keep on going for a hundred miles.”

Finishing just behind Ngeny was Eric Marenburg, 27, of San Diego, Calif., with a time of 1:12:10. Kevin Broady, 48, of Brea, Calif., finished third with a time of 1:12:43.

Rachel Booth, 29, of Mountain View, Calif., claimed the title of 2010 women’s champion with a time of 1:15:19, beating the fastest women’s finisher time in the history of the Disneyland Half Marathon by 00:04:04. Booth, who performed better than she expected, finished just 18 seconds off of an Olympic trial qualifier time.

“It was great. Magical,” Booth said. “It’s in Disneyland and it’s just a happy day. Always enjoyable. Everyone was so loud and cheering.”

The women’s second-place finisher was Theresa Lowry, 36, of San Diego, Calif., with a time of 1:19:05. Susan Loken, 47, of Phoenix, AZ, took third place with a time of 1:19:13.

Other notable finishers of the 2010 Disneyland Half Marathon are Jon Megeff, 47, of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., who won the men’s Master’s Division (age 40+) with a time of 1:16:57, Merryt Jackman, 41, of San Diego, Calif., who topped the women’s Master’s Division (1:28:16) and Scott Parson, 51 of San Jose, Calif.,(00:56:45), and Sandi Rush, 49, of Oceanside, Calif., (1:17:06), winners of the men’s and women’s wheelchair divisions.

The fifth anniversary of “The Happiest Race on Earth” welcomed its largest registration field as more than 14,000 runners from every U.S. state and 16 countries made the magical 13.1 mile journey. The course traveled through the two Disneyland Resort theme parks – Disneyland and Disney California Adventure – and along Anaheim streets, passing landmarks such as the Honda Center and running on the field of Angel Stadium of Anaheim, while Disney characters and festive entertainment inspired runners along the way.

Participants who completed the half marathon received a special edition medal featuring Sleeping Beauty Castle circled by a vibrant number “5″ and running Mickey Mouse. Nearly 570 Legacy runners – those who completed all five Disneyland Half Marathons – received a special medal lanyard.

The third annual Coast to Coast Race Challenge medal was presented to approximately 2,350 runners who completed the Walt Disney World Marathon or Half Marathon or Disney’s Princess Half Marathon this year at Walt Disney World Resort and then also completed Sunday’s Disneyland Half Marathon. The Coast to Coast medal showcases the iconic “Partners Statue” of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse.

The 2011 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend is scheduled for Sept. 2-4, 2011. Registration for next year’s Disneyland Half Marathon is scheduled to open Jan. 3, 2011.