B.A.A. Half Marathon This Weekend

As featured in the issue of Running Times Magazine

The Boston Athletic Association today announced its field of elite athletes for the 10th Annual B.A.A. Half Marathon on Sunday, October 10, 2010. The men’s and women’s list, as of today, is attached to this release.

The men’s professional field is highlighted by 20-year-old Kenyan Alan Kiprono and 25-year-old Julius Kogo, also from Kenya, both of whom are riding a wave of road racing success into Sunday. Kogo’s personal best of 1:02:09 is 11 seconds ahead of Thomas Nyariki’s 2007 course record (1:02:20), while Kiprono’s fastest is 1:02:38. The women’s professional field is highlighted by Caroline Rotich of Kenya. Her personal best of 1:10:23 is 34 seconds ahead of the 2003 course record (1:10:57) set by Marie Davenport of Ireland. Locally, David Bedoya of the Greater Boston Track Club and who resides in Somerville, Mass. and Lara Johnson of the B.A.A. and who currently resides in Natick, Mass. may be the top finishers from the Boston area and both project to be among the top American finishers. Top finishers in the open, masters and push-rim wheelchair divisions will vie for a total prize purse of $30,000.

In the Wheelchair Division, five-time champion and course record-holder Tony Nogueira returns to compete for his sixth win at the B.A.A. Half Marathon, and fourth consecutive title. On the women’s side, 2007 Champion Jackie Kapinowski of Point Pleasant, New Jersey returns to vie for her second win in Boston.

“The B.A.A. Half Marathon has matured into one of the most highly-anticipated road running events of the season on an annual basis,” said B.A.A. Executive Director Guy Morse. “Professional and recreational athletes alike – all 6,000 entrants – will enjoy a course runners have come to know as one of the most scenic in town. Combined with the fall foliage starting to set in, it will be a great day for running.”

The B.A.A. Half Marathon starts and finishes at White Stadium in Boston’s Franklin Park, beginning at 8:30 a.m. on 10-10-10. Among New England’s most popular road races, the B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund since 2003, includes long portions along the Emerald Necklace park system and a running tour of the Franklin Park Zoo.


10th B.A.A. Half Marathon® Top Runners (as of 10/4/10)
Race Day is this Sunday, October 10, 2010

MEN’S OPEN
Bib # Name Citizenship Personal Best
1 Alan Kiprono Kenya 1:02:38 (Berlin, 2010)
2 Julius Kogo Kenya 1:02:09 (Parkersburg, 2010)
3 Linus Maiyo Kenya 1:02:40 (Philadelphia, 2005)
4 Lani Rutto Kenya debut
5 John Korir Kenya 1:00:47 (Milan, 2004)
6 Elkanah Kibet Kenya debut
7 Tyler McCandless Boulder, CO 1:05:02 (San Francisco, 2010)
8 Colin Leak Chadds Ford, PA debut
9 Chris Erichsen St. Paul, MN 1:06:52 (Houston, 2009)
10 Matt Thull Milwaukee, MA 1:07:34 (Boston, 2009)
5813 David Bedoya Somerville, MA


WOMEN’S OPEN
Bib # Name Citizenship Personal Best
F2 Caroline Rotich Kenya 1:10:23 (Columbus, 2009)
F3 Janet Cherobon Kenya 1:10:59 (Indianapolis, 2010)
F4 Jane Kibii Kenya 1:12:26 (Carlsbad, 2009)
F5 Sallie Ford Lynchburg, VA debut
F15 Lara Johnson Natick, MA


MEN’S WHEELCHAIR
Bib# Name Citizenship
31 Gary Brendel Sterling, MA
32 Patrick Doak Carlisle, MA
33 Tony Nogueira Point Pleasant, NJ
34 Mike Psaledas Manchester, NH
1016 Timothy Kelly Weymouth, MA


WOMEN'S WHEELCHAIR
Bib# Name Citizenship
F26 Jacqui Kapinowski Point Pleasant, NJ
F27 Carla Trodella Newburyport, MA