Saturday June 6, 1998
| Race Report Saturday June 6, 1998 |
NEW YORK (June 6, 1998)... Avon Running Ambassadors Grete Waitz and Kathrine Switzer joined NYC Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, today in welcoming 6,163 women to New York's Central Park for the Avon Running -- New York Mini Marathon. Avon teamed with the New York Road Runners Club this year to become title sponsor of the Mini Marathon, considered the oldest and most prestigious all-women's running event in the world.
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As the winner of the New York Mini Marathon, the fifth event in the Avon Running U.S. Program, she earns a trip to the National Championships this fall, and a chance to go on to the Global Championship featuring a total prize purse of $50,000 -- the richest prize money 10K race in the history of women's running.
Behind Griffin, with a time of 35:53, was Jennifer Latham, 29, of Croton on the Hudson, NY and Sue Kelly, 37 of Atlanta, Georgia, who finished with a time of 36:06. Kelly was joined by teammates Michelle Lafleur, 26, of Athens, GA, and Barbara Jarnagin of Lilburn, GA, who finished in 5th and 6th place respectively. All three runners from Georgia garnered enough points, combined with their finishes in the Avon Running Atlanta Race on April 4th, to qualify for the Avon Running National Championships.
In the true spirit of the Avon Running Program, participants represented all ages and fitness levels including 75 women 65-years-of-age and older, 6 Grandmother/Granddaughter Teams, 89 Mother/Daughter Teams, and 95 Sister/Sister Teams. Gillian Horovitz 42 years old was the first masters finisher placing 4th overall in 36:17. Kari Proffitt, 41, of Staten Island, NY was next with a time of 38:34, followed by Susan Branche, 40, of New York City with a time of 40:34. Johanna Rhyins, a 12-year-old standout from Manhattan, finished with an impressive time of 43:28. The youngest entrant was Patricia Santana who participated in the walk at only 6-years-of-age, and the oldest was Adrienne Salmini at 82-years-of- age.
Among the participants were 99 Avon Representatives and an additional 148 Avon Associates. Top Avon finishers in the walk included, Annie Dunn of Brooklyn, NY (38:10), Donna McKeon of Brooklyn, NY (39:12) and Nancy Cordova of West Haverstraw, NY (41:06). Top Avon finishers in the run included, Kathleen Worthman of Flushing, NY (52:20), Miriam Ninahuanca, of Long Island City, NY (53:04) and Maria Amaro of New York City (57:52).
Among the ranks of participants were also more than 30 high-profile media members who joined Switzer and Waitz in forming two VIP media teams to participate in either the 5K Walk or 10K Run. Avon brought together editors, writers, producers and broadcasters from Essence Magazine, Family Circle, New Woman Magazine, Mirabella, Self Magazine, HBO Sports, WCBS-TV, Good Day New York, the New York Post, and Hot 97 Radio, among many others to participate.
Indicative of the Avon Running program they are currently championing, both Waitz and Switzer recalled a wealth of cherished milestones achieved in Central Park. Waitz, a nine-time New York City Marathon Champion, says she will never forget that memorable day in 1980, when she broke the world road racing record winning the Mini Marathon in a time of 31:00 -- an event record which to this day has never been matched. Switzer, who gained international notoriety in 1967, when she broke the gender barrier in Boston by becoming the first woman to officially run a marathon, remembered starting the Mini back in 1972. She and Fred Lebow created the women's-only race as a vehicle to allow women to legally participate in distance road racing. Today, through their commitment to the Avon Running program, both women continue to develop new opportunities for women runners.
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