Capacity of 4,500 Runners is Reached; Strong International Field Again Expected For BAA Half Marathon
Will Compete for Prize Purse Totaling $30,000. Race showcasing Boston and Brookline’s Emerald Necklace park system, including Franklin Park Zoo, celebrates its 5th year
Posted Tuesday, 27 September, 2005
BOSTON, Mass. – The B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, will mark its fifth running on Sunday, October 9. Featuring a prize purse of $30,000, with the men’s and women’s open-division winners each earning $5000, the largest half-marathon in the Commonwealth is again expecting to draw a deep international field as well as many of New England’s top runners.
General entry to the unique race, which includes a loop in the Franklin Park Zoo, is closed. However, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute still has a limited number of bib numbers remaining as part of its effort to raise funds in the race to the ultimate finish line: a world without cancer. Competing as a Dana-Farber Runner is now the only way left to join the race.
Last year, the men’s race of the B.A.A. Half Marathon was won in dramatic fashion by Luke Metto. The Kenyan set a course record with his time of 1:02:57 in a sprint finish on the nostalgic cinder track of Roberto Clemente Field in Boston’s Back Bay Fens neighborhood. Coming off her fifth-place finish at 10,000 meters in the 2004 Olympics, Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands led the women’s race wire-to-wire, winning in 1:12:05. The elite field of athletes for the 2005 race will be announced soon.
Prize money will be awarded to the Top 10 male and female runners in the open division, the Top 3 male and female runners in the master’s (40 and over) division, Top 3 men and women in the push-rim wheelchair division, Top 3 men’s and women’s teams and the top men’s and women’s master’s teams.
Fifth B.A.A. Half Marathon®,
presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund.
DATE:
Sunday, October 9, 2005
TIME:
8:00 a.m.
PRIZE MONEY:
$30,000
START/FINSH LOCATION:
Roberto Clemente Field in the Back Bay Fens neighborhood of Boston.
COURSE:
The B.A.A. Half Marathon highlights the beauty of Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace park system in Boston and Brookline. The 13.1-mile, rolling course features a combined loop and out-and-back route, beginning and ending at Roberto Clemente Field in the Back Bay Fens neighborhood of Boston (also known as the Fenway). With a start on Park Drive adjacent to Roberto Clemente Field, the course proceeds through the Riverway and over Route 9 into Brookline. The course then passes Jamaica Pond and the Arborway on its way to Franklin Park, with a turnaround in the Franklin Park Zoo. Returning from Franklin Park, the course follows the Arborway to the Jamaicaway to the Riverway before finishing back in the Fenway neighborhood at Roberto Clemente Field.
WEB SITE:
www.baa.org
ENTRIES:
The race reached its maximum field size (4,500 entrants) in four weeks when applications and online registration became available during the summer. A limited number of entries still remain through the event’s presenter: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund (see “FUNDRAISING COMPONENT” and “DANA-FARBER RUNNERS” below).
FUNDRAISING COMPONENT:
To register with Dana-Farber Runners and help us win the race against cancer,
call Dana-Farber at 617-632-1970 or 800-551-7036;
send an e-mail to dfrunners@dfci.harvard.edu; or,
or log onto www.jimmyfund.kintera.org/half-marathon
SPONSORS:
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund (Presenting Sponsor).
PowerBar/PowerGel
Long’s Jewelers
Adidas
Veryfine
Belmont Springs
Gatorade
TO BENEFIT:
Emerald Necklace Conservancy
B.A.A. Half Marathon®
HISTORY
Inaugural B.A.A. Half Marathon on Sunday, October 14, 2001:
3,375 entrants
2,529 starters
2,517 finishers
2nd B.A.A. Half Marathon on Sunday, October 13, 2002:
4,072 entrants
3,088 starters
3,057 finishers
3rd B.A.A. Half Marathon on Sunday, October 12, 2003:
4,095 entrants
3,125 starters
2,996 finishers
4th B.A.A. Half Marathon on Sunday, October 10, 2004:
4,309 entrants
3,181 starters
3,158 finishers
………………………..CHAMPIONS………………………..
Men:
Overall
2001 Wayne Levy Watertown, MA (citizenship: JAM) 1:10:57
2002 David Hinga Lowell, MA (citizenship: KEN) 1:09:47
2003 Laban Kipkemboi Boulder, CO (citizenship: KEN) 1:03:04
2004 Luke Metto Peoria, IL (citizenship: KEN) 1:02:57
Masters division (40-years and older):
2001 Dave Oliver Westborough, MA 1:16:12
2002 Kenneth Jacobson Framingham, MA 1:18:29
2003 Eddy Hellebuyck Albuquerque, NM 1:05:12
2004 Dan Verrington Bradford, MA 1:14:16
Push rim wheelchair division
2001 Timothy Kelly Weymouth, MA 1:06:46
2002 Timothy Kelly Weymouth, MA 1:06:51
2003 Tony Nogueira Glen Ridge, NJ 57:43
2004 Tony Nogueira Glen Ridge, NJ 53:07
Overall team
2001 Boston Athletic Association
2002 Boston Athletic Association
2003 Boston Athletic Association
2004 Boston Athletic Association
Masters division team (40-years and older)
2001 Boston Athletic Association
2002 Boston Athletic Association
2003 Boston Athletic Association
2004 Boston Athletic Association
50-years and older team
2001 Boston Athletic Association
2002 L Street Running Club
2003 Gate City Striders
2004 Heartbreak Hill Striders
60-years and older team
2001 L Street Running Club
2002 L Street Running Club
2003 L Street Running Club
2004 Heartbreak Hill Striders
Women:
Overall
2001 Sarah Nixon Medfield, MA 1:21:16
2002 Sarah Nixon Medfield, MA 1:22:34
2003 Marie Davenport Chester, CT (citizenship: IRL) 1:10:57
2004 Lornah Kiplagat Groet, Netherlands 1:12:05
Masters division (40-years and older)
2001 Patricia Greene Dorchester, MA 1:29:23
2002 Nanci Cahalane Norfolk, MA 1:30:13
2003 Maria Servin Middleboro, MA (citizenship: MEX) 1:17:49
2004 Valentina Yegorova Gainesville, FL (citizenship: RUS) 1:15:55
Push rim wheelchair division
2001 Jane Raymond-Hall Watertown, MA 1:31:06
2002 --
2003 Laurie Stephens Wenham, MA 1:10:43
2004 Laurie Stephens Wenham, MA 1:09:44
Overall team
2001 Boston Athletic Association
2002 Boston Athletic Association
2003 Boston Athletic Association
2004 Boston Athletic Association
Masters division team (40-years and older)
2001 Merrimack Valley Striders
2002 L Street Running Club
2003 Dana-Farber Runners
2004 Merrimack Valley Striders
50-years and older team
2001 Falmouth Track Club
2002 --
2003 L Street Running Club
2004 Merrimack Valley Striders
60-years and older team
2001 --
2002 --
2003 –
2004 --