Past Champions Abdirahman, Browne Headline USA Men's 10 Mile Championship
Top field expected at Medtronic TC 10 Mile on October 7; final test before Olympic Trials in New York City for many

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Posted Thursday, 20 September, 2007

MINNEAPOLIS - (September 19, 2007) - Some of the biggest names in running will join professional runners from Minnesota in pursuit of the USA Men's 10 Mile Championship and the $25,000 national championship prize purse on Sunday, October 7, in St. Paul, Minn.

Two-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman and 10,000m and marathon 2004 Olympian Dan Browne headline the field along with Team USA Minnesota runners Jason Lehmkuhle, Chris Lundstrom and Andrew Carlson, as well as local runners Zachary Schendel and Donovan Fellows. 2003 USA Marathon champion Ryan Shay, two-time Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon champion Mbarak Hussein and Simon Sawe round out the field. The national championship is part of the 9th Medtronic TC 10 Mile.

Abdirahman, who recently won the 2007 USA 10,000 meter track and 10K road titles, is the two-time defending USA 10 Mile champion (2005-06). Browne, who picked up the USA 5K title Sunday in Providence, R.I., captured his third USA 20K title at New Haven, Conn. on Labor Day, and was the 2004 USA 10 Mile champion. Shay finished 3rd at the 2006 USA Marathon Championship hosted by the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, while Lehmkuhle won the Cow Harbor 10K September 15 and finished 3rd at the 2007 USA 20K and 2006 USA 10 Mile Championships.

"We are pleased with the level of competition in this year's Medtronic TC 10 Mile," said Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. executive director Virginia Brophy Achman. "The field set for the USA Men's 10 Mile Championship is top-notch. The opportunity for us to host the championship this year recognizes our desire to support long distance running and also training efforts throughout the United States, such as Team USA Minnesota and the USA Distance Project, both of whom we support through our silver level sponsorships."

Five Minnesotans, including Lehmkuhle, Carlson, Lundstrom, Schendel and Fellows, will join the more than 30 Olympic Marathon Trials qualifiers in the race that will serve as a tune-up for the Trials in New York City on November 3.

"I think people are really going to want to get out and watch the Medtronic TC 10 Mile," said Team USA Minnesota Coach Dennis Barker. "Many of the best distance runners in the U.S. will be here and it's going to be a great battle. The top three from last year's USA Men's 10 Mile Championship are back including Team USA Minnesota's Jason Lehmkuhle and Andrew Carlson. The runners will be in peak condition because many of them are also preparing for the U.S. Olympic Trials - Men's Marathon, in New York. It's a fantastic course with some very fast parts and some very tough parts, which is going to make it a very compelling race."

Visit www.MTCMarathon.org for more information.

Contact: Kristine Smith, Marketing & Public Relations Manager, (763) 287-3888 x13

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