By Richard Slate
Staff Writer
—
Just because it is the first edition of Run Gloucester!, a seven-mile race which features nearly five miles of ocean views, doesn't mean there won't be some serious running talent on Cape Ann this weekend.
Race director Dave McGillivray helped create the TD Bank Beach to Beacon race in Cape Elizabeth, Maine and the CIGNA Falmouth Road Race, two of New England's signuture races so Run Gloucester! represents the third installment of this extremely popular and respected series.
"We're thrilled to have three of the strongest distance runners in the world joining the local and New England recreational runners in our inaugural race," said McGillivray in a press release. "This is a great opportunity for local runners to be in a race field with elite athletes of this caliber. These are inspiring athletes. It's going to make the race even more interesting and help the causes this event was created to assist - the GFAA and DMSE's Children Fitness Foundation."
The headliner of the three aforementioned runners is Kenya's Lineth Chepkurui. The 22 year old is ranked ninth in the world by Running Times. She's won six road races in the United States so far this year, including the Peachtree 10K in Atlanta, the TD Bank Beach to Beacon race (30:59, a course record) and a second-place finish in last weekend's CIGNA Falmouth Road Race.
Run Gloucester! race organizers also recruited two notable Kenyan men: James Koskei, 41, one of the top master's runners in the world and newcomer Alan Kiprono, 20, who has already impressed in his first few races in the U.S.
Following a long, stellar career in the open division, Koskei is now a dominant force in the master's category. He won the master's title at the BAA Boston Marathon in April (2:17.28), finishing 18th overall in a deep field and also is the reigning master's champ at the TD Bank Beach to Beacon (29:54 in 2010) plus he won the CIGNA Falmouth Road Race in 2002.
On the other end of the spectrum, Kiprono is just getting started professionally. He placed second at the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K with a blazing 27:42, only 1.3 seconds behind the winner.
The lead sponsor of Run Gloucester!, Saucony, Inc., a leading global supplier of performance athletic footwear and apparel with brand headquarters in Lexington, Mass., has established a prize purse of $5,000. The winning man and woman will each receive $1,500, with $750 for the second place finishers and $250 for third. Saucony also will award shoe gift certificates to all age group winners.
In addition to Saucony, Inc., other sponsors include Addison Gilbert Hospital, which will assist the medical team at the race, the Gloucester Daily Times, Marriott Peabody, Courtyard Boston Danvers, Springhill Suites Boston Peabody, Sudbay Motors, North Shore 104.9, the Vitamin Shoppe, Cape Ann Savings Bank, Bank Gloucester, Seaboard Beer Distributors and Dunkin' Donuts.
Proceeds from the Run Gloucester! 7-Mile will benefit the Gloucester Fishermen Athletic Association (GFAA) and DMSE's Children Fitness Foundation.
The GFAA, the race's primary beneficiary, raises funds for Gloucester High School student-athletes, sports programs and facilities and it is a key supporter of the renovation of Gloucester High's Newell Stadium.
Materials from press releases were used in this report.
