19-07-2012, 12:48 PM
FLINT, Mich. - (July 16, 2012) - The excitement of an international championship road race will once again arrive in Flint on Saturday, August 25 with the 36th running of the Crim Festival of Races presented by HealthPlus of Michigan. Athletes from around the world will step onto the famous start line bricks to compete for the coveted 10 Mile title.
Greg Meyer, who has been with the Crim for many years as its Elite Athlete Manager and is also the last U.S. man to win the storied Boston Marathon, said, "This year the Crim Festival of Races weekend will have one of the best U.S. runners to ever grace the track and roads. From winning USA Championships to major marathons and medaling in major international events, she has done it all. We are extremely excited to have Deena Kastor visit Flint for the first time."
Top professional athletes expected at Crim include:
MEN
Robert Letting, Kenya
Winner - Fifth Third River Bank Run 25K (2012)
Runner-up - Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K (2012)
PRs: 10K, 27:45 and 1/2 marathon, 1:02:22
Samuel Ndereba, Kenya
Runner-up -Crim 10 Mile (2011)
PRs: 10K, 28:01; 10 miles, 46:38 and 1/2 marathon, 1:01:50
Silas Sang, Kenya
Runner-up - Nagano Marathon (2012)
Third - Lisbon 1/2 Marathon (2011 - 1:00:38)
PRs: 10K, 27:52; 1/2 marathon, 1:00:20 and marathon, 2:09:10
WOMEN
Risper Gesabwa, Kenya
Winner - 13.1 Marathon (2012 - 1:14:37, course record)
Runner-up - Dick's Sporting Goods 1/2 Marathon (2012)
Runner-up - Georgia 1/2 Marathon (2012)
PRs: 10K, 31:48; 10 miles, 54:03 and 1/2 marathon, 1:12:48
Bekelech Bedada, Ethiopia
Third - Austin 10 Mile (2012)
Runner-up - Cooper River Bridge Run 10K (2012)
PRs: 10K, 33:45 and 1/2 marathon, 1:10:54
Caroline Rotich, Kenya
4th - Boston Marathon (2011)
7th - ING NYC Marathon (2011)
Winner - Quad City Times Bix 7 Mile (2011)
Runner-up - Crim (2010)
PRs: 10 miles, 53:52; 1/2 marathon, 1:08:52 and marathon, 2:24:26
An all-new abstract logo designed by Olmsted will be featured on all participant t-shirts and medals in the 5K, 8K and 10 Mile events. Participants in these events will receive, as a part of their registration fee this year, a New Balance technical t-shirt. As a commitment to Genesee County, the Crim is offering a $5 discount for any Genesee County participant to participate in the 5K, 8K or 10 Mile when registering online.
Registration numbers are currently at 5,800. At this same time last year, numbers were at 3,900. This year there will be a cap of 17,000.
McLaren Flint has returned as a sponsor (going on 25-plus years) and its fourth year as presenting sponsor of the Crim 10 Mile.
Greg Meyer, who has been with the Crim for many years as its Elite Athlete Manager and is also the last U.S. man to win the storied Boston Marathon, said, "This year the Crim Festival of Races weekend will have one of the best U.S. runners to ever grace the track and roads. From winning USA Championships to major marathons and medaling in major international events, she has done it all. We are extremely excited to have Deena Kastor visit Flint for the first time."
Top professional athletes expected at Crim include:
MEN
Robert Letting, Kenya
Winner - Fifth Third River Bank Run 25K (2012)
Runner-up - Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K (2012)
PRs: 10K, 27:45 and 1/2 marathon, 1:02:22
Samuel Ndereba, Kenya
Runner-up -Crim 10 Mile (2011)
PRs: 10K, 28:01; 10 miles, 46:38 and 1/2 marathon, 1:01:50
Silas Sang, Kenya
Runner-up - Nagano Marathon (2012)
Third - Lisbon 1/2 Marathon (2011 - 1:00:38)
PRs: 10K, 27:52; 1/2 marathon, 1:00:20 and marathon, 2:09:10
WOMEN
Risper Gesabwa, Kenya
Winner - 13.1 Marathon (2012 - 1:14:37, course record)
Runner-up - Dick's Sporting Goods 1/2 Marathon (2012)
Runner-up - Georgia 1/2 Marathon (2012)
PRs: 10K, 31:48; 10 miles, 54:03 and 1/2 marathon, 1:12:48
Bekelech Bedada, Ethiopia
Third - Austin 10 Mile (2012)
Runner-up - Cooper River Bridge Run 10K (2012)
PRs: 10K, 33:45 and 1/2 marathon, 1:10:54
Caroline Rotich, Kenya
4th - Boston Marathon (2011)
7th - ING NYC Marathon (2011)
Winner - Quad City Times Bix 7 Mile (2011)
Runner-up - Crim (2010)
PRs: 10 miles, 53:52; 1/2 marathon, 1:08:52 and marathon, 2:24:26
An all-new abstract logo designed by Olmsted will be featured on all participant t-shirts and medals in the 5K, 8K and 10 Mile events. Participants in these events will receive, as a part of their registration fee this year, a New Balance technical t-shirt. As a commitment to Genesee County, the Crim is offering a $5 discount for any Genesee County participant to participate in the 5K, 8K or 10 Mile when registering online.
Registration numbers are currently at 5,800. At this same time last year, numbers were at 3,900. This year there will be a cap of 17,000.
McLaren Flint has returned as a sponsor (going on 25-plus years) and its fourth year as presenting sponsor of the Crim 10 Mile.