| Nine Team USA Minnesota Runners in Competitions April 24-26; Katie McGregor, Emily Brown, Carrie Tollefson at NYRR Distance Carnival at Brutus Hamilton Invitational |
 Minneapolis/St. Paul - Nine Team USA Minnesota distance runners will compete this weekend on the track or the roads at events that include the NYRR Distance Carnival at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational on April 24, the Get in Gear 10k on April 25, and the George Washington Parkway Classic 10 Mile on April 26.
Appearing at the NYRR (New York Road Runners) Distance Carnival under the lights at the University of California in Berkeley will be six runners, including Emily Brown and Carrie Tollefson who will compete in the 5000 meters; Katie McGregor and Meghan Armstrong in the women's 10,000 meters; along with Matt Gabrielson and Josh Moen in the men's 10,000. So far in 2009, Brown has won the USA Cross Country Championships in February and placed third at the USA 15k Championships in March. The Brutus Hamilton meet marks the start of her outdoor track season - she has a best in the 5000m of 15:19.57. Tollefson began her competitive year on April 19 with a fifth place finish in 4:45 at the Boston Invitational Road Mile. The 2004 Olympian in the 1500 meters and three-time national champion (1500, 3000 and 4k cross) has a best in the 5000 of 15:04.07. Competing in the 10,000 will be McGregor, who was second at the USA 15k Championships and then fourth at the Carlsbad 5k in early April. McGregor is a four time national champion (10k road twice, 10,000m and 25k) and has been a two-time U.S. team member for World Outdoor in the 10,000. Her best in the 10,000m is 31:21.20. Armstrong began 2009 on the roads competing at the USA Half Marathon Championships in January, then at the USA Cross Country Championships, followed by the USA 15k Championships. To start her track season, she ran the 5000m at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 17 and posted 15:41.09 (previous best was 16:08). She set her best in the 10,000m of 33:28 last spring when she was a senior at the University of Iowa. In the men's 10,000 will be Gabrielson, who has run 28:44 in the 10k on the road. He has a best in the 5000 meters of 13:30.68 and last summer placed 8th in the distance at the U.S. Olympic Track Trials. In October, he finished second at the USA Men's Marathon Championship and will be a member of the U.S. team in the marathon at World Outdoor in August. Moen has a best in the 10,000 of 28:31.08, which he set last spring. So far in 2009, he won the Edison Festival 5k in 14:08, placed 14th in the USA 15k Championships, and set a personal best in the 5000m of 13:35.73 at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 17. Get in Gear 10k - April 25 Team USA Minnesota's Antonio Vega and Chris Lundstrom will be among the competitors at the 32nd annual Get in Gear 10k in Minneapolis on April 25. Vega has had a good start to his 2009 season with a personal best of 1:02:55 and seventh place finish at the USA Half Marathon Championships in January. He followed that race with the USA Cross Country Championships in February and selection to the U.S. team that competed at the NACAC Cross Country Championships in March. He then ran 44:45 at the USA 15k Championships and finished second at the ING Georgia Half Marathon. Lundstrom, who is preparing to run Grandma's Marathon on June 20, ran in the USA 15k Championships in March. The marathoner has previously placed third and then fourth in the USA Men's Marathon Championships and won the Napa Valley Marathon as well. This will be his third appearance at the Get in Gear 10k which starts at 9:00 a.m. George Washington Parkway Classic 10 Miler - April 26 Competing at the 25th annual George Washington Parkway Classic 10 Mile in Alexandria will be Michelle Lilienthal, who has a best in the 15k of 53:29. The Parkway Classic begins at the historic Mount Vernon Estate at 8 a.m. (Eastern time). Lilienthal's 2009 season has so far included the USA Half Marathon Championships in January and the USA 15k Championships in March. She also competed in the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in April, posting a time of 57:25. About Team USA Minnesota Team USA Minnesota is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Formed in 2001, the purpose of the training center is to improve post-collegiate American distance running and to develop Olympians. The athletes are coached by Dennis Barker, head cross country and track coach at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. Team USA Minnesota's major sponsor is Life Time Fitness (www.lifetimefitness.com) and its silver sponsor is the Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. (www.mtcmarathon.org). It is also supported by the New York Road Runners and the USA Distance Project. For more information, visit the web site at www.teamusaminnesota.org. ************************ Contact: Pat Goodwin 952-924-1081
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