SacTown 10

March 23, 2012
For immediate release

A distinct Olympic Trials flavor promises to add spice to the Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run on April 1.

More than a dozen runners who competed in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston on Jan. 14, including several with local ties, have entered the second-year event, which starts and finishes at the state Capitol and is put on by the Sacramento Running Association.

Ryan Bak, who finished 23rd at the Trials, Daniel Tapia (24th), Sergio Reyes (25th), Craig Leon (26th), Stephan Shay (34th), Malcolm Richards (51st), Carlos Trujillo (58th), Jason Ordway (60th) and Roseville’s Tim Tollefson (79th) head the field on the men’s side.

Nicole Camp (37th), Elk Grove’s Mary Coordt (90th), Gold River’s Midori Sperandeo (99th), Rachel Niehuus (106th), Sacramento’s Megan Daly (127th) and Roseville’s Lindsay Nelson (130th) are among the top women’s entrants.

Coordt, who has competed in four U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, is the defending women’s champion.

Defending men’s champion Cheyne Inman of Vacaville is also entered in the race, which carries a $15,000 purse and serves as the USA Track and Field Pacific Association Championship.

“We are going to have a really great quality race in the front,” race director Michelle La Sala said. “We’re very excited about the quality of the field.

“The athletes that are coming are very interested. They responded right away.

“We know it’s a fast course. We’re expecting to see some fast times.”

The SACTOWN race is modeled after the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, which is scheduled to celebrate its 40th anniversary on April 1 in Washington, D.C. with a field of 15,000 runners and a purse of $46,000.

The Sacramento race received a big boost last August when the Credit Union Association signed on as the SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run’s title sponsor. The Credit Union Association also sponsors the Cherry Blossom race and is a big supporter of the Children’s Miracle Network.

The Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run will raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network, which includes UC Davis Children’s Hospital, through donations from Sacramento-area credit unions and a runner’s pledge program.

While the first SACTOWN race drew 528 runners, La Sala said she’s anticipating more than 1,000 runners this year.

“We’re going to just about double last year,” she said. “We’re real happy about that.”

The race begins at 8 a.m. A three-person relay will include a Legislative division.

A flat, fast course includes scenic stretches of midtown and east Sacramento to enjoy along the way. The course goes past Grant and Stanford Parks in midtown and McKinley and East Portal Parks in east Sacramento and includes a section through the heart of the Fab 40’s neighborhood before returning to the state Capitol.

Runners can register for $50; teams can enter the three-person relay for $120. Registration closes on March 26 at 11:59 p.m. For more information, visit www.sactown10.org.

Other Sacramento Running Association events include the Lake Natoma Four Bridges Half Marathon on Oct. 28, the California International Marathon on Dec. 2 and the recently concluded Super Bowl Sunday 10K Run.

The Sacramento Running Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding ways to encourage people of all ages and abilities to run. The SRA is committed to developing new, quality running events that appeal to a broad variety of runners.

SRA beneficiaries include the American River Parkway, youth fitness programs, local running venues and aspiring young runners.