International field ready for 31rst Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, release, note by Larry Eder

International Field Readies for 31st Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon

Defending USA Men’s and Women’s Masters Champions Return

St. Paul, Minn.–Oct. 6, 2012–A fleet field of international runners peppered with aspiring Americans headlines the open marathon field at the 31st annual Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon scheduled to start at 8:00 a.m. Sunday, October 7 in downtown Minneapolis.

Leading the field are 2012 Grandma’s Marathon champions Everlyne Lagat of Kenya and Berhanu Girma of Ethiopia, who could earn $10,000 bonuses – in addition to the winners’ prize check of $15,000 – by winning both of Minnesota’s major marathon in a single year.

The race, which hosts the USA Masters Marathon Championships for the 22nd straight year, will also welcome back its reigning masters champions, Tracy Lokken of Marquette, Mich. and Sheri Piers of Falmouth, Maine.

In wheelchair competition, course record-holder and eight-time Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon wheeler champion Saul Mendoza of Wimberley, Tx. returns as does 2011 women’s champion Tracy Tabaka of Rogers.

A record number of runners–more than 12,000 – will compete in the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. The full slate of events that make up Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Weekend will draw more than 28,000 runners to the street of Minneapolis and St. Paul on Saturday and Sunday.

Find the professional athlete thumbnail biographies and startlists on the following pages.

About Twin Cities In Motion (TCM): Twin Cities In Motion (formerly Twin Cities Marathon, Inc.) is the non-profit organization that provides nationally recognized, high quality running events throughout the year, including the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. With a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through running, TCM and its charity partners contribute over $500,000 to related causes each year. For more information, visit www.tcmevents.org, www.facebook.com/TwinCitiesInMotion, and follow us on Twitter @tcmarathon.

Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Men’s Professional Athlete Bios

Adem Hussein – 1

Ethiopia

Age: 30

Personal Best: 2:11:18

2012 Highlights: Hussein has not race in 2012.

Christopher Kipyego – 2

Kenya

Age: 38

Personal Best: 2:12:15

2012 Highlights: Half Marathon 1:06:15

Marathon 2:18:54

Kipyego was the runner-up at the 2010 Grandma’s Marathon.

Berhanu Girma – 3

Ethiopia

Age: 25

Personal Bests: 2:12:24

2012 Highlights: 10K 28:46

Half Marathon 1:01:54

Marathon 2:16:38

Marathon 2:12:24

Girma won this year’s Grandma’s Marathon.

Lameth Mosoti – 4

Kenya

Age: 31

Personal Bests: 2:24:43

Elija Muturi – 5

Kenya

Age: 31

Personal Bests: 2:13:17

2012 Highlights: Marathon 2:13:17

Sean Quigley – 6

Boulder, Colorado

Age: 27

Personal Best: 2:14:12

2012 Highlights: 10K 29:45

10K 29:26

20K 1:00:02

Half Marathon 1:05:29

Marathon 2:14:12

Kiyokatsu Hasagawa – 7

Japan

Age: 29

Personal Best: 2:15:15

2012 Highlights: Half Marathon 1:04:12

Marathon 2:16:03

Davd Tuwei – 8

Kenya

Age: 33

Personal Best: 2:13:44

2012 Highlights: Half Marathon 1:05:59

Marathon 2:17:30

Edward Tabut – 9

Kenya

Age: 29

Personal Best: 2:14:46

2012 Highlights: 10 Miles 49:58

20K 1:01:17

Half Marathon 1:04:43

Woldegeiworgis Eyob Alemu – 10

Ethiopia

Age: 30

Personal Best: 2:14:44

Kipyegon Kirui – 11

Kenya

Age: 32

Personal Best: 2:14:54

2012 Highlights: 10K 30:38

Half Marathon 1:08:43

Marathon 2:22:05

Philip Mburu – 12

Kenya

Age: 24

Personal Bests: 1:09:42 (Half Marathon)

2012 Highlights: Half Marathon 1:09:42

Tyler Sigl – 13

Green Bay, Wisconsin

Age: 26

Personal Best: 2:17:28

2012 Highlights: 10K 30:30

Half Marathon 1:05:48

Marathon 2:19:17

Sigl ran his marathon personal best at the 2009 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon.

George Towett -14

Kenya

Age: 27

Personal Best: 2:18:19

2012 Highlights: 10K 30:43

20K 1:01:40

Half Marathon 1:04:38

Jared Abuya – 15

Kenya

Age: 35

Personal Best: 2:20:13

2012 Highlights: 10 Miles Road 51:29

Half Marathon 1:07:59

Marathon 2:20:13

Other notables:

16 Joe Moore, 28

17 Pete Gilman, 37

18 Ben Payne, 31

19 Michael Little, 36

20 Cllint Wells, 37

21 Todd Braje, 36

22 Levi Severson, 32

23 Joseph Aulwes, 31

24 Brian Walker, 30

25 Francis Eanes, 25

26 Chrsitopher Grossinger, 38

27 Chrsitopher Denucci, 33

28 John Leaf, 25

29 Erik Hanson, 23