SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS(March 23, 2009) The Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon, set for Sunday, November 15, is announcing some exciting changes for the second showing of the event that will take place in south Texas this fall.
Responding the participant requests, race organizers are providing all participants with a technical t-shirt, courtesy of Sugoi. Additionally, race officials are looking at ways to enhance the post race experience by expanding the finish line fiesta and creating a more festive environment inside the Alamodome with live music and vendors on the afternoon of the race.
“After a successful inaugural event we are looking at ways to further improve the participant experience,” said Lucy Diaz, Event Manager. “We are changing the participant t-shirt from a cotton t-shirt to a Sugoi technical t-shirt, and are exploring ways to provide participants with even more live music throughout race weekend.”
Runners are encouraged to register by the end of March to take advantage of the early entry fee and guarantee their spot at the start line. Current registration prices are $90 for the marathon and $75 for the half marathon. On April 1, fees will increase to $105 and $90, respectively.
“We are planting the seed to register early after last year’s sell out,” added Diaz. “With many of the event’s training programs beginning in the next few months, now is the time to make the commitment and lock in your spot at the best rate.”
Many training resources are available for Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio participants, and vary from a free online training program, provided by the New Balance ActiveTrainer, to a national charity training program like Team In Training, to a variety of local and regional training groups hosted by specialty running stores.
For more information about the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio or to register, please visit www.rnrsa.com or call (800) 311-1255.
About The Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio
The second annual Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon and ½ Marathon is set to run on Sunday, November 15, 2009. Open to runners and walkers from novice to professional, live bands will entertain participants along the scenic course that winds through San Antonio’s most historic neighborhoods. Adding to the excitement, local high school cheerleaders will be on the sidelines motivating athletes all the way to the finish line. Festivities begin with a two-day Health & Fitness Expo at the Alamodome on Fri., Nov. 13 and Sat., Nov. 14. The Expo is open to the public and will feature the latest in endurance sports gear and nutrition products.
In addition to the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon, the Competitor Group manages a total of eleven 
marathons and half marathons including the original Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in San Diego, the Country Music Marathon and ½ Marathon in Nashville, Tenn., the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon, Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon & ½ Marathon, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathons in Virginia Beach and San Jose, Calif., as well as the ING Philadelphia Distance Run and Denver Marathon. Each event features live music and cheerleaders along every mile on the course and attracts between 13,000 and 35,000 participants.
SAN ANTONIO TEXAS (November 17, 2008) Chilly early morning temperatures didn't discourage anyone from making the trip to San Antonio's Lions Field, site of the start of the largest road race in Texas history. Romania’s Nuta Olaru and Kenya’s Meschack Kirwa made the inaugural running of the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon a successful one, with Olaru claiming the women's championship and Kirwa claiming the men’s title.
Olaru finished in 2 hours, 28 minutes and 54 seconds, holding off a late surge from New Zealand Olympian and San Antonio resident Liza Hunter-Galvan, who ran a personal best in 2 hours, 29 minutes and 37 seconds.
“I really needed about another mile to catch her,” said Hunter-Galvan. “But hey, who wanted to run another mile?”
Margret Okayo, record holder at the Boston, New York and Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathons, led a group of five runners through the first four miles. Then, at mile five, Olaru pushed ahead running a 2:27:00 pace over the first 10k, opening a sizable lead with a half marathon split of 1:13:12.
Okayo dropped out after 15k with a foot injury.
“The initial pace was fast, and at the five mile mark I found myself in the lead,” said Olaru, who is looking forward to the world championships in Berlin next year. “It was a good course and the weather was perfect this morning. It feels really good to win the first event.”
At mile 17, Olaru was briefly ill and began to slow, with Hunter-Galvan trailing 1:43 behind. Hunter-Galvan found a late burst over the final six miles to close the gap between herself and Olaru.
"I was a little worried that my half marathon time was faster than I wanted it to be," said Hunter-Galvan. "But between miles 15 and 16 I passed four runners and with all the spectators cheering over the last six miles I pushed it back up again."
Kenya’s Meschack Kirwa, who finished second at the Country Music Marathon in Nashville earlier this year, stretched his lead over the closing stages to win the men’s race in 2 hours, 14 minutes, 36 seconds.
“I knew at 30k I could win,” said Kirwa. “I was running a pace I could push near the end and the people cheering along the course kept me going.”
Kirwa finished exactly one minute ahead of American Matt Downin, who made late strides to finish in 2:15:36. Dmitry Safranov of Russia finished third in his marathon debut with a time of 2:15:58.
“I was hoping to run faster, but I'm not disappointed finishing second with a great field of athletes,” said Downin, who hasn’t completed a marathon since finishing 11th at New York in 2005. “The conditions couldn’t have been any better, there were lots of spectators and the excitement was huge.”
Leading the charge throughout the first 10k was Dmitry Safranov, a former Russian Junior Champion in the 10,000m. Ethiopian Shimeles Molla, winner of the 2006 P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon, overtook Safranov at mile 10 and quickly extended his lead to nearly a minute a mile. Kirwa closed the gap to 25 seconds at mile 19 and took the overall lead in mile 21, running the last few miles alone.
Both Kirwa, 34, and Olaru, 37, earned first-place cash awards of $17,500 for their victories in the race that attracted more then 30,000 entries and had 55 bands playing along the route. A total of $80,000 in prize money was awarded overall.
Texas Governor Rick Perry finished the half marathon with a time of 1:47:46. American Olympian Brian Sell broke the tape roughly 45 minutes before Perry, winning the half with a time of 1:02:50.
Conditions on the scenic San Antonio course were almost ideal for marathon running on a sunny day with temperatures just below 40 degrees at the start and almost no wind.
San Antonio’s Brant Lutz, 33, and Bridget Binning, 26, took top local honors as the first male and female finishers from Texas, winning the Texas Showdown. Both earned $2,000 for their efforts.
A record number of 30,000 people registered for the event and, of those, 24,761 runners started the race. The event had entrants from 18 countries, all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
For complete race results, log on to www.rnrsa.com.
The second annual Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon is set for Sunday, November 15, 2009.
Place/Name/Age/Country/Time
MALE
1. Meschack Kirwa, 34, Kenya, 2:14:36
2. Matt Downin, 31, USA, 2:15:36
3. Dmitry Safranov, 27, Russia, 2:15:58
4. Shimeles Molla, 26, Ethiopia, 2:17:01
5. Noah Talem, 30, Kenya, 2:19:10
FEMALE
1. Nuta Olaru, 37, Romania, 2:28:54
2. Liza Hunter-Galvan, 39, New Zealand, 2:29:37
3. Karolina Jarzynska, 27, Poland, 2:33:19
4. Tatiana Pushkareva, 23, Russia, 2:40:01
5. Michele Suszek, 25, USA, 2:42:57
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (March 25, 2008) Elite Racing, Inc., organizer of the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon, promised to energize the local running community and provide an entertaining destination event for runners and walkers of all abilities as members of the race committee and city officials unveiled the new course today. Approximately 20,000 runners and walkers are expected for the musical event that will showcase San Antonio’s southwestern flair when it debuts Sunday, November 16, 2008.
“Texas has a strong running community and we are pleased the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon will soon be one of the state’s and the nation’s premiere running events,” said Lucy Diaz, the event’s manager. “This world-class course will attract elite athletes and provide a fun-filled tour through San Antonio’s vibrant city, parks and historic sites."
Early interest in the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon is positive with nearly 5,000 participants already entered. Considering the race’s family-friendly appeal and the region’s ideal autumn running climate, organizers expect a strong debut and continued annual growth.
Organizers noted early registration ends on March 31, 2008. Potential participants are encouraged to commit now to the marathon or half-marathon and save on the entry fees before the prices go up. Current fees are $80 for the marathon and $65 for the half-marathon, which will increase by $15 and $10 respectively.
Participants and spectators alike are in for a block-party experience when the race implements its rock ‘n’ roll theme with rousing music, hundreds of local high school cheerleading squads and themed water stations line each mile of the course. The inaugural event concludes with an evening concert at the Alamodome, free to all participants and featuring a major rock ‘n’ roll headliner.
In addition, the race will draw elite runners from around the world vying for cash prizes. A free two-day “Health and Fitness Expo,” open to the public, will be held November 14 and 15 at the Alamodome, featuring fitness related clinics and the latest health and nutrition information with a variety of products for sample and sale.
For more information or to register online for the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon, visit www.RnRsa.com or contact Elite Racing, Inc. at 800-311-1255.
Course Description
The start line village will be located on Broadway near Brakenridge Park. The race begins with an invitational elite wheelchair race at 7:25 a.m. followed by a simultaneous marathon and half-marathon start at 7:30 a.m. Participants will travel south towards downtown. Just past the San Antonio Express-News Headquarters the course turns East onto 4th Avenue, running behind the River Center Mall before turning North onto Alamo Plaza and passing the Alamo before passing mile three.
Crossing over the River Walk on St. Mary’s Street the course winds its way north to McCullough Avenue. Passing mile five the course turns West onto Craig Place through the Monte Vista Historic District and loops its way around San Pedro Park the second oldest park in the United States.
Through miles six to nine the route heads South. Most of this leg consists of a two-mile stretch down Main Avenue where the course passes the San Fernando Cathedral at mile eight. Off Main Avenue, the course turns East onto Gunther Street and enters the King William Historic District.
Continuing to St. Mary’s Street through the Southtown Arts District, the half-marathon course splits from the marathon at Claudia Street, mile 10.5, to run east one block to Presa Street. The marathon course continues south on St. Mary’s Street to Mission Road passing Mission Concepción at mile 12.
The marathon course continues south passing Mission San José at mile 14 and Mission San Juan Capistrano at mile 17. At this point the marathon swings East onto Padre Drive into the Mission Trails National Historic Park, entering a rural landscape. At mile 21.5 the marathon rejoins Mission Road and continues north back towards downtown.
Just prior to mile 24 the marathon skips East one block on Playmoor Street before meeting up with the half-marathon course on Presa Street. The marathon and half-marathon courses run in parallel on either side of the road turning east on Durango Blvd. Just after mile 25 the courses split once more before meeting up again on Montana Street for the final stretch to the finish line on Cherry Street behind the Alamodome.
