Verran, Sell, Cordes Set Course Record in 1:05:43
LAKE BUENA VISTA (January 11, 2004) -- Welcome to 2004! The Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon are the normal starting points for the year's running scene. This year, 2004, this weekend is very busy:

The PF Changs Arizona Rock N Roll Marathon and Half Marathon are happening in Tucson, Arizona today as well. According to Elite Racing's Tracy Sundlun, there are 29,502 official starters in a first year event! What a great testament to the health of our sport!

The Walt Disney Events have nearly 24,000 starters in the half marathon and marathon, and have runners and walkers from 35 countries.

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As a college runner, I always put up a postcard on my bathroom mirror each January with my time goals for the following year. It was a daily reminder of my goals. The other piece of material that I kept was the media roster of the club, Athletics West, the premier club in our sport back in the last 70s.

I remember meeting one of the Athletic's West team members, Mike Manke, a 1,500 meter runner, who worked in my coach's research group at Lockheed. He had achieved the dream, running for a footwear sponsored club, running in the Olympic Trials and breaking four minutes for the mile- For many of us at the time, Athletics West was the epitome of a running club (well, after Florida TC, and WVTC)--and it was the beginning of a trend in our sport.

Today, Nike has several athletes worldwide that are provided apparel and footwear to run for the swoosh. Most other footwear manufacturers have some type of sponsorship program, but the clubs-- real clubs like Athletics West-- however, are gone. Nike also sponsors the four most important federations- USA Track & Field, Russian Federation, Kenyan Federation and China.

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The Wall Street Journal, my favorite read every morning, always has a front page story on a topic that gets their readers to consider another option, in life, business, etc. In June 2003, it carried a story about the Hanson Racing Team, a group of young men with a dream of training to see how good they could become. Several running shoe companies made bids to sponsor them, and the one who finally signed on the dotted line was Brooks.

The Hanson-Brooks Racing Team has a group of young men and women now who are focused on seeing how well they can run. They live and work together and train together, much like the teams of old. And the program seems to be working....

At the Disney Half marathon, Clint Verran, Brian Sells and Nick Cordes, all of the Hansons-Brooks Racing Team, wanted to run the half in the marathon pace they expect to run February 7 at the Men's Olympic Trials Marathon. They raced 1:05.43, unopposed, and a two minute course record.

The next month allows them to focus on making the team, and this test went well. With the absence of Khalid Khannouchi, the men's team is pretty open- and with the Olympic A and B standards having been revised, the US has a good shot in sending a full team. The Hanson- Brooks team could be part of that team- and they showed their fitness on this cold day. They ran with the temperature in the 40s, but strong winds, bringing it down to the 30s-if you count that wind chill thing. Looking fresh and fit, the three young runners crossed the line together. They look to provide some surprises on February 7.

(l) to (r): Clint Verran, Nick Cordes, MC Creigh Kelly, Brian Sell.

At the Disney press conference, the three runners looked fit, quietly confident and ready for their last hard weeks before the Marathon trials and spoke as a group. Nick Cordes admitted that a year ago, his personal best for the half was near 1.05.43, " Now, I am running this pace as a training run."

The three winners, Nick Cordes, Brian Sells and Clint Verran, shared the flowers, Micky ears and plaque for the winner.

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Kim Pawalek, of Arden, NC, won the women's half in 1.18.12.

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For the first time in the race history of Disney, an American male won the marathon. The first place finisher is Matt Dobson, a correctional facilities manager, adjunct professor at University of West Florida as well at the university's cross country coach. Matt, wearing a Jesus Saves t shirt, ran 2.27.58, for his first win here in four tries. Two years ago, Dobson was third.

On top of being an American male, Matt is also a local, from Jay, Florida. Dobson has bit of track experience, having won the 1991 Metro 10k title for Florida State (their last year in said conference).

Matt's best is 2.27.52, ran ten years ago in Jacksonville, Florida marathon. "I knew I was close to my best, but, there will be another marathon. I am only 34 years old, and I will give it another shot." Matt wore his cross country team's sweats, commenting" I am sure that the team will be happy that their old coach actually won a race. I use a hard week, easy week routine, and my mileage is same as ten years ago." It was first time his family was able to be here in his four years running, so maybe that provided the additional energy for his success.

Pedro Moura was second, in 2.30.16, and he hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Paul Jones of Apex, North Carolina was third in 2.35.19. Tim Schuler of Chambersburg, PA was fourth in 2.36.37, and John Reback, of North Palm Beach, ran 2.40.42 for fifth.

On the women's side, Kim A Donaldson, of St. Petersburg, Florida ran 2.59.11, her first time under three hours and took first. Second was Maryann Protz, also from St. Petersburg, FLA and she ran 3.00.36. Jeanna Anne Krizman of Tucson, Arizona was third in 3.06.37. In fourth was Devon Kennedy, of Narberth, PA, who ran 3.06.38. Fifth place was Carol Postigo, of Miami, Florida, who ran 3.07.16.

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And the sea of yellow Disney blankets, wrapped around the finishers grows, occasionally, the blankets, dropped, fly a bit, as they are hit by a gust of wind. Their Mickey Mouse medals dangling from their necks, the 23,000 plus finishers jog, walk slowly, or limp to see their loved ones and tell anyone who will listen, the story of the last few miles...

Congrats to Derrick Griffiths, publisher of Colorado Runner, who ran 3.04 today, and looked fresher than most of the people who had not run, in the media tents.

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The day started quite cold, windy and in the low forties, and by the time it hit 4 hours, was nearly fifty degrees, almost perfect finishing weather.