2005 Marathon Champion Cheboiboch Seeks Repeat Victory

2005 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Champion Christopher Cheboiboch Seeks Repeat Victory
Professional Field Filled with Music Marathon Champions

SAN DIEGO - (May 29, 2006) - The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, celebrating its ninth running on Sunday, June 4, 2006, welcomes the return of Christopher Cheboiboch, the defending men's champion, who ran the third fastest time in Rock 'n' Roll Marathon history last year. Not only a fast runner, Cheboiboch, from Iten, Kenya, has used much of his prize earnings to help build schools in his hometown.

The man who finished right behind him last year, countryman Stephen Kiogora, who ran 2:09:51 to Cheboiboch's 2:09:17, will challenge the 29-year-old. The fastest time in the men's field belongs to Raymond Kipkoech of Kenya, who has a personal best of 2:06:47. He won the Xiamen International Marathon last year and was second at the 2004 Paris Marathon.

The men's field also boasts an Olympic gold medalist, though not in the marathon. Kenya's Matthew Birir, 33, won the steeplechase at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and finished second at the '96 Games in Atlanta. He is not a stranger to the marathon, with a personal best of 2:11:43 and a seventh place finish in Los Angeles in 2005.

The fastest time in the women's field this year belongs to Kenya's Hellen Kimutai, who has a personal best of 2:25:52. She finished third here last year after winning the 2005 Milan Marathon. The 2002 champion, Alice Chelangat (2:26:36), also from Kenya, will challenge her. From Ethiopia, youngster Shitaye Gemechu, 25, is a three-time winner at the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon and enters with a best of 2:26:15.

Adding to both the men's and women's fields are several champions from marathons around the world, including: Ambesse Tolossa ('06 Tokyo) on the men's side and on the women's side, Aura Buia ('01-02 Country Music Marathon), Lyubov Morgunova ('04 Honolulu) and Irina Safarova ('05 Country Music Marathon).

The elite runners will all be vying for a prize purse that awards $20,000 and a new vehicle to both the men's and women's champions. Each second place finisher earns $20,000 and all told, the total prize purse is valued at nearly $200,000.

A course record bonus of $5000 will be offered to the first man and first woman to lower the marks that have stood since 1999 and 2001, respectively. Philip Tarus set the men's mark of 2:08:33 in 1999 (the fastest marathon run in California), and Margaret Okayo set the women's record of 2:25:05 in 2001.

This year marks the ninth edition of the original Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and more than 20,000 runners and walkers are expected at the start line in Balboa Park To learn more about the marathon or to registration, visit RnRMarathon.com or call (800) 311-1255.

Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Professional Field
As of May 29, 2006
MEN
Name / Age / Country / Best / COMMENT
Christopher Cheboiboch, 29, KEN 2:08:17 1st 2005 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, 5th 2003 Boston Marathon
Stephen Kiogora, 31, KEN 2:09:21 2nd 2005 Rock 'n' Roll, 1st 2005 Las Vegas Marathon
Ambesse Tolossa, 27, ETH 2:08:56 1st 2006 Tokyo Marathon
Belay Wolasha, 34, KEN 2:10:57 1st 2000 Rock 'n' Roll, 4th '06 P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll AZ
Benjamin Kemboi, 30, KEN 2:09:23 3rd 2006 Beppu-Oita Marathon, 7th 2005 Boston Marathon
Araya Haregot, 29, ETH 2:15:10 5th 2006 Las Vegas, 1st 2005 Salt Lake City Marathon
Andrey Yaroslantsev, 32, RUS Debut N/A
Simson Limareng, 27, KEN Debut N/A
Matthew Birir, 33, KEN 2:11:43 1st '92, 2nd '96 Olympic steeplechase, 7th '05 LA Marathon
Terefe Yae, 25, ETH 2:11:45 2nd '06 & 1st '05 P.F. Chang's RnR AZ, 10th '05 Berlin
Tekeste Kebede, 26, ETH 2:11:48 3rd '06 Las Vegas Marathon, 3rd '05 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
Raymond Kipkoech, 27, KEN 2:06:47 1st '05 Xiamen Int'l Marathon, 2nd '04 Paris Marathon
Simon Bor, 37, KEN 2:07:55 1st 2006 Hong Kong Marathon, 4th 2005 Rock 'n' Roll
Moses Kemboi, 27, KEN 2:13:10 1st 2005 Hartford Marathon, 3rd 2005 Ruhr Marathon
Berhanu Adane, 27, ETH 2:33:03 7th 2002 Carlsbad 5000

WOMEN
Name / Age / Country / Best / COMMENT
Alice Chelangat, 29, KEN 2:26:36 1st 2002 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
Hellen Kimutai, 28, KEN 2:25:52 1st 2005 Milan Marathon, 3rd 2005 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
Aura Buia, 36, ROM 2:31:39 1st 2001-02 Country Music Marathon
Lyubov Morgunova, 35, RUS 2:26:32 1st 2004 Honolulu Marathon (course record)
Askale Tafa, 21, ETH 2:28:27 2nd '06 P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll AZ, 3rd '05 Berlin
Irina Safarova, 36, RUS 2:29:20 1st '05 Country Music Marathon, 3rd '04 Rock 'n' Roll
Shitaye Gemechu, 25, ETH 2:26:15 1st 2004-06 P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona
Rimma Pushkina, 32, RUS 2:38:00 N/A
Pamela Chepchumba, 27, KEN 2:29:48 3rd '06 Paris, 3rd '05 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon
Yihunilish Bekele, 25, ETH 2:42:28 5th 2005 Country Music Marathon

source RunningUSA