Dobson, Rhines Win Big Sur Half Marathon

Team Running USA athletes also shatter course records

MONTEREY, Calif. - (October 29, 2006) - On a Sunday morning that offered perfect running conditions, the professional field at the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay lived up to the hype by crushing the existing course records. The world class contingent of runners provided an exciting race as they ran neck-in-neck through historic downtown Monterey, on world famous Cannery Row and along the scenic Pacific Grove coastline.

The combination of two Olympians, a U.S. record holder, numerous NCAA All-Americans and a sprinkling of Kenyans resulted in the fastest race ever in the Big Sur Half's four-year history.

Former Stanford track star Ian Dobson, 24, crossed the finish mat in 1 hour, 2 minutes and 33 seconds, shattering the record of 1:05:12 set in 2004 by Michael Aish of Gunnison, Colo. by over 2½ minutes. Prior to Sunday, a 10K (6.2 miles) was Dobson's longest race. The nine-time All-American and NCAA runner-up at 5000 meters stayed with the lead pack of three until the final two miles where the Team Running USA athlete surged ahead and earned a well-deserved prize purse of $2000 as well as the $1000 bonus for setting a course record in his 13.1 mile debut.

Dobson was pushed to the finish by runner-up Fernando Cabada, the 2006 U.S. champion and U.S. record holder at 25K, who crossed the line in 1:02:45 followed shortly by MacDonald Ondara, a Kenyan out of Santa Fe, N.M., who ran 1:03:14.

The top five men all broke the previous course record.

The women's race was equally loaded, with 2004 Olympians Jen Rhines and Kate O'Neill finishing first and second. They are also Team Running USA runners who train at Mammoth Lakes at 8,000 feet.

Rhines, 32, led the race almost from the beginning and her winning time of 1:12:18 placed her 17th overall and crushed the women's course record of 1:15:13 set by Nicole Aish of Gunnison, Colo. two years ago. O'Neill, an Olympic 10,000 meter runner, clocked in at 1:16:33 in her half-marathon debut. Brooke Wells, a 2002 Carmel High graduate now living in San Francisco, placed third in 1:17:58.

The Prim was a race within the race, with the first male and female to reach the 3 mile mark garnishing a $500 bonus. Sergio Reyes of Palmdale, Calif. won the men's Prim while Rhines easily took home the women's bonus.

In the Master's race (runners age 40 and older), the men's winner was Fred Arapmayiek (age 53) of Los Angeles in 1:12:00 ($500) followed by local stars Jeff Magallanes (44) of local Seaside in 1:15:13 and Dwight Smith (48) also of Seaside in 1:16:47. Christine Kennedy, 51, of Los Gatos was the women's masters champion in 1:25:53.

Race Director Wally Kastner commented, "The addition of Team Running USA athletes to our elite field is exactly the direction we want our half-marathon to go. This fast group of runners even pushed our non-elite runners to faster times." He went on to say, "We want our half to continue to grow. We are a superb destination location with a fast, scenic course, excellent organization and warm, friendly volunteers. We are already looking forward to our fifth presentation to be held Sunday, November 11, 2007."

4th Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay
Monterey, CA, Sunday, October 29, 2006

MEN
1) Ian Dobson, CA, 1:02:33*, $3000
2) Fernando Cabada, VA, 1:02:45, $1000
3) MacDonald Ondara, KEN, 1:03:14, $800
4) Richard Kimeli, KEN, 1:04:23, $600
5) Sergio Reyes, CA, 1:04:24, $900
6) Ibrahim Limo, KEN, 1:05:51, $200
7) Lance Parker, 1:05:52, $100
8) Josh Spiker, CA, 1:06:30, $50
*course record (previous record, 1:05:12, Michael Aish, 2004)

MASTERS MEN (40+)
1) Fred Arapmayiek, 53, CA, 1:12:00, $500
2) Jeff Magallanes, 44, CA, 1:15:13, $300
3) Dwight Smith, 48, CA, 1:16:47, $100

WOMEN
1) Jen Rhines, CA, 1:12:18*, $3500
2) Kate O'Neill, CA, 1:16:33, $1000
3) Brooke Wells, CA, 1:17:58, $800
4) Heather Gibson, CA, 1:17:59, $600
5) Elissa Riedy, CA, 1:18:35, $400
6) Camille Herron, OR, 1:19:23, $200
7) Hannah Mitei, KEN, 1:20:48, $100
8) Alexis Waddel, CA, 1:22:07, $50
*course record (previous record, 1:15:13, Nicole Aish, 2004)

MASTERS WOMEN (40+)
1) Christine Kennedy, 51, CA, 1:25:53, $500
2) Angela Matthews, 43, CA, 1:28:42, $300
3) Barb Acosta, 48, CA, 1:29:03, $100

source RunningUSA