San Diego 1 Day Attracts Top Runners in the Nation For The 2003 USA 24-Hour Run Championship 

October 28, 2003

San Diego, California -- October 28, 2003 -- San Diego 1 Day, the premier 24-hour track race for elite distance runners, today announced the attendance of some of the nation's top runners for the 2003 USA 24-hour run championship. The race will be held November 8-9, at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) all weather track near the beautiful shores of La Jolla complete with relay teams, live entertainment, and vendor booths.

The nation's top runners will be in attendance at this year's championship race, competing for awards and prize money and positioning themselves to set new records. John Geesler, the reigning men's champion from New York and three-time winner ran an impressive 138 miles last year. Geesler has been running for 19 years gradually progressing from marathons, to 50-mile races, to races exceeding 100 miles. Asked why he was attracted to the sport, Geesler stated, "There are two major factors that contribute to my passion and participation in the sport; the mind and body experiences generated from endurance running and the amount of friendly people the sport attracts."

Stu Mittleman, a San Diego resident and ultramarathoner, is a former American record holder, having set 8 long-distance records, including the world record for the 1,000-mile run. After taking a 15-year hiatus from the sport, Mittleman has returned to compete in this year's race. Never officially retiring from the sport, Mittleman has been active in promoting running and endurance sports, authoring "Slow Burn", a book devoted to teaching the principles of endurance and energy, founding a coaching and consulting practice, WorldUltrafit, Inc., and participating as a featured guest and faculty member of the Anthony Robbins Life Mastery Program. In 2000, Mittleman ran the Journey Across America (San Diego to New York City) to raise money for a youth leadership program, running 3,000 miles in 56 days equivalent to two marathons a day pace.

"Looking at this year's list of runners, we are expecting a very exciting and competitive race, and hopefully some record breaking distances," said John Metz, race director of the San Diego 1 Day. "Mark Godale, the 24-hour American road record holder, has run 162.4 miles and Pam Reed, the 2-time overall winner of Badwater, a 135 mile run in Death Valley, are two other high-profile runners that could possibly break the 24-hour track record at this race. We have all sorts of activities planned for this year's race and we encourage the community to attend and support the runners."

About San Diego 1 Day
Headquartered in San Diego, California, San Diego 1 Day has provided premier 24-hour track races for elite distance runners since 1999. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and to register, please visit www.sandiego1dayrace.com.

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Last updated: 09/14/05
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