ASICS Mammoth Track Club Runners Are The Top Americans To Cross The ASICS LA Marathon Finish Line

-- Lauren Kleppin finishes third with time of 02:28:48

-- Teammate Gabe Proctor clocks in at 02:16:17

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Mar 11, 2014, 03:07 ET

IRVINE, Calif., March 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ASICS Mammoth Track Club athletes Gabe Proctor and Lauren Kleppin had a strong showing at Sunday's ASICS LA Marathon as the first Americans to cross the finish line. Hot off her recent second place finish in the U.S. National Half Marathon Championships, Lauren Kleppin placed third on Sunday and had a personal record time by beating her recent marathon time by more than 13 minutes. She crossed the finish line with a time of 02:28:48. In his first ever marathon performance, Gabe Proctor posted an impressive time of 02:16:17 in Sunday's race.

On the heels of ASICS recent sponsorship of the club, both Kleppin and Proctor's performances showed great promise for the future these elite runners as a part of the ASICS Mammoth Track Club. Sunday's race marked Proctor's first competitive marathon and just the third 26.2 race for Kleppin. Teammates at Western Colorado State University, Proctor and Kleppin joined the ASICS Mammoth Track Club after graduation to continue competition under the coaching of ASICS elite runner, Deena Kastor and ASICS running coach, Andrew Kastor.

"ASICS congratulates both Gabe and Lauren on their remarkable performances at Sunday's ASICS LA Marathon. In their first race as part of the ASICS team, Lauren and Gabe both showed that they are fierce competitors and we look forward to cheering them on in their upcoming competitions," noted ASICS Athlete Manager, Annie Adams.

Led by Deena and Andrew Kastor, the ASICS Mammoth Track Club is one of the nation's most decorated distance running groups. With a track record of hosting some of America's top distance runners, the ASICS Mammoth Track Club is widely respected for its high altitude training regime, team camaraderie and premier coaching.

"Gabe and Lauren's impressive showings at Sunday's race reflect the hard work and determination that was put into their training," said ASICS Mammoth Track Club Head Coach, Andrew Kastor, "Their dominance in a very competitive international field is just a sneak peak of what's to come in 2014 for these two."

Both Lauren Kleppin and Gabe Proctor raced in ASICS most storied racing shoe, the GEL-DS Racer®. Next up, Lauren will compete on March 29^th at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.

About ASICS
Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning "A Sound Mind in a Sound Body," is an old Latin phrase from which ASICS is derived and the fundamental platform on which the brand still stands. The company was founded more than 60 years ago by Kihachiro Onitsuka and is now a leading designer and manufacturer of running shoes, as well as, other athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.asics.com.

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SOURCE ASICS America