Drake Relays Historic First Masters Women's Race Sat. April 27

DES MOINES, Iowa, April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Drake Relays, one of the nation's premier track meets, will have its first ever masters women's race on Saturday, April 27.  At 11:20 AM, the meet will have a women's 800 meter invitational race with many of the world's best competitors over 40. Mark Cleary, the USATF Masters Invitational Program Director, thanked Drake Relays meet director Brian Brown for including the event in the meet.

Entrants in the women's masters 800 meters had to meet rigid qualifying standards and include:

• Jennifer Burke (41), Missoula MT, is representing Montana's Mountain West Track Club. Jennifer was ranked 3rd in the world in the 800 in 2012 in the Women's 40-44 Division, with a time of 2:13.59.
• Tania Fischer (46), the Santa Monica, CA high school track coach, representing The Janes Elite Racing Club, was a UCLA Scholarship Athlete.  Tania was an Olympic Trials Finalist in the 5000 in 1996 at New Orleans, LA.
• Alisa Harvey (47), Manassas, VA, presently runs for RIADHA.  She ran for the University of Tennessee, where she was an Outdoor Track National Champion in the 1500 in 1986.  Alisa was also part of the Tennessee 4x800 team that set an NCAA Record. In 1992, she competed at the Olympic Trials in New Orleans.  As a Masters runner, Alisa currently holds the Women's 35 and Women's 40 indoor world record for the mile. She also holds the American outdoor records in the 800 Meters and the mile for the Women's 40 age bracket.
• Kristen Leetch (45) runs for The Janes Elite Racing Club of Santa Monica, CA.  Kristen ran for the University of California, Berkeley (Class of '89).  As well as being a High School Kinney (aka Footlocker) All-American (1983), Kristen is also a five time Collegiate All-American.  While at UC Berkeley, she competed in the Finals of the 10,000 meters at the 1988 Olympic Trials, and Post-Collegiate, at the Olympic trials Marathon, in 1996.
• Lisa Ryan (43) is from Sioux City, Iowa. She won the Women's 40-44 2000 meter steeplechase, was 3rd in the 1500 meter run, and 5th in the 800 at the 2011 World Masters Athletics Championships at Sacramento, California. Lisa currently holds the Women's 40-44 world record in the steeplechase.
• Lisa Valle (46), Albuquerque, NM, is representing the New Mexico Track Club.  Lisa attended Idaho State, and finished up at the University of New Mexico. Lisa won three world championship races in Lahti, Finland in 2009, at the WMA championships, in the 800, 1500, and the steeplechase. She also won the Women's 45 2000 meter steeplechase, as well as the 800 meter run, and was 2nd in the 1500 at the 2011 World Masters Athletics Championships at Sacramento, California.  Lisa holds the Women's 45 age group world record in the steeplechase.
• Jill Vollweiler (44), Purchase, NY, presently runs unattached.  Jill attended Colby College (Class of '90) at Waterville, Maine, where she was a four time All-American runner, and still holds the 10,000 meter record.

For more information on the Masters invitational Program:

http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2013/Masters-Invitational-Program.aspx

Contacts:

Bob Weiner, National Masters Media Chair and Richard Mann 301-283-0821 or cell 202-306-1200 [email protected];

Mark Cleary, Masters Invitational Director 949-589-0242 [email protected]

SOURCE Robert Weiner Associates and USATF Masters Media Committee