Contact: Mark Winitz
Pacific Association/USATF Communications Manager
Tel: (650) 948-0618 Direct

COURSE RECORDS SET AT USA 100-MILE TRAIL CHAMPIONSHIPS  

FOLSOM, Calif. - July 24, 2007 - Rising ultrarunning stars Molly Zurn and
Pacific Association/USATF's Jasper Halekas conquered both the challenging
course and the competition at the 2007 USA Track & Field 100 Mile Trail
Championship, hosted by the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 on July 21. The course
consisted of two tours of a 50-mile trail route mostly along a
northeastern segment of the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail. Competitors
traversed the crest of the Tahoe Basin between Spooner Lake and Tahoe
Meadows near Mt. Rose (Nev.), at elevations ranging between 7,000 and 9,200 feet.

Blessed by mild weather both day and night, both champions established
new course records en route to earning an even split of the $2,000 total
winner's purse. Zurn, 36, formerly of San Francisco and currently of
Reno, Nev., made history by becoming the first woman to crack the 24-hour
barrier here, finishing only her third 100-miler in 23 hours, 32 minutes,
12 seconds. Kim Gimenez, 42, of Long Beach, Calif. was second among women
in 24:47:59.

Halekas, 30, of Oakland, Calif. shattered his own Tahoe Rim Trail 100
standard from 2006 by over two hours. He felt strong after cruising
through the first 50 miles in 8:32. Then Halekas powered over the
course's final challenge, a second ascent of 9,200-foot Snow Valley Peak
(mile 93), when he realized he would bag the course record. He blasted
downhill to do exactly that, in 18:16:01. Oakland's Mark Gilligan, 36,
was second in 19:38:00.

There were 69 finishers in the 100-mile national championship event, and
over 250 finishers in the companion Tahoe Rim Trail 50-mile and
50-kilometers races. The event was jointly presented by the Tahoe
Mountain Milers (Lake Tahoe) and Sagebrush Stompers (Carson City) Running
Clubs.

For full results, visit the event's Web site.

The Pacific Association is the largest member association of USA Track &
Field (USATF). We serve northern California and northwestern Nevada.
USATF is the National Governing Body for track and field, long distance
running, and race walking in the United States. For more information
about the Pacific Association, visit our Web site at www.pausatf.org.