Stanford Runners Drink Up the Miles in Wine Country


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Stanford Running Club
March 3, 2003
CONTACT: Ben Cowan, (650-926-3705) ben.cowan (at) stanford.edu


Wine tasting was not on the agenda for members of the Stanford Running
Club as they travelled to Napa Valley last weekend. Rather, it was
carbo-loading and water as they prepared for Sunday's Napa Valley
Marathon, which ran a 26.2-mile course from Calistoga to Napa past
vineyards along the scenic Silverado Trail.


The race began at 7:00 Sunday morning, with temperatures in the low
30s and the sun still hidden behind the hills that lined the west side
of Silverado Trail. However, as the sun emerged, the morning became
perfect for running, clear and cool. "I don't think we could have
asked for better weather," said freshman Noah Lang, an experienced
marathoner. Of the eight marathons he's now run, "This was the most
beautiful," he said.


Other Running Club members were running their first marathon, but
several did quite well nonetheless. Sophomore Dan Anthony and
Graduate Student Ben Cowan placed first and second in their division
(30th and 60th out of 2,200 runners overall) with times of 2:57:52 and
3:06:28, respectively, both qualifying for next year's Boston
Marathon. Lang came second in his division, with a personal record of
3:39:50. And freshman Pam Morganroth won her division as well,
finishing her first marathon in 4:15:12. She said, "At the halfway
point, I thought, 'This is really hard.' But by mile 17 or 18, I knew
I could do it." Full results for the marathon can be obtained from
the race web site, at www.napa-marathon.com.


The race was well organized, with plenty of support for the runners.
Aid stations with water and Gatorade, and orange and banana slices
later in the course, were placed every 2-3 miles. "There were lots of
aid stations, and the volunteers were eager to help out," said
Morganroth. Many spectators lined the course as well to cheer on the
runners. "The spectators were really supportive." Some even offered
treats such as sorbet and watermelon.


For all the difficulty of running a marathon, the runners enjoyed the
experience. "It was far more rewarding and enjoyable than I thought
such pain could be. I look forward to Boston. It was definitely an
experience worth repeating," said Anthony.