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For Immediate Release Jon Walk, (832) 296-0785

EIGHT NEW RRCA TEXAS STATE MARATHON CHAMPIONS

CROWNED; LINDNER SETS WOMENS EVENT RECORD
SEABROOK, TX (March 18, 2017) Katy's Calum Neff chased one course record
while San Antonio's Rachel Lindner crushed another as the duo captured Road Runners
Club of America (RRCA) Texas State Marathon Championships here at Rex Meador Park
during Saturdays 14th annual Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon.
Three weeks removed from a 50K win at the Cowtown Ultra in Fort Worth, Neff, 32,
the current Guinness World Record holder at the marathon and half marathon distances
while pushing a stroller, was on pace half way through for Matt McCurdy's nine-year old
2:38:12 marathon course record, but settled for a winning time of 2:43:27 - second best in
the race's history.
A two-time Ironman World Championship qualifier in 2010, Lindner, now 28 and
the mother of two, is getting back to racing, specifically running.
Her 3:10:19 win today not only shattered Caroline Chamness' all-time best
winning time of 3:15:16 from 2007, but also gave the former Texas A&M Aggie her Boston
Qualifier that was wiped out after a fifth-place overall finish at The Woodlands Marathon
two weeks ago due to a short course as a result of runners being misdirected by a race
official.
Lightning nearly struck twice, though, as a race volunteer in place for the 5K start 20
minutes later inadvertently thinking the 5K started instead of the marathon -- directed
runners on to El Mar Lane off North Meyer Road in the race's first minutes before being
quickly corrected.
Both of the marathon's runners-up - Houston's Olli Haavikko and Austin's Sky
Canaves -- earned the RRCA Texas State Marathon Masters Champion designation for their
respective 2:58:50 and 3:18:22 efforts.
It was Haavikko's ninth first or second place overall finish of a Texas marathon since
2014, while Canaves - 18 weeks pregnant - was the masters winner two weeks ago in The
Woodlands.
 Kevin Diverde, 25, and Sylvia Ly, 35, both from Houston, rounded out the top three
overall in 3:00:19 and 3:49:55.
Diverde was the third and final runner from The Woodlands Marathon who ran a
qualifying time here for the 2018 Boston Marathon.
The four remaining RRCA Texas State Marathon Championships were awarded in
the Grandmasters and Senior Grandmasters divisions.
Houstons Jacob Tonge, 54, and Pearlands Donna Palmer, 51, took the
Grandmasters crowns with their 3:31:37 and 4:21:31 times, respectively.
Both are members of the races Leprechaun Hall of Fame that recognizes runners
who have completed a marathon or half marathon in 10 different years or have run 262
miles or more in various Seabrook Lucky Trail races.
Winning the Senior Grandmasters titles were Richmonds Yong Collins, 62 and
Houstons Hamilton Hadebe, 60, with finishes of 4:14:29 and 4:15:18.
Collins, who was the womens runner-up in the races inaugural year, 2004, ran the
race for the first time in 2007, while Hadebe is training for a sixth finish at South Africas
famed ultramarathon, Comrades Marathon, in early June.
Road Runners Club of America South Texas State Representative Lee Greb, who has
finished the marathon or half marathon in 13 of the races 14 years, was on hand to present
the new RRCA Texas State Marathon champions their medals, while the race presented
each winner with their own finish line tape.
Legs of Fury, led by Daniel Imrecke, Pierre Mille, Nour Pinnow and Khou
Truong, won the marathon relay in 3:02:40 by more than two minutes over their closest
competitor.
Humbles Steve and Paula Boone completed their 1,000th and 1,001st marathon as
a couple. Steve, 67, has finished 676 marathons or races of greater distance while Paula,
50, notched her 325th finish on Saturday.
Saturdays marathon results are at http://www.seabrookmarathon.org/results.
Registration for the 15th annual Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon, to be held
Saturday, March 17, 2018 will open soon.
For more information about the Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon, Half Marathon,
Quarter Marathon, 5K and Relays, please visit www.seabrookmarathon.org.