Dean Karnazes to Host First Rock ‘n’ Roll Ultra Marathon

50K run will be first to take runners beyond the 26.2-mile marathon distance

Phoenix, AZ - For the first time in the history of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon will in 2010 present the Dean Karnazes Rock ‘n’ Roll Ultra 50k. The inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Ultra will cover 50 kilometers and take place on January 17, 2010 in conjunction with the full and half marathon events. Dean Karnazes, legendary Ultra Marathon Man, will host the run and help pace the event this January.

“As an ultra-marathoner who has travelled across the globe in search of the perfect ultra marathon event, finding one in the States that I know will be executed flawlessly is a big deal,” said Dean Karnazes, ultra-marathon runner and Competitor Magazine’s Endurance Athlete of the Year. “The added bonus of this event incorporating ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’ makes it one that I can’t miss.”

Participants of the 50K will receive a special T-shirt, race number and medal for completing the inaugural event, in addition to bragging rights and exclusive time with Dean during the first few miles of the run. The 50K runners will run 4.8 miles beyond the 26.2-mile marathon distance. They will start at 6:30 am at the official marathon start line, on Washington St., and follow the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona course until approximately mile 1.4, where they will loop back to the start line. 50K participants must maintain a 10-minute per mile pace throughout the first 4.8 miles, completing six .81-mile loops by 7:20 am, before the official Marathon race starts. They will then join the rest of the marathoners and complete the remaining 26.2 miles, starting at 7:40 am.

In conjunction with the all-new 50K event at the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona, the Cures Rock! Ultra Run Tour will reach its culmination on January 17. Mike Sheehy, Cures Rock! Tour Creator, will be covering a 50K every day, for a total of 500 miles over 17 days, finishing with the Dean Karnazes Rock ‘n’ Roll Ultra. His trek, which will start in San Diego, will help raise awareness for blood cancers and inspire those directly affected by cancer. The team will stop at several cities along the way to visit families affected by blood cancers, as well as hospitals and clinics devoted to finding a cure. All proceeds will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the organization behind Team In Training, which Sheehy has been a part of for several years.

“I’m really excited to have the Cures Rock! Tour be a part of the first ever 50K at a Rock ‘n’ Roll event,” said Bill Martin, President, Board of Trustees for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society San Diego Chapter. “The Dean Karnazes Rock ‘n’ Roll Ultra will present a special opportunity for the masses to get involved with a 50K event, while still enjoying the organization and fun that Rock ‘n’ Roll brings to the sport.”

Cures Rock! is a growing, grassroots organization that advocates and fund raises for cancer charities to fight to find a cure for cancer. The group works to break down global silos and stigmas around cancer, creates awareness about the disease in young adults, and inspires those impacted by the cancer through endurance sports, music and online social media.  The Cures Rock! Tour is an awareness and fundraising event, encouraging donations to LLS through their web site: www.CuresRockTour.com. Current sponsors include ProFlowers, Smart and Final, Running Center and DJO.

Published on behalf of the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon
Entering its seventh year as one of the nation’s premiere sporting events, the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon expects to welcome more than 30,000 runners and walkers to the Valley of the Sun in 2010. The marathon and half-marathon offer flat, scenic courses that start in downtown Phoenix, run through Scottsdale and finish at Arizona State University in Tempe. Seventy live bands and 40 local high school cheer squads are staged approximately every mile along the 13.1-mile and 26.2-mile courses. The event concludes with a finish line celebration and headliner concert in Tempe.

A two-day Health & Fitness Expo kicks off race week at the Phoenix Convention Center On Fri., Jan. 15 and Sat., Jan. 16. All participants visit the expo to pick up their race numbers and browse over 130 vendors from the running and fitness industry. For more information about the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon, visit arizona.competitor.com or contact the Competitor Group at 800-311-1255.

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