Hy-Vee Road Races at the Drake Relays to Feature Nearly 50 World Class Road Runners

 

Hy-Vee Road Races at the Drake Relays to Feature Nearly 50 World Class Road Runners

Singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson to headline post-race concert and Drake Relays closing ceremonies.

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Hy-Vee Road Races at the Drake Relays are set to feature nearly 50 world-class road runners in addition to registered recreational runners all competing for $120,000 in prize money, Drake Relays director Brian Brown and Hy-Vee announced Tuesday.

The Hy-Vee Road Races at the Drake Relays features three races of various lengths to emphasize Hy-Vee’s longstanding commitment to health, wellness and fitness in the communities it serves with a 6-kilometer, 10-kilometer and half marathon on April 28. In addition to the opportunity to race alongside the best road runners in the world, all participants will finish inside Drake Stadium on the iconic Blue Oval for the first time.

As the races conclude, nationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson will take the stage inside Drake Stadium to entertain the competitors and crowd with a two-hour set that will bookend the Relays’ closing ceremonies.

The Hy-Vee Road Races get underway at 8 a.m. on April 28 with the start of the 10k benefitting the Healthiest State Initiative and the Hy-Vee Half Marathon. The 10k features a $15,000 purse for both the men’s and the women’s races with $5,000 going to the winner. Battling for that purse in the men’s race is one of the best 10k fields in the world featuring four athletes that ranked in the top 25 in the world in 2012 including Mark Kiptoo, Kenneth Kipkemoi, Emmanuel Bett and Moses Kipsiro. Bett comes to Des Moines after running the fastest 10,000-meter time in the world on the track in 2012. The women’s 10k field includes the former American 25k and 10-mile champion in Katie McGregor and Tsehay Gebre Getiso who recently finished second in the Miami Beach Half Marathon in 1:14.19.

The half marathon boasts a prize purse of $80,000 including a $10,000 purse for the winners of the masters division. Both the men’s and women’s competitors will be racing for the $12,000 purse awarded to the winner in each race. Testing the mettle of the finest and novice runners in the Midwest will be the likes of Reuben Limaa who finished third at last year’s Paris Half Marathon in 1:00.56 and recently won the Miami Beach Half Marathon and Merkebu Birke, who owns a half marathon best of 1:00.14 that was the 14th fastest time in the world last year.

The women’s half marathon field includes Eunice Kirwa, who finished second in the 2012 Amsterdam Marathon and has run a half marathon in 1:08.39. The 2005 Ethiopian national champion in the 3,000 meters, Belainesh Zemedkun Gebre, is also set to race after winning the Naples (Fla.) Half Marathon in January.

Following the start of the half marathon and 10k, the 6k will start at 10 a.m. That race will benefit Character Counts In Iowa, a nonprofit organization headquartered at Drake that promotes the Six Pillars of Character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. In addition to supporting Character Counts in Iowa, competitors will also be racing for a total purse of $10,000 in the event with $2,000 going to both the men’s and women’s winners. Like their 10k and half marathon counterparts, the 6k participants will also finish on the Blue Oval inside Drake Stadium and be treated to the post-race concert and awards ceremony featuring Eric Hutchinson.

For runners who have not yet secured their spot in one of the three road races and wish to lineup against some of the world’s best athletes, registration for all three races is open until April 26 with race-day registration available as well.

To register for the Hy-Vee Road Races, visit www.HyVeeRoadRaces.com.

Hy-Vee Road Races at the Drake Relays Purses

6k Benefitting Character Counts in Iowa

Overall

Men

Women

1st

$2,000.00

$2,000.00

2nd

$1,000.00

$1,000.00

3rd

$800.00

$800.00

4th

$600.00

$600.00

5th

$400.00

$400.00

6th

$200.00

$200.00

Total

$5,000.00

$5,000.00
 

10k Benefitting The Healthiest State Initiative

Overall

Men

Women

1st

$5,000.00

$5,000.00

2nd

$4,000.00

$4,000.00

3rd

$3,000.00

$3,000.00

4th

$2,000.00

$2,000.00

5th

$1,000.00

$1,000.00

Total

$15,000.00

$15,000.00

 

Hy-Vee Half Marathon – Elite Athletes

Overall

Men

Women

1st

$12,000.00

$12,000.00

2nd

$8,000.00

$8,000.00

3rd

$5,000.00

$5,000.00

4th

$4,000.00

$4,000.00

5th

$3,000.00

$3,000.00

6th

$2,000.00

$2,000.00

7th

$1,000.00

$1,000.00

Total

$35,000.00

$35,000.00

 

Hy-Vee Half Marathon – Masters Athletes

Overall

Men

Women

1st

$2,000.00

$2,000.00

2nd

$1,000.00

$1,000.00

3rd

$800.00

800.00

4th

$600.00

$600.00

5th

$400.00

$400.00

6th

$200.00

$200.00

Total

$5,000.00

$5,000.00

 

 

Men’s Half Marathon Elite Runners

Joseph Ekuom

Chad Erickson

Daniel Kirwa

Alena Reta

Merkebu Birke – Owns a half marathon personal best of 1:00.14, the 14th fastest time in the world in 2012.

Belete Assefa

Jordan Chipangama

Mbithi Robert Wambua

Karanja Elijah Muturi – Owns a personal best of 1:01.45 in the half marathon.

Tabut Edward Kitum

Festus Kigen

Bernard Langat

Macdonard Ondara

Reuben Limaa – Has a half marathon personal best of 1:00.56 set last year in Paris with a third-place finish … recent won the Miami Beach Half Marathon … was ranked 54th in the world in 2012.

Linus Chumba – Member of the 2009 Kenyan team for the 2009 World Cross Country Championships … won the 2012 Kentucky Derby Festival Half Marathon in 1:02.40.

Tesfaye Girma Berkele

Ayele Megersa

Alex Onchwari – Has a half marathon personal best in 1:06.06 set in 2009

 

 

Women’s Half Marathon Elite Runners

Eunice Kirwa – Was second in the Amsterdam Marathon with a personal best of 2:21.41 … owns a half marathon personal best of 1:08.39 that ranked 28th in the world in 2012.

Belainesh Zemedkun Gebre – Recently won the Naples Half Marathon in 1:11.54 … was the 2005 Ethiopian national champion in the 3,000 meters.

Michelle Frey

Alevtina Ivanova

Cheruiyot Benson

Tina Erickson

Pasca Cheriuyot

Belaynesh Oljira – Bronze medalist in at the World Cross Country Championships … has a season best time of 1:07.27.

Makida Abdela

 

 

Men’s 10-Kilometer Elite Runners

Emmanuel Bett – Was the world’s fastest 10,000-meter runner in 2012 and owns a personal best of 26:51 in the event.

Elijah Bitok – Has a 10k personal best of 27:57 set in 2012.

Solomon Deksisa

Joseph Ebuya – Was the 2010 World Cross Country Champion and owns a personal best of 27:33 on a 10k road course.

Richard Kandie

Kenneth Kipkemoi – Was second in the 2012 Valenica Half Marathon in 59:46 … has a 10k personal best of 27:51 and also owns the 16th fastest 10k road course time in Kenyan history and the 16th fastest in the world in 2012 … on the track was ranked third in the world in 2012 in the 10,000 meters with a time of 26:52.65.

Moses Kipsiro – Was ranked 13th in the world in the 10,000 meters in 2012 … was a two-time World Cross Country Championships medalist, wining silver in 2009 and bronze in 2010 … is the Commonwealth Games 5,000 and 10,000 meter champion … owns a 5,000-meter personal best of 12:50.

Mark Kiptoo – Was ranked 22nd in the world in the 10,000 meters in 2012 … was a two-time gold medalist in the 5,000 meters at the World Military Games and a silver medalist in the 10,000 meters at the 2012 African Championships.

Philip Mosima

Simon Ndirangu – Owns a 10k personal best of 27:31 … was the 2005 World University Games bronze medalist in the 5,000 meters.

Birhan Nebebew – Was second at the Ethiopian National Junior Cross Country championships … was sixth at the World Cross Country Championships … has a personal best of 27:59 in the 10k that ranked 36th in the world in 2012.

Gilbert Okari

Julius Rotich

Elly K. Sang – Has run a 25:58 10k this year.

Kidane Tadese

Philemon Kiplangat Terer

 

 

Women’s 10-Kilometer Elite Runners

Katie McGregor – Was the 2010 USA 25k and 10-mile champion … narrowly missed representing the US in the Olympics in the 10,000 meters … owns a 10k personal best of 31:21.20.

Emmy Chepkirui

Doreen Kitaka

Sarah Kiptoo

Tsehay Gebre Getiso – Won the 2012 Dubai Women’s 10k in 34:28 … recently finished second in the Miami Beach Half Marathon in 1:14.19.

-DRAKE-

Ty Patton
Drake University
Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
Office – 515-271-3014
Mobile – 205-310-1271
E-Mail – ty.patton@drake.edu
Twitter – @TyPatton_Drake