May 8, 2008
Brian Sell defends his U.S. 25 km Championship this Saturday in Grand Rapids Press | Views- 54

Rochester, MI, May 8, 2008--Brian Sell will be joined by Hansons-Brooks (powered by Saturn) teammates Mike Morgan, Todd Snyder, and C. Fred Joslyn at the U.S. 25 km Championships in Grand Rapids Michigan this Saturday. The Fifth Third River Bank Run—the largest 25 km road race in the country—is hosting the championships for the 15th consecutive year.

Sell is a two-time U.S. 25 km Champion (2005, 2007). Last year he posted the second fastest U.S. Championship time (1:14:48) in the event’s 18-year history, and dominated the field with a two-minute margin over runner-up and current American record holder Fernando Cabada (Boulder, Colo.). Sell should challenge the American record of 1:14:21, set by Cabada at the U.S. Championships in 2006.

Mike Morgan will be returning to action after a winter season that culminated with a personal best (1:04:05) half marathon at the Yuengling Shamrock Half Marathon in March. This will be Morgan’s third U.S. 25 km Championships. He placed 6th in the 2005 edition of the race and 5th in 2006.

Snyder’s spring season began with a win in the 10,000 meters at Hillsdale (29:43) on April 25. Snyder placed eleventh in the 2005 U.S. 25 km Championships—covering the course in 1:19:52.

This will be Joslyn’s first U.S. Road Championship with the Hansons-Brooks team, and his 25 km debut. He ran 1:05:28 in the Yuengling Shamrock Half Marathon in March.

Other top entrants in the 25 km include Peter Gilmore (San Mateo, Cali.), Bret Schoolmeester (Portland, Oreg.), and Tommy Greenless (Walnut Creek, Calif.).

Hansons-Brooks athletes Patrick Moulton and Mike Reneau will be kicking off the racing on Saturday in the Fifth Third River Bank Run 10 km. The 10 km kicks off at 7:30 am EST.

The U.S. 25 km Championships race will begin at 8:00 am EST. Results will be available at the Fifth Third River Bank Run website after the finish of the race.