From race press release.

Houston's only half-marathon serving as early season tune-up for national-class distance runners
HOUSTON, Dec. 19, 2002 - Several members of Team U.S.A. - New York, along with other top American distance runners have committed to running the second-annual ep 13.1 miler, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003 held in conjunction with the hp houston marathon.

Leading the way are 2004 U.S. Olympic marathon hopefuls Todd Reeser and Scott Strand.

Reeser, 29, Rochester, NY, finished sixth at the 2002 U.S.A. Marathon Championship in 2:17:12 and is a two-time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier (2000 and 2004). He is a member of Team U.S.A. - New York and has a marathon personal record (PR) of 2:15:39 from the 1999 LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon.

Strand, 34, Birmingham, AL, is the 2000 U.S.A. 10K champion and has qualified for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. He finished sixth at the 1996 Olympic Trials in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Both Reeser and Strand plan to use the ep 13.1 miler as part of their training geared toward the 2003 U.S.A. Marathon National Championship and ultimately, the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.

They will be joined on the starting line by Team U.S.A.- New York teammates David McCollam and Ryan Pauling. Among the women, emerging, American, Beth Old is scheduled to run the ep 13.1 miler. Old, 28, was the top American (sixth overall) at this year's Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN. She finished in a PR of 2:39:16 to achieve an "A" qualifying time for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Her half-marathon best is 1:15:18. ep 13.1 miler draws top Americans / 2 of 2

Lori Zimmerman of Austin, TX, and Machelle Cochran of Team U.S.A. - New York are other top contenders scheduled to participate. These national elite runners will be among an estimated 5,000 runners expected to participate in the ep 13.1 miler - Houston's only half-marathon - and will compete for a $1,000 first-place prize. The hp houston marathon, a Running USA founding member, is the nation's premier winter marathon, annually attracting participants from all 50 U.S. states and several foreign countries. In 2002, nearly 15,000 runners took part in four marathon weekend events (marathon, half-marathon, four-mile run and children's run). The hp houston marathon offers the only closed marathon course in Texas and is ranked among the top five in the nation by the Ultimate Guide to Marathons for fastest course, organization and crowd support. More than 5,000 volunteers organize the race, which is Houston's largest single-day sporting event.

For more information, check out www.hphoustonmarathon.com or call 713-957-3453.