Journey to the Garden begins at the Armory

from USATF - The sixteenth annual 3M Half Marathon & Relay in Austin, Texas is right around the corner and we've been cleaning up our act. Once again we have taken measures to reduce waste and ensure that as little garbage as possible ends up in the landfill ... no easy feat with an anticipated 5,500 participants.

The 2010 3M Half Marathon & Relay event will be held Sunday, January 24 in Austin, Texas. The attached news release includes details of the event as well as some of the things we are doing to reduce waste associated with the race.

New York - The journey to Madison Square Garden begins at The Armory for many high schoolers Wednesday, January 13 as they compete for spots in the prestigious Millrose Games at the Millrose Games Trials at The New Balance Track and Field Center at the 168th Street Armory in New York City.

Starting at 4:00 p.m. ET, over 125 teams will compete for spots in the high school relays that will take place at the January 29 Millrose Games. Fordham Prep, who has won six of the last eight Catholic boys 4x800m, will look to earn their spot in the Games, while Benjamin N. Cardozo High School hopes to qualify in the PSAL girls 4x400m and win their third straight race at MSG.

For the first time ever, the Millrose Trials will offer a men's Wannamaker Mile qualifier for the Millrose Games, provided the winner breaks four minutes. The invitational boys and girls high school mile races will also have a qualifier to earn a spot on the line. The Games will take the winner from the boys and girls races if they meet the qualifying standard. The boys are required to run under 4:20 and the girls, under 5:00.

Headlining the boys mile race will be 2009 Nike Outdoor National finalists Marco Bertlotti (Paul D. Schrieber / Port Washington), Pat Schellberg (Delbarton School) and Miles Schoedler (Ocean City HS), who just won the mile at the Seton Hall Games. Also in the mix will be Seton Hall Games runner-up Michael Belgiovine (Don Bosco Prep) and Foot Locker Northeast Regional runner-up Tyler Udland (Millburn HS).

On the girls side, 2009 Nike Outdoor National finalists Mary Kate Anselmini (Ward Mellville) and Sophia Ginez (South Brunswick HS) are entered along with 2009 Gatorade Connecticut girls track and field Athlete of the Year Meg Ryan (Fairfield Warde). Also watch for 2009 Pennsylvania state 800m champion Kalyn Fisher (Lewisburg Area), 2010 Hispanic Games mile champion Katherine Skinner (Riverhead) and Henrietta Miers (Bronxville), who ran in the girls high school 800m at the 2009 Reebok Grand Prix.

Trials will also be held for the weight throw, one of the most exciting and artistic events of indoor track. Technique (movement) and strength are essential factors in the success of the weight throw; the weights are 20lbs for HS girls and 25lbs for HS boys.

The event will begin at 4:30 p.m., with the girls followed by the boys. The Invitational features some of the top throwers in New York State; Josh Haghighi (Wheatley HS) ranked #1 on the state leader board with 19.20m/63-0, well ahead of #2 T.J. Servino, (Monroe Woodbury) who has thrown 16.99m/55-9.

The Public Schools Athletic League has produced two excellent throwers; Radoslav Boykuliev (Fiorello LaGuardia) and Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (Francis Lewis). Karen Henning (St Anthony's) ranks #2 on the state leader board, Natasha Graham (New Rochelle) #3, Natasha Amazan (New Rochelle) #4 and Yumiko Remouns (Washingtonville) #6 top the strong girl's field.

For more information on the 2010 Millrose Games Trials at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the 168th Street Armory, visit http://ny.milesplit.us/meets/55890.