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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PAPA JOHN'S 10 MILER / USA MEN'S TEN MILE CHAMPIONSHIP BOASTS IMPRESSIVE ELITE FIELD FOR 2005

Louisville, KY (April 4, 2005) - The 2005 Papa John's 10 Miler, host of the USA Men's Ten Mile Championship, has an impressive field of elite athletes committed to compete in the race on Saturday, April 9 in Louisville, Kentucky. To date, more than 30 of the Top 100 ranked US Men have committed to compete in the Championship. Bios and pictures are available at www.papajohns.com/louisville/eliteathletes.htm.

Included on the list are 2003 Winner and 2004 Runner up Chris Graff, 2005 presumptive favorite Abdi Abdirahman, 2004 Olympian Robert Gary, and fellow Olympian Nick Rogers. Others with the potential to make strong showings are Justin Young, Matt Lane, Brian Sell, Pete Julian, and Matt Downin.

NOTE: CHRIS GRAFF, ROBERT GARY, ABDI ABDIRAHMAN, BRIAN SELL AND PETE JULIAN WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS VIA CONFERENCE CALL ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6 AT 1:30 PM EASTERN TIME. YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE CALL BY DIALING 1-866-848-9136 AND THEN ENTERING PARTICIPANT PASSCODE: 155371. WHEN CALLERS DIAL THE ABOVE, THEY WILL BE PLACED ON MUSIC HOLD UNTIL THE CALL STARTS.

This is the third year the Papa John's 10 Miler hosts the USA Men's 10 Mile Championship event. In its support of U.S. distance running and the Championship, the 2005 Papa John's 10 Miler will award more than $26,000 in prize money to the top 15 U.S. male athletes. The Championship winner will receive $10,000.

“We're very pleased to again have such an impressive field of elite athletes coming to Louisville for the Papa John's 10 Miler,” said Chris Sternberg, Race Director. “The runners, walkers and community in general are excited to host these exceptional athletes in Louisville. With this group, there is a strong potential that we could have a national record set.”

In 2001, Papa John's began sponsoring the final leg of the Louisville Triple Crown of RunningSM presented by Novo Nordisk. In its five-year history, the race has consistently ranked in the Top 10 for ten-mile competitions (per Running USA's road race rankings). Race officials expect close to 5,200 runners this year.

The Papa John's 10 Miler/USA Men's Ten Mile Championship is part of the 2005 USA Running Circuit, a USA Track & Field road racing series featuring USA Championships from 5K to the marathon. The 2004 USARC offered a record of $818,700 in guaranteed prize money.

At each USARC race, the first ten US runners earn points (15 points for first, 12 for second, 10 for third, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1), and Circuit points will be doubled at the USA Marathon Championships.

How to register for the Papa John's 10 Miler/USA Men's Ten Mile Championship: The Papa John's 10 Miler is open to all runners and walkers who can complete the course in less than 3 hours. Registration is $35 for late registration on April 8 and $50 race day registration. Registrations require male athletes wishing to compete in the 2005 USA Men's Ten Mile Championship to provide a valid USATF member number. Please visit www.papajohns10miler.com for additional race information.

2005 Elite Athlete Field - Papa John's

Despite the loss of defending champ Dan Browne to a knee injury, the 2005 Papa John's field is one of the most competitive on the USA Running Circuit. This year's field plays host to 3 Olympians, 13 sub 29-minute 10k runners, 14 Olympic Trials qualifiers, and a total of 13 athletes who have represented the USA in various international competitions.
Here's a brief look at the top ten seeded elites:

1. Chris Graff and Louisville mix well. The USA Men's 10 Mile Champion in 2003, and runner-up in 2004, Graff comes to Papa John's with a potent mix of track speed and superior knowledge of the course. Looking for another “big” race in the Derby City, Graff comes to Papa John's with an eye on redemption after finishing 16th in this year's USA Men's 8 km Championships in New York City, and a 9th at the USA 15 km Championships in Jacksonville.
2. Abdi Abdirahman is often the silent enigma. Born in Somalia and now a US citizen, Abdi is a seasoned veteran who brings 27:42 10k credentials to the table along with a host of international experience that culminated with a 2004 US Olympic berth in the 10,000 meters in Athens. A naturally gifted distance runner, Abdi ran his first marathon in NYC in November finishing 14th in 2:17.09. He took 2 months off from running, and still finished 2nd at the USA Men's 8 km Championships in New York City on March 26th, and 6th at this year's USA 15 km Championships in Jacksonville on March 12th. With an additional two weeks of training, look for Abdi to be in top form when he hits the streets of Louisville.
3. Robert Gary is truly the sleeper in the field. This 2004 Olympian in the steeplechase is making a rare appearance on the roads on April 9th. Gary has the dubious distinction of a world-class athlete along with being a champion track and cross-country coach at Ohio State University. In addition to directing the Ohio State men's team to a winning performance at the All-Ohio Intercollegiate Cross Country Championships and its fourth
   appearance to the NCAA Championships, Gary was named 2004 United States Cross Country Runner of the Year by Track and Field News.
4. Justin Young is just that-young. Last year at Papa John's, Justin showed the big dogs that he was all grown up and ready to play. Coached by Boulder's renowned distance guru Brad Hudson, Justin brings course familiarity and killer leg speed to round out his arsenal. After having a rare off day in Jacksonville several weeks ago, look for Justin to bounce back and redeem himself with another top five performance at Papa John's.
5. Like Gary, Matt Lane is a track specialist who is testing the roads this year at Papa John's. Twice a heartbreaking fourth place finisher at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Trials, this 5000 meter specialist will do anything to place high in the field-as long as it's not fourth. During the recent Jacksonville 15 km Championships, Lane drifted off the lead pack mid race only to storm past three runners in the last mile to nab 3rd place. With Papa John's fast last 3 miles and his recent confidence boosting 28:31 10k at the Stanford Invitational, look for a similar Herculean effort from Lane.
6. Rising from the sleepy logging town of Ashland, OR, Pete Julian has seen it all-and then some. A veteran of multiple US national teams, Julian continues a meteoric rise from high school “also ran” to an “A” list road racer with a serious twist-he's a cancer survivor. Diagnosed with gastrointestinal stromal tumors in 1999, Pete slowly put the pieces back together and proved to everyone that he is as tough as they get. With altitude induced guts and determination and his recent 8th place showing at the USA Men's 8 km Championships, look for the crafty veteran to combine sit-and-wait strategy topped with a good ol' fashioned teeth-gritting last mile to try and sneak the victory.
7. Proving that Papa John's is fast becoming a showcase not only for roadies, but for track stars as well, Matt Downin arrives to Louisville armed with serious personal records and international experience. Since graduating in 2000, Downin has represented the United States at two World Cross Country Championships (2001-2002) and posted a pair of top-seven national championship finishes in the 10,000 on the track (seventh in 2000, sixth in 2001). His personal bests currently stand at, 13:40 (5000) and 28:08 (10,000). Fresh off his 14th place at the USA Men's 8 km Championships and his 10th place finish a the recent USA 15 km Championships, Matt will look for a successful placing at Papa John's. He is gearing up for a summer that hopefully will end with a spot on the US team at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki.
8. To call Brian Sell a front-runner would be a slight understatement. Best known for his shock and awe tactics at the 2004 Olympic Trials Marathon (which earned him the nickname “Braveheart”) where Sell took the lead in the fifth mile, and running solo, forged a gap as much as 69 seconds in the middle stages of the race. Brian Sell is the picture of controlled aggressiveness. With his recent personal record of 2:13 set at this year's LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, and no plans for a Spring marathon, Sell will be looking to cash in on all the aerobic dividends saved from years of high training mileage with the famed Hanson's Running team.
9. Literally a “stand-out” athlete at 6'4, Nick Rogers towers over the field -- not just in height, but in clout as well. A 2000 Olympian in the 5000 meters, Nick is no stranger to transferring track ability to the roads. Rogers has consistently been a presence on the US road circuit for years. Charging on to the roads with a victory at the 2001 Senior Bowl USA Men's 10k Championships in a course record 28:18. Armed with a powerful last minute kick for the tape, Nick will definitely save his best moves for an exciting stadium finish.
10. If the hills in Iroquois Park seem daunting, don't look to cry on Peter de la Cerda's shoulder. This two-time Olympic Marathon Team Trials Qualifier and former USA Half Marathon Champion packs a secret weapon: he's also the USA Mountain Hill Climb Champion. Look for de la Cerda to make his move in the hills.

Sponsors of the 2005 Papa John's 10 Miler/USA Men's Ten Mile Championship include adidas America, PowerAde, Fleet Feet Sports, Panera Bread, Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, Heine Brothers Coffee, Hilton Garden Inn Louisville Airport - the Official Hotel, WSFR 107.7, YMCA of Greater Louisville, Thrifty Car Rental and Sales, Waste Management, Jewish Hospital Health Network/Frazier Rehab Institute, Zip Express, Louisville Water Company and WHAS-11 TV. Net race proceeds benefit the WHAS Crusade for Children. For more information about the Papa John's 10 Miler, please visit www.papajohns10miler.com.