Boston, Mass. – The Boston Athletic Association today announced its field of elite athletes for the 10th Annual B.A.A. Half Marathon on Sunday, October 10, 2010. The men’s and women’s list, as of today, is attached to this release.

The men’s professional field is highlighted by 20-year-old Kenyan Alan Kiprono and 25-year-old Julius Kogo, also from Kenya, both of whom are riding a wave of road racing success into Sunday. Kogo’s personal best of 1:02:09 is 11 seconds ahead of Thomas Nyariki’s 2007 course record (1:02:20), while Kiprono’s fastest is 1:02:38. The women’s professional field is highlighted by Caroline Rotich of Kenya. Her personal best of 1:10:23 is 34 seconds ahead of the 2003 course record (1:10:57) set by Marie Davenport of Ireland. Locally, David Bedoya of the Greater Boston Track Club and who resides in Somerville, Mass. and Lara Johnson of the B.A.A. and who currently resides in Natick, Mass. may be the top finishers from the Boston area and both project to be among the top American finishers. Top finishers in the open, masters and push-rim wheelchair divisions will vie for a total prize purse of $30,000.

“The B.A.A. Half Marathon has matured into one of the most highly-anticipated road running events of the season on an annual basis,” said B.A.A. Executive Director Guy Morse. “Professional and recreational athletes alike – all 6,000 entrants – will enjoy a course runners have come to know as one of the most scenic in town. Combined with the fall foliage starting to set in, it will be a great day for running.”

MEN’S OPEN
Bib #    Name                        Citizenship           Personal Best
1           Alan Kiprono            Kenya                   1:02:38 (Berlin, 2010)
2           Julius Kogo              Kenya                   1:02:09 (Parkersburg, 2010)
3           Linus Maiyo              Kenya                   1:02:40 (Philadelphia, 2005)
4           Lani Rutto                 Kenya                   debut
5           John Korir                 Kenya                    1:00:47 (Milan, 2004)
6           Elkanah Kibet          Kenya                     debut
7           Tyler McCandless   Boulder, CO          1:05:02 (San Francisco, 2010)
8           Colin Leak                Chadds Ford, PA  debut
9           Chris Erichsen        St. Paul, MN           1:06:52 (Houston, 2009)
10         Matt Thull                  Milwaukee, WI       1:07:34 (Boston, 2009)
5813     David Bedoya          Somerville, MA