DISTANCE RUNNING HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES
FINALISTS FOR INDUCTION

UTICA, NY, February 25 -- The National Distance Running Hall of Fame’s Executive
Committee announced today its list of the eight finalists being considered for induction
into the Hall in 2002. Only four of the eight finalists will be honored at the induction
ceremonies that will be held during the internationally-acclaimed Boilermaker Road
Race / Hall of Fame Weekend in Utica, New York, on July 13-14.

The eight nominees for possible induction into the Hall of Fame are:

Browning Ross, an Olympian, eight-time AAU cross country champion and the founder
and first president of the Road Runners Club of America, an organization that now has
more than 200,000 members;

Doris Brown Heritage, long-time distance running coach, five-time world cross country
champion, two-time Olympian, holder of 14 national titles and who once held the
world record for the 3,000 meters;

Marcy Schwam, setter of world track records at 50 miles, 100 kilometers, 100 miles,
200 kilometers and for 24 hours, 48 hours and six-day races; she was the first woman to
compete in six-day races since the 1800s;

Priscilla Welch, a woman who still competes in 50-plus races, she continues to hold the
Masters Marathon world best time, set at the London Marathon in 1987. That same
year, at age 42, she won the New York City Marathon;

Buddy Edelen, born in Kentucky and raised in Minnesota, did his best running while
living in England and is the last American to hold a world best marathon mark and the
first American to break the 2:20 barrier. Winner of the ‘64 Olympic trials marathon by
20 minutes and more than two miles over the second place finisher;

John J. Kelley, credited with putting American distance runners on the map with his
1957 win at Boston. He was the U.S. National Marathon champion for eight straight
years, and was a two-time Olympian and runner up at Boston five times;

Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike and legendary coach at the University of Oregon,
he is credited with turning Eugene, Oregon, into the running capital of the world.
Coached 24 NCAA individual champions, won four national team titles and coached the
’72 Olympic track and field team;

Miki Gorman, two time winner of both the Boston and New York Marathons. Three of
those wins came after the age of 40, a feat made even more remarkable because she
only came into the sport of distance running in her 30s.

According to Distance Running Hall of Fame co-director John Petrone, the eight finalists
were chosen after a nine-month nomination and selection process of accepting names and
credentials from a variety of sources, including sports-writers from across the nation,
broadcasters, track and distance running writers, previous inductees, industry sources and
distance runners. "It’s a long and thorough process and we think we’ve come up with a
worthy slate of candidates," said Mr. Petrone.

The National Distance Running Hall of Fame is located in Utica, New York, along a stretch
of the New York State Thruway that could be called "Hall of Fame Corridor," since Utica
sits between the Cooperstown (Baseball) and Canastota (Boxing) and is not too far from
Oneonta (Soccer). Opened in 1998, it currently has 17 members, including Frank Shorter,
Alberto Salazar, Grete Waitz, the late Fred Lebow, Bill Rodgers, Kathrine Switzer, Joan Benoit
Samuelson and the late Steve Prefontaine. The Hall is housed in a three-story brownstone
building and is filled with exhibits, information, memorabilia and souvenirs for runners and
running enthusiasts of all ages.