51 Athletes Looking to Extend Streaks at B.A.A. Half Marathon

Eighth annual event, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, to be held on Sunday, October 12

Boston, Mass. – Of the record 5,093 runners to have registered for the B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, this coming Sunday, 51 of them have been a part of the event since the inaugural edition in 2001. Each of these 51 will be looking to complete the race for the eighth consecutive year.

The group spans the ages of 31 to 64 and consists of 13 women and 38 men with personal bests on the B.A.A. Half Marathon course ranging from 1:10:56 to 2:36:40. They will be traveling to Boston from around Massachusetts, as well as New Jersey, Louisiana, California, and even Oxford, England.

The fastest member of the group in 2007 was Bobby Bligh (Wakefield, MA), who placed third in the masters' division with a time of 1:17:10. The fastest woman last year was Patrycja Missiuro (Somerville, MA) who finished in 1:39:15.

Among the 51 streakers are three past champions. Wayne Levy (Waban, MA) won the inaugural B.A.A. Half Marathon in 1:10:56, the fastest time posted by any of the streakers. Sarah Nixon (Medfield, MA) won both the inaugural B.A.A. Half and the second edition, with times of 1:21:14 and 1:22:32. Nixon is not the only two-time champion on this list. Timothy Kelly (Weymouth, MA) won the first two B.A.A. Half Marathon wheelchair titles, and has consistently been a top finisher in that division, most recently placing third in 2007. Kelly's personal best of 58:41 came in 2004.

Hal Goforth (El Cajon, CA) holds two distinctions: At 64 he is the oldest athlete on the list, and he also has an active streak of 31 consecutive Boston Marathon finishes. His best finish at the B.A.A. Half is 1:24:46, in 2002. He completed last year's race in 1:30:29, the fastest time posted by a man in the 60-69 age group.

The B.A.A. Half Marathon starts and finishes at Roberto Clemente Field, in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. The 13.1-mile route shows off Boston's Emerald Necklace park system, starting in the Fenway area, and covering Riverway, Jamaicaway, and Arborway on the out-and-back route to Franklin Park and the Franklin Park Zoo. A portion of each participant's entry fee is donated to the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and is directed toward the enhancement and maintenance of the park system.

The athletes hoping to extend their streaks on October 12 are:

Men Hometown Best Time
Chris Anderson Jamaica Plain, MA 1:43:52 (2006)
Bobby Bligh Wakefield, MA 1:14:48 (2001)
Peter Cohn South Walpole, MA 1:36:12 (2001)
John Degnan Jamaica Plain, MA 1:46:44 (2004)
Jack Dresser Wayland, MA 1:35:27 (2004)
David Driscoll Peabody, MA 2:36:40 (2002)
Jeffrey Ecker Newton, MA 1:40:24 (2003)
Andrew Fuller Boston, MA 1:30:56 (2007)
Robert Gaudet West Roxbury, MA 1:50:20 (2003)
Hal Goforth, Jr. El Cajon, CA 1:24:46 (2002)
Larry Hanson Georgetown, MA 1:53:26 (2004)
Philip Harrington Brookline, MA 1:44:46 (2006)
Eric Kelly Milton, MA 1:48:46 (2004)
Douglas King Abington, MA 1:50:22 (2001)
Michael Leonard Quincy, MA 1:56:36 (2005)
Wayne Levy Waban, MA 1:10:56 (2001)
Eduardo Lopez Oxford, GBR 1:36:18 (2002)
Mike Mason Peabody, MA 1:28:19 (2004)
Jonathan McIntyre Arlington, MA 1:23:59 (2001)
Michael Mellone Hull, MA 1:46:19 (2001)
John Monahan, Jr. Newton, MA 1:33:42 (2004)
Mark Monti Cambridge, MA 1:53:09 (2001)
Michael Mullen Natick, MA 1:26:54 (2004)
Michael Murphy Saugus, MA 1:38:05 (2006)
Steve Murray Milton, MA 1:31:52 (2006)
Joseph Palladino Boston, MA 2:07:37 (2001)
Bob Pomeroy Arlington, MA 1:29:41 (2006)
Ronald Rakow West Roxbury, MA 1:40:36 (2006)
Michael Reardon Needham, MA 1:40:37 (2002)
Ken Ross Boston, MA 1:23:31 (2004)
John Singleton Waltham, MA 1:34:44 (2004)
Philip Smith Cape May, NJ 1:59:41 (2001)
Jeff Teumer Brookline, MA 1:47:03 (2004)
Christopher Wagner Allston, MA 1:53:34 (2003)
Robert Walter Shreveport, LA 1:40:20 (2003)
John Wermers Dorchester, MA 2:01:15 (2005)
Michael Wessels Brookline, MA 1:27:40 (2004)

Women Hometown Best Time
Beth Ann Brown Quincy, MA 1:47:43 (2006)
Judy Callahan Stoughton, MA 2:03:13 (2005)
Barbara Cleary Brookline, MA 1:44:32 (2004)
Barbara Connolly Wellesley, MA 1:46:33 (2001)
Maria David Malden, MA 1:43:01 (2003)
Donna Dominguez Sterling, MA 2:06:40 (2004)
Carolyn Harthun Wellesley, MA 1:47:43 (2005)
Kate Maul Boston, MA 1:42:16 (2006)
Patrycja Missiuro Somerville, MA 1:32:43 (2004)
Terri Murray Milton, MA 1:47:52 (2007)
Sarah Nixon Medfield, MA 1:21:14 (2001)
Mae Shoemaker Sudbury, MA 1:40:45 (2001)
Cynthia Smithy Wellesley, MA 1:53:18 (2007)

Men's Push Rim Wheelchair Best Time
Timothy Kelly Weymouth, MA 58:41 (2004)