16.10.2009

Freeman to take on new challenge, American champ added to elite list

One lap around the athletics track gave her glory, but a 15km run is a whole new ball game.
 
Next month, Olympic champion and Australian sporting icon Catherine Freeman will embark on an exciting new challenge when she takes to the start line for the Great Australian Run on Sunday, November 29.
 
Promoting the importance of keeping active and living a healthy lifestyle, the 36-year-old will jog the 15km course alongside thousands of runners and walkers of all abilities.
 
“I’m really looking forward to the challenge of running 15km, it will be the furthest I’ve ever run,” Freeman said.
 
“It’s so important that we all do something to keep active and live a healthy lifestyle.
 
“When I was competing, I was at the peak of my fitness, but now that I’m in retirement I can’t afford to let that slip away.
 
“Like most people I have a really busy schedule, but I regularly try to fit in some exercise, mostly jogging, and I encourage everyone to do something similar.
 
“Summer is just around the corner and the Great Australian Run is the perfect motivation to get outdoors.
 
“You can run, jog or walk the 15km course so it doesn’t matter what fitness level you have, everyone can be involved.”
 
And it’s not just the adults who get to have all of the fun. In a weekend festival of fun and fitness, Freeman will also be at Albert Park on the Saturday morning supporting youngsters in the junior and family runs.  
 
Saturday, November 28 is the date for children aged 11 to 14 to run or walk 5km in the IGA Junior Great Australian Run, whilst those aged three to 10 years of age can participate with mum or dad in the IGA Great Australian Family Run over 2km.
 
Both races will be staged on self-contained courses within Albert Park, providing a fun opportunity for youngsters to burn around the Formula 1 Grand Prix track.
 
At the same time Freeman will be jogging 15km alongside the masses, another 36-year-old Olympic medallist will be at the front of the field vying for victory.
 
2004 Athens marathon bronze medallist Deena Kastor is the latest name to be added to the stellar cast of international elite athletes who will race around the streets of Melbourne next month.
 
One of the greatest distance runners to ever come out of the United States, no American female is faster than Kastor, who currently owns the 15km (47:15), half marathon (1:07:34) and marathon (2:19:36) national records.
 
2009 heralds a comeback year for the Californian who was forced to withdraw from the marathon at last year’s Olympic Games after breaking her foot early in the race.
 
One of the pre-race favourites heading into Beijing, Kastor devastatingly dropped out just five kilometres into the race in excruciating pain after hearing a 'pop' in her right foot.

Last Sunday Kastor competed in her first race over that distance since that fateful day in Beijing, finishing sixth in the Chicago Marathon in 2:28:50.

Kastor’s appearance in Melbourne will set up a much-anticipated showdown with Australia’s own multiple national distance record-holder Benita Willis.
 
The weekend jogger will be given the once in a lifetime opportunity to line up alongside Kastor, Willis and the past two men's Olympic marathon champions, Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru (Beijing 2008) and Italian Stefano Baldini (Athens 2008), at the 2009 Great Australian Run.
 
Entries are now open – visit www.greataustralianrun.com.au