Cox, Gruca Win Zappos.com Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon

PRESS RELEASE

Mammoth Track Club sweeps half marathon on the Las Vegas Strip; Bret Michaels rocks finish line; 28,000 entrants at races second Rock ‘n’ Roll edition

LAS VEGAS - (December 5, 2010) - A party-like atmosphere and ideal running conditions greeted more than 28,000 entrants Sunday morning at the Zappos.com Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon & Half Marathon to Benefit the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation.

Elton John and Tina Turner lookalikes were on hand to kick off the race that featured more than 300 running Elvi, a Run through Wedding ceremony and a start line extravaganza like no other, but it was an epic post-race performance by rock star Bret Michaels that stole the show.

"Never in the history of running has there been a finish line concert that generated more excitement and as much enthusiasm as Bret Michaels," said Scott Dickey, President of the Competitor Group. "The energy was amazing and after 26.2 miles, to see thousands of runners jumping up and down with their arms in the air was incredible. This was the perfect marriage of running and entertainment on a day that can't be referred to as anything less than monumental."

U.S. 50K record holder Josh Cox won the men's marathon, while Dorota Gruca took the women's race on her 40th birthday. Cox, 35, who trains with Mammoth Track Club, won in 2 hours, 25 minutes, 5 seconds to earn his first ever Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series victory. Steve Dekorker of Seattle was second in 2:31:21, a personal record (PR) for the Brooks Sports employee.

"The game plan was to get the ball rolling on the back half," said Cox, who is training to challenge the 50-kilometer world record in January at P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona where he set the U.S. mark in 2009. "I kept the horses in the barn during the first half. I was taking it one mile at a time. I was trying to keep my pace under control."

Gruca, who lives in New Mexico, finished in 2:44:36 after taking the lead near the 20-mile mark. She won in Las Vegas for the first time after placing third in 2005 during one of the most thrilling finishes in Las Vegas marathon history, as four-runners sprinted to the finish. Beth Woodward of Orrville, Ohio took second in 2:59:04 and Beth Walsh of Encinitas, Calif. was third in 2:59:05.

"I was trying to keep the same pace the whole time," said Gruca, who placed 30th in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Marathon competing for Poland. "I just wanted to be finished around the 22-mile mark. It's hard. I'm very happy. I'm just going to celebrate."

Scott Bauhs won the men's half-marathon in 1:02:39. It was a 25-second PR and another break out performance for Bauhs, who made his road racing debut in 2007 at the Rock 'n' Roll San Jose Half Marathon where he came out of nowhere as top U.S. finisher. Bauhs' new Mammoth Track Club teammate Patrick Smyth, a 7-time NCAA All-American out of Notre Dame, finished second in 1:03:31. The two ran side-by-side hitting the 15K split in 44 minutes, 20 seconds when Bauhs, 24, made his move.

"It was a great event, the atmosphere here was as good as any race I've ever done," said Bauhs, whose personal best was over a minute slower than Smyth's entering the race. "Running down the strip with the masses on my left and all the people watching, with the bands and all the giant casinos, was better than I could have imagined."

U.S. Olympian Jen Rhines won the women's 13.1-mile race in 1:14:57. Rhines, 36, a three-time NCAA Outdoor Track 5000m champion, has represented Team USA at three Olympic Games competing in three different events.

"It was a really fun race because the crowds were great on the first half and it was really exciting all the way up the Strip," said Rhines, who finished more than 3 minutes ahead of the runner-up. "Today had a really good vibe and now I'm looking forward to playing some poker."

Californians Scott Parsons and Sandy Rush won the wheelchair marathon in 1:47:08 and 2:29:26, respectively.

The event attracted more than 28,000 entrants who began the race in 44-degree temperatures, running along Las Vegas Boulevard along both sides of the Las Vegas Strip. One out of three runners competed in their first marathon or half-marathon, including retired professional boxer Fernando Vargas.

"I have never run in an event like this in my life, I wanted to take it easy and then I started picking it up and I was feeling good," said Vargas, the two-time world champion who fought six title fights in Las Vegas throughout his career. "It was awesome."

Vargas was joined at the half-marathon start line by 3-time Super Bowl champion Roger Craig and "Bachelor" stars Jason and Molly Mesnick, who renewed their wedding vows with 70 other couples at the event's infamous 'Run Through Wedding,' which was held at the Venetian. Also making appearances were TV actors Gregory Michael "Greek", Heather Hemmens "Hellcats" and Nicole Sullivan "$#*! My Dad Says." At the start line in support of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, were Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready and Ali Fedotowsky and Roberto Martinez from "The Bachelorette".

For complete results, photos and more, click here