09/17/91
CONTACT: Stanford University News Service (650) 723-2558
STANFORD -- Olympic marathon runner Nancy Ditz, a 1976 graduate of Stanford University, will join more than 100 other registered participants in the Stanford Centennial Trail Runs on Sunday, Sept. 22.
The competing runners will start at 6 a.m. at the Stanford Stadium and follow foothill trails to Skyline Ridge and back, completing either one lap (50 kilometers or 31 miles) or two (100 km) of the 31-mile course. Ditz will participate with the endurance runners for at least the first 20 miles.
The novel celebration of Stanford's centennial will be dedicated to the memory of John A. "Jack" Ditz, Nancy's father, who served on the governing boards of both Stanford University and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
Among the competitors are two top finishers in this year's Western States 100 -- the crown jewel of ultramarathon races. Master's champion Ray Scannell and Bay Area standout Dow Mattingly will lead the men's field. Women stars include Melinda Creel, winner of several trail marathons in recent years, and Sharon Svensson, a five-time finisher in the Ironman Triathlon.
Five of the runners are age 60 or older, and more than 20 participants have Stanford affiliations.
The first finisher in the 50-km race is expected to return to Stanford Stadium between 9:30 and 10 a.m. The 100-km winner should finish between 1 and 2 p.m. Race organizers will close the course at 8 p.m.
Norman Klein, race director of the Western States event, is the director of the Stanford Centennial Trail Runs. Proceeds from registration will benefit the Stanford Track Program.
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