Marathon will offer bonuses to top U.S. athletes
In an effort to further encourage the development of U.S. athletes The 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon will offer $80,000 in bonuses to this year's top American finishers. Also, any U.S. citizen completing the 26.2-mile course under the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time will be awarded an additional time bonus.

The American Development Bonus program will reward the first 25 male and first 25 female U.S. citizens to cross the finish line of The 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon with cash bonuses based on place finish. The program, introduced in 2004, has been expanded this year to include the top 25 male and female finishers as opposed to the top five in 2004 and 2005. The breakdown of cash prizes for 2006 follows.

1st Place - $4,500
2nd Place - $3,500
3rd Place - $2,500
4th Place - $2,250
5th-7th Place - $1,750
8th-12th Place - $1,500
13th-18th Place - $1,250
19th-25th Place - $1,000

A time bonus of $2,500 will be awarded to each American man and woman meeting the U.S. Olympic Trials "A Standard." The "A Standard" for men is a finishing time of 2:20:00 and 2:39:00 for women. A time bonus of $1,500 will be presented to each American man and woman meeting the U.S. Olympic Trials "B Standard." That time for men is 2:22:00 and 2:47:00 for women.

At The 2002 and 2003 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathons, 36 men and 33 women posted U.S. Olympic Trial qualifying times - the most produced on any certified marathon course in the world. When the time bonus structure was first introduced in 2003, 22 men and 18 women were awarded cash prizes for their Olympic accomplishment.

"It is a tremendous accomplishment to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials and the runners seeking that echelon are consistently testing themselves at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. The flat and fast course we provide and the competitive field we turn out each year provide the perfect backdrop for runners challenging themselves to hit that mark. We are proud to provide them with added incentive and recognition for their accomplishment in the way of time bonuses and eagerly anticipate witnessing the great racing performances that are sure to take place on October 22," remarked Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski.

The 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon The 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon will take place Sunday, October 22, starting and finishing in Chicago's historic Grant Park. The Race will be broadcast live on CBS 2 CHICAGO and WSCR-AM The Score 670.

Elite athletes will compete for a portion of the highest prize purse in the sport ($650,000), while also competing in the World Marathon Majors, a series of the five most prestigious marathons in the world. The complete field of 40,000 athletes will represent all 50 states and more than 114 countries.

The Health & Fitness Expo will take place Friday, October 20 and Saturday, October 21, 2006 at McCormick Place. The weekend will include more than 150 exhibitors featuring the newest designs in running gear and shoes, as well as the latest developments in sports, fitness and nutrition.

For more information on The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon visit www.chicagomarathon.com or call (312) 904-9800.