CHICAGO (March 13, 2006) - The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle today announced four-time LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Champion Khalid Khannouchi and 2004 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Women's Champion Constantina Tomescu-Dita will lead the field of this year's 8K Race on Sunday, April 2. Alongside 25,000 registered runners, Khannouchi, 34, and Tomescu-Dita, 36, will compete for the men's and women's crowns in the Race that will start and finish in Chicago's Grant Park.

"We are all looking forward to having Constantina and Khalid, two of the world's greatest distance runners, competing in this year's LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle," said Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski. "To have Khalid healthy and back in training is very good news for the sport. Both athletes have had great success in Chicago, which has led to their local popularity. We hope that winning tradition will continue for them this spring in the 8K distance and provide our running community with a great opportunity to see these two wonderful champions."

Khannouchi appeared in The 2005 LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle, but recurring injuries kept him from crossing the finish line and also prohibited him from competing, as planned, in The 2005 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, ending hopes of starting and finishing his 2005 season in Chicago.

"I am very happy to return to Chicago for The 2006 LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle," said Khannouchi, currently training in San Diego, Calif. "I am now training without injuries and look forward to giving my best effort in this year's race. Chicago has been the scene of some of my greatest athletic accomplishments and I always look forward to competing there."

Khannouchi holds the marathon American Record and is a former marathon World Record holder - both accomplishments achieved during appearances on the Chicago course. His four LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon champion titles were earned with a 2:07.10 finish in 1997, a then World Record first-place finish in 1999 (2:05.42), a then American Record after becoming a U.S. citizen in 2000 (2:07.01) and a 2:05.56 finish at the 25th annual event in 2002.

Among his many other career accomplishments, Khannouchi overcame one of the strongest marathon fields ever assembled to lower his World Record and American Record with a 2:05.38 victory in the 2002 London Marathon. That nsame year he took the crown in two Half Marathons - Kyoto City Half Marathon (1:02:16) and the San Blas Half Marathon (1:03:37).

Tomescu-Dita arrives for her first appearance in The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K following three consecutive LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon appearances in 2003, 2004 and 2005, where she finished second (2:23.35), first (2:23.45) and second (2:21.30) respectively among females.

"I am very happy to return to Chicago because it is the site of my greatest career achievements to date - winning The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in 2004 and setting my personal best in the marathon in 2005," said Tomescu-Dita. "I am looking at 2006 as another big year for me and will use The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle as a tune-up for the London Marathon in April. My experiences with the organizers in Chicago have all been wonderful and that is what has drawn me to be part of this year's 8K. I look forward to working with them again and to a great race on April 2."

A champion runner and Romania native, Tomescu-Dita currently holds her country's records in the 5K, 10K, 15K, Half Marathon and Marathon distances. She arrives to The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle following a strong 2005 season that started with a second-place female finish and then personal best at the London Marathon (2:22.45). She followed that up with a Bronze Medal at the IAAF Marathon World Championship in Helsinki (2:23.19) and finished the year with a second-place finish at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, setting a new personal best and Romanian marathon record (2:21.30).

Registration for The 2006 LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle hit its cap of 25,000 participants in record time, officially closing more than one month in advance of the event on Tuesday, February 28. More than 23,000 runners will participate in the largest 8K in the world and approximately 1,500 participants will complete the 5K Walk on Sunday, April 2 in Chicago's historic Grant Park.

The Race will conclude with the popular Post-Race Party featuring the musical talents of Cracker and Underwater People. More than 50,000 spectators are expected to flock the 8K course in the heart of the city to cheer on the largest field in the history of the event. Last year's event featured a field of 22,500 8K runners and 5K walkers.

For more information about The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle, visit www.shamrockshuffle.com

The 2006 LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle is set to take place Sunday, April 2 in Grant Park. The 8K race starts at 9:30 a.m. followed by the 5K Fitness Walk at 10 a.m. Both events start and finish in Grant Park. Runners are cautioned to remember Daylight Savings Time.

Race packet pick-up will take place at the Health & Fitness Expo located at Navy Pier, Festival Hall B, on Friday, March 31, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, April 1, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Health & Fitness Expo is open to the public and admission is free. There is no Race Day packet pick-up or registration.

For more information on The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K, visit shamrockshuffle.com or call (312) 904-9814.

**Remember Daylight Savings Time Start on Race Day**