CHICAGO, IL -- The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon will offer a bonus incentive for runners looking to earn qualifying times for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Olympic Trials.

"The marathon has been very supportive of young athletes with Olympic aspirations," said Carey Pinkowski, executive race director. "We decided to offer this incentive program to reward and help offset the cost of training for and traveling to Birmingham, Alabama and St. Louis, Missouri for the men's and women's U.S. Olympic Trials. Our hope is that we will assist American marathon runners in achieving their goals of competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials."

The Marathon will offer $3,500 to any American male that has a sub-2:20:00 effort (the "A" U.S. Trials Standard), $2,500 to any American male that has a sub-2:22:00 effort (the "B" U.S. Trials Standard), $3,500 to any American female that has a sub-2:40:00 effort (the "A" U.S. Trials Standard) and $2,500 to any American Female that has a sub-2:48:00 effort (the "B" U.S. Trials Standard).

Up to one hundred American athletes will compete for both qualifying times and the bonus prize purse during this year's marathon. Among the American men are two previously confirmed runners: Dan Browne and Mike Donnelly. They will be joined by Trent Briney, Nick Cordes, Josh Cox, Rod DeHaven, Shawn Found, Mike Fox, Dan Held, Mebrahtom Keflezighi, James Lander, Todd Reeser, Ben Rosario and Brian Sell.

Four of these runners -- Mike Fox, James Lander, Ben Rosario and Brian Sell -- have participated in the Hansons-Brooks Olympic Distance Running Project and three of them will make their Chicago Marathon debut this year. Rosario is the only member of the group who has run in the Chicago Marathon.

The American women's elite athlete pool includes: Jenny Spangler, Colleen De Reuck, Jennifer Tonkin and Kimberly Fitchen-Young, who have competed in the Chicago Marathon in years past. They will be joined by Chicago Marathon newcomers Julia Stamps, Deeja Youngquist and Rachel Sauder-Kinsman.

Elite athletes will compete this Sunday for the highest Marathon purse ever, $550,000. The male and female winners each will earn $100,000, the largest first-place payout in the sport. The 2003 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon begins Sunday, Oct. 12 at 8 a.m., starting and finishing in Chicago's Grant Park. The Marathon has drawn its registration cap of 40,000 participants. CBS 2 CHICAGO is the official broadcast partner of The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and will cover the race live from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. race day.

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