Welcome to this week's Chicago Athlete Express. Enjoy the read.

THE SCOOP
Abdelkhader El Mouaziz, a two-time London Marathon winner and one-time New York City Marathon winner, will return to The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon on Oct. 12. El Mouaziz, a Moroccan Olympian, ran a PR 2:06:46 at Chicago last year, placing fifth. He makes no secret of his desire to beat Moroccan-born and current world record-holder Khalid Khannouchi. How good is he? El Mouaziz is the only runner to have beaten Khannouchi and Kenyan Paul Tergat in direct competition, both times at London. For the press release, please click on:
www.chicagoaa.com/news/Chimar03elmouazziz.html

THE NEWS
Registration is still open for this weekend's Heart of America Ride for AIDS. The two-day bike event starts and finishes near Starved Rock State Park. The first-year ride requires minimum pledges of $1,500 and offers up to 225 miles of riding. For the press release, please click on:
www.chicagoaa.com/news/Aidsride03.html

The long Fourth of July Weekend featured plenty of racing in between the raindrops that fell over the Chicago area. The best runs of the weekend included Jeremy Borling winning the American Family Insurance All-American 8K in 25:37 and Derek Holland of Boston winning the Bally's Race to the Taste 5K in 15:26. Dan Mayer defended his title at the Freedom Four in Glen Ellyn as well. For a look at results, click on:
www.chicagoaa.com/results/searchable.html

For coverage of Friday's American Family Insurance All-American 8K, visit:
www.chicagoaa.com/news/AllAmerfinal03.html

For a photo gallery from Sunday's Race to the Taste 5K, please go to:
www.chicagoaa.com/features/Tastephotos03.html

THE WEEKEND AHEAD
Looking for a good time? Head to the Beverly-Morgan Park neighborhood on Friday (103rd and Longwood). That's where bike racing rolls into Chicago in a big way with the with the inaugural Beverly Hills Cycling Classic, a 100-kilometer criterium featuring many top national and regional riders. The 6 p.m. race is the opener on the 17-day International Superweek Tour series of bike races in Illinois and Wisconsin. Big-name professionals and elite amateurs will be racing in the United States Cycling Federation-sanctioned event. Be there! A Tour de Beverly Family Ride for recreational riders is set for 4:30 p.m. For all the information, please visit:
www.bapa.org/July03/07_03BHCyclingClassic.htm

Can't seem to get to sleep lately. Here's the solution. Stay up and ride. The L.A.T.E. Night Ride is Saturday night-Sunday morning. Official riding begins at 1:30 a.m. from Buckingham Fountain. This is your chance to be a night owl and not be alone. Thousands do this annual ride that is put on by Friends of the Parks. Breakfast will be served starting at 3:30 a.m.! Registration is still open. Cost on race night will be $45 per participant. For the latest information, check out:
www.lateride.org/

The Chris Zorich 5K race is this Sunday at 9 p.m. in the south Loop. The Zorich Run, which benefits disadvantaged kids, finally can stand tall after competing in many of the past years with the Chicago Distance Classic 20K (moved to Aug. 3) and the Heart and Sole 10K in Olympia Fields (discontinued). Runners, walkers and wheelchair racers are welcome. So are the kids. Go to:
www.chriszorich.com/5k

Also on tap this weekend are the first Valpo Triathlon, a sprint-distance event at Rogers Lakewood park in Valparaiso, IN, and the Danskin Women's Triathlon (sprint), just over the border at the RecPlex in Pleasant Prairie, WI. Farther away is the Muncie Endurathon, the National Long Course Championship. And for canoe racers, there is the Four States Challenge in Spring Green, WI.

We've barely scratched the surface. For information on these and all the other area events this weekend, please go to:
www.chicagoaa.com/calendar/smu.html

THE MEDICAL BEAT
Need help deciding where to go if you have a sports-related injury? The Chicago Area Runners Association and Fleet Feet Sports will present a clinic at 5:30 p.m. this Sunday, July 13, at Fleet Feet's Piper's Alley Store, 210 W. North Ave. Here is the lineup:
Dr. Elissa Grossman of Chiropractic Chicago
Brian Marchese of the Rolfing Institute of Chicago
Theresa Eiden of CARE Physical Therapy
Heather McKuthen of Here,s the Rub Message Therapy Mike Rosen of Fleet
Feet Sports will be hosting the panel and there will be a Q and A session at the end. The Clinic is FREE but please RSVP to:
RSVP@fleetfeetchicago.com

THE COMMUTING UPDATE
If you live near the Burlington Northern Santa Fe or the Union Pacific Northwest Metra rail lines, you are urged by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation to consider taking advantage of the Bikes on Metra program. The first opportunity for 2003 is this Sunday, July 13 on the BNSF line. For complete schedules and registration information, please visit:
www.biketraffic.org/metrabikes

THE KUDOS
Congrats to Bill Thom of Chicago who was the top Illinois finisher at the recent Western States 100-Miler. Thom finished the grueling test of will in 23 hours, 19 minutes 7 seconds. For results, search "Western" at:
www.runningnetwork.com/results/eventresults.html

THE REMINDER
The Chicago 10K is coming up on July 20 in the Hyde Park area. This is a top- shelf run, and if you live north or downtown, you can catch a shuttle from both Vertel's stores (Michigan Ave., and Clybourn). You can register online at:
www.chicago10K.com.

THE CLOSER
How about Lance and the Postal guys in the Team Time Trial Tuesday? What do you think of the Tour de France so far? In case you missed it last week, The Outdoor Life TV Network is covering the 2003 Tour live with repeats each day. The coverage starts at 8 a.m. every day. Here's the official Web site that includes OLN TV schedules:
www.letour.fr/2003/us/index.html