(photo: Abraham Chebii )

CHICAGO (March 22, 2004) - The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K will take place Sunday, April 3 in Grant Park and the field of 22,500 is set. Thousands of Chicagoans and several world-class athletes will compete in this favorite spring running tradition.

"The caliber of the elite field scheduled for this year's race is the best we have seen in the event's history," said Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski. "The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K is the traditional start to the running season in the city of Chicago and a catalyst for competitors to begin preparation for other upcoming road races culminating at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in October."

The men's and women's champions from last year will be returning for The 2005 LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K to defend their titles against possibly the strongest field the event has seen. At The 2004 LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K, Brian Sell, who runs with the HANSONS Olympic Distance Project based in Rochester Hills, Mich., broke away from the elite men and won with a time of 23:31. Earlier this year, Sell ran a personal best for the half-marathon and won the 3M Half-Marathon in Austin, Texas. Sell will be eager to defend his LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K title with such good form early in the year. Tatyana Chulakh, considered one of the most talented young Russian long distance runners, will also be returning to defend her title. Chulakh won The 2004 LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K with a time of 25:56.

Khalid Khannouchi will start his marathon training this year by running The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K. He holds the American Record and is a former World Record holder in the marathon. He is also a four-time LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon champion and course record holder, making his name synonymous with The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

Abraham Chebii (photo) will run The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K in Chicago after representing Kenya in the IAAF World Cross-Country Championships in France at 4K on March 19. In 2003, Chebii became only the third athlete to crack the still formidable thirteen-minute barrier four times in a single season at 5,000m. Chebii has the talent to challenge the 1998 Shamrock Shuffle course record mark of 22:35 and the 1996 world best of 22:03.

Also running with the HANSONS Olympic Distance Project are Trent Briney and Clint Verran. Briney placed fourth in the 2004 Olympic Trials in Birmingham, Ala. In 2004, Briney set personal bests in all road race distances including 3K, 5K, 10K, 10-mile, half-marathon and marathon. Verran placed fifth in the 2004 Olympic Trials. Also in 2004, Verran was in the top 15 of The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, and he ran a personal best with a 1:04:00 in the Philadelphia Half-Marathon. In 2005, he was the first American and fifth place overall at the Austin Marathon.

Robert Gary will be running in The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K after placing twelfth in the opening round of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Gary made his first Olympic team in 1996 and went on to the Olympic Team trials in 2004, running his second fastest time of 8:19.46 in the 3,000m steeplechase.

Deena Kastor executed a perfect plan for the hot conditions of Athens to grab the bronze medal in the women's marathon at the 2004 Olympic Games. She is the American Women's Marathon Record Holder with a time of 2:21:16 and the American Women's 10,000m record holder with a time of 30:50.32. Deena will run her only marathon this year at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in October.

Three-time champion and Indiana-born Collette Liss will run The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K. Liss won the 1999, 2000 and 2003 races. Also returning this year is course record holder (with a time of 25:25) Kathy Butler, who won The 2001 LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K. Butler won the 10,000m British Olympic trials and represented Great Britain in the Olympics in 2004.

After placing second at the U.S. 10,000m Olympic trials and placing nineteenth overall in the same event at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Elva Dryer will run The 2005 LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K. Dryer won her first U.S. title indoors in the 3,000m in 1998 and in 2001 set her personal best in the 3,000m and 5,000m and an American best on the roads for four miles.

The 2005 LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle is set to take place Sunday, April 3 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.

Packet Pick-Up will take place at the Health & Fitness Expo located at Navy Pier Festival Hall B on Friday, April 1 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, April 2 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission to the Health & Fitness Expo is free.

There will be NO Race Weekend Registration and NO Race Day Packet Pick-up for the 8K or 5K Fitness Walk.

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

** Don't Forget Daylight Savings Time**