Empire State Marathon and Half Marathon to Serve as
2011 USATF Niagara Open & Masters Half Marathon Championship  
 
SYRACUSE, NY‰ÛÓOct. 5,  2011‰ÛÓAchieve Fitness, LLC announced today that its
Inaugural Empire State Half Marathon is being recognized as the 2011
USATF Niagara Open & Masters Half Marathon Championship.
 
The designation demonstrates to athletes and the community that the
Empire State Marathon and Half Marathon ‰ÛÒ set for Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011 ‰ÛÒ
follows approved guidelines set forth by USA Track & Field. Runners
eligible for the Niagara Championship Awards must be current 2011 USATF
Niagara Association Members.
 
‰ÛÏEven as a first-year event, we want to deliver the best course,
sponsors, support, training programs and facilities possible for our
participants,‰Û said Brian Collins, principle owner of Achieve Fitness,
LLC, management company for the Inaugural Empire State Marathon and Half
Marathon. ‰ÛÏThis designation proves we‰Ûªre delivering a superior race
experience. We‰Ûªre honored USATF Niagara views our race as a
championship-caliber event.‰Û
 
Cash awards will be given to following finishers: Open Male and Female:
1st place: $500, 2nd place: $250, 3rd place: $125 and 4th place: $50
(with time performance bonus of $200 for male under 1:08:00 and female
under 1:15:00). Masters Male and Female: 1st place: $200 and $200 bonus
for age graded over 89 percent.

About USATF Niagara
USATF Niagara Association continues to evolve as an organization,
assisting youth, open and masters athletes, and road running and track
events in cities such as Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Ithaca,
Binghamton and Jamestown. The organization is one of 57 associations
across the United States that make up the USA Track & Field (USATF).
USATF is the national governing body for track and field, long-distance
running, and race walking in the United States. Additional information
is available at http://www.usatf-niagara.org.
About Achieve Fitness, LLC and the Empire State Marathon
Founded in 1998, Achieve Fitness, LLC is a leading sports marketing,
training and event company in Phoenix, Arizona. A consulting company for
the P.F. Chang‰Ûªs Rock ‰Û÷n‰Ûª Roll Arizona Marathon, Achieve Fitness is the
managing entity of 1st Marathon, 1st Triathlon, the recently reacquired
Valley of the Sun Marathon and Half Marathon, and the Empire State
Marathon and Half Marathon. Principle owner Brian Collins is a native of
Central New York and graduate of Cicero-North Syracuse High School,
Syracuse University and Le Moyne College.
 
On Oct. 16, 2011, the Empire State Marathon and Half Marathon will give
runners an up-close view of Central New York‰Ûªs rolling landscape and
vibrant autumn colors. The USATF-certified course, which begins and ends
at Alliance Bank Ball Park Stadium, travels through the cities of
Syracuse, Liverpool and Baldwinsville. A pre-race health a fitness expo
will be held on Oct. 14-15 and feature vendors from the running and
fitness industries. Additional information about the Empire State
Marathon and Half Marathon is available at  http://www.empirestatemarathon.com.