Road Runners Club of America selection marks first in the race’s history

Dallas -- For the first time in the 38-year history of race, the 2008 Dallas White Rock Marathon (DWRM) presented by NexBank has been selected as the Road Runners Club of America’s (RRCA) Texas State Marathon Championship.  The marathon benefits Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, a premier pediatric orthopedic specialty hospital located in Dallas.

The Texas State Overall, Masters and Grandmasters Championship Title and a total of $50,000 is available to the fastest runners on race day, which is Sunday, December 14th, 2008.

“We’re thrilled to have been chosen for the Texas Marathon Championship,” said Marcus Grunewald, DWRM Race Director. “This is another affirmation of how well regarded the Dallas White Rock Marathon is, not only in the state of Texas, but nationally.  We anticipate that this will have a significant impact on registration, so we urge people to sign up early this year and guarantee their spot.”

Race registrations this year are capped at 17,000 runners, up 2,000 from last year 's record setting event.

The DWRM begins and ends at the American Airlines Center in Victory Park, downtown Dallas, and follows a scenic course that features a loop around White Rock Lake, plenty of aid stations, supportive crowds and over 40 bands that help runners rock on through to the finish line.

This year’s marathon-weekend events also include a fast, new half-marathon course, the SMU Cox Corporate Relay Challenge, presented by Behringer Harvard, the family-centric Mayor’s 5k Fun Run and the largest Health and Fitness Expo in North Texas.  
 
About the Dallas White Rock Marathon, presented by NexBank
Voted the top marathon and half marathon in the state by Competitor Texas magazine, the Dallas White Rock Marathon features a scenic course that includes a flat and fast 10-mile loop around White Rock Lake, and is a qualifying event for the Boston Marathon. Race-day events are capped at 17,000 participants. More than 100,000 spectators line the streets of Dallas to cheer on the runners. This year’s race takes place on December 14, 2008, and the primary beneficiary of weekend events is Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. For more information, visit the official Dallas White Rock Marathon web site at www.RunTheRock.com.

About the Beneficiary
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is one of the nations leading pediatric centers for the treatment of orthopedic conditions, certain related neurological disorders and learning disorders, such as dyslexia. There is no charge to patient families for treatment at the hospital, and admission is open to Texas children from birth to 18 years of age. For more information, to volunteer or to make a donation, please call (214) 559-5000 or (800) 421-1121 or visit www.tsrhc.org.