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Good times in Japan
February 5, 2007
For Immediate Release

The scene: Ohme, Japan

The competitors: Fierce

On a crisp morning four brave souls put their manhood to the test on the brutal streets of Ohme. The scene was set and the battle raged on the cold concrete. Clint Verran was entrenched in an epic battle versus himself, knowing personal victory was close at hand. Clint snaked his way through the battlefield and emerged to finish 6th in a time 1:34.49 for the 30k course. As our beleaguered warrior Clint was fighting to finish, three other Hansons-Brooks runners were testing their mettle against the clock and unrelenting hills. Chad Johnson shadowed countless runners in finishing 8th in 1:35.52. He left Ohme a changed man in that he learned a lot from his duels on the course. The next mercenary was a haggard character known as Luke Humphrey. Sporting a full-on beard, Luke took on the goal of intimidating his competitors through looking like a seasoned veteran, scaring would-be competitors into submission even before the race began. Battling the whole way, he finished 11th in 1:36.51. The stocky but agile Kyle O'Brien was the next soldier. Having encountered countless obstacles due to missing injured teammate Mike Morgan, Kyle overcame his fears and finished 15th in 1:37.06.

Next up
Hansons-Brooks have 6 men competing this weekend at Boulder, CO for the US Men's Cross Country Championships. More information can be found at www.boulder2007.com

Program History
The Hansons-Brooks Distance Project began in 1999 when brothers Keith and Kevin Hanson decided they wanted to give back to United States distance running by creating an elite athlete development program that would put Americans back at the top of international competition. Brooks joined forces with the Hanson's in the spring of 2003, allowing for the women’s program to start shortly thereafter. The Project continues to grow and the goals remain high. For more information check out www.hansons-running.com

~Press Release by Josh Moen

all photos by Victor Sailor