Johnson County Community College
Press Release

College Information and Publications
913-469-8500
Julie Haas, Associate Vice President, Marketing Communications, ext. 3120
Peggy Graham, Writer, ext. 3425
Tyler Cundith, Sports Information Director, ext. 3122

11/7/08
Story by  Tyler Cundith

Johnson County Community College to host top NJCAA runners, Nov. 22

OVERLAND PARK, KS -- Johnson County Community College will host the 2008 National Junior College Athletic Association men and women national half marathon championships this fall.  This is the first of three years JCCC will serve as the host school for this championship event.
 
The 13.1 mile course runs through the city streets and trails at Shawnee Mission Park, Shawnee and Lenexa, Kan., as well as on the Mill Creek Streamway Park’s Gary L. Haller Trail between miles 7.5 and 3.5.    The course will be run on a combination of roads and asphalt trails starting and finishing at the Shawnee Mission Park’s, The Theatre in the Park, 7710 Renner Road, Shawnee.   The course is a mixture of hills and flat areas.  The women’s race will start at 8 a.m., followed by the men’s race at 8:15 a.m.
 
Shawnee Mission Park, a multi-use, 1,250-acre park is located at 79th and
Renner Road in Shawnee, Kansas.  It is the largest park in the county and the most-visited park in the entire state of Kansas.
 
The JCCC women’s team has won the national title in 2003, 2005 and 2006.  They placed runner-up in 2004 and 2007.  The men’s team raced to second-place finishes in 2004, 2005 and 2006.  They placed third last year.  The Cavaliers are coached by Mike Bloemker, who is in his 11th season as head coach of the JCCC cross country program.