Multi-world record holder Henry Rono named honorary starter
Kenya's Henry Rono also honored for his inspirational battle against alcohol

LOS ANGELES, May 21, 2009 - Legendary Kenyan runner Henry Rono, one of the greatest distance runners in track and field history, will be the honorary spokesperson and starter of the 16th annual Keep LA Running Charity 5K Run / Walk, 10K Run, Kids Dash, and Coastal Bike Ride, Sunday, July 12, at Dockweiler Beach in Playa del Rey.

Born in 1952 into the Nandi tribe which has produced some of the greatest runners of the fabulous Kenyan running tradition, Rono attended Washington State University, where he was coached by John Chaplin. Rono won three NCAA cross country championships and back to back NCAA 3000 steeplechase titles in 1978 and 1979.

Henry Rono broke 4 world records in the span of 81 days in 1978.

In the summer of 1978 Rono produced one of the most amazing feats in track history. In the span of 81 days he broke four world records: the 10,000 meters (27:22.5), the 5,000 meters (13:08.4), the 3,000 meters steeplechase (8:05.4), and the 3,000 meters (7:32.1), an achievement unparalleled in the history of distance running. He lowered the 10,000 meter record by almost 8 seconds, the 5,000 by 4.5, the steeplechase by 2.6, and the 3,000 by a full three seconds. In the same year he also won the 5000 m and the 3000 m steeplechase gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton.

Rono never recaptured that state of grace from the summer of 1978, and the fact that he continued to compete at the same high level for the next four years was a miracle and testament to his unique talent, because he became an alcoholic while still a world class runner. In 1981 he set a world record in the 5,000 meters (13:06.20) at a meet in Norway after having spent the better part of the morning of race day recovering from the hangover caused by a drinking binge the night before.

By 1984, with Kenya returning to the Olympic arena after boycotting the 1976 and 1980 Olympics, Rono's drinking and rising weight sadly meant that he was a long way from being in the top echelon and was unable to compete on the global stage.

Homelessness, arrests for drunk-driving, and menial jobs just to survive - punctuated with occasional road race appearances as he never lost his love for athletics - were the story of his next 15 years until he started to get a grip on his alcoholism in the late 1990s.

His talent helped him race against the clock and set records. His character helped Rono win the tougher fight against the bottle. Today, Rono is a recovering alcoholic and is coaching high school athletics in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and pursuing a graduate degree in special education. He wrote his autobiography, entitled Olympic Dream, in 2007. Last year, at the IAAF World Athletics Gala in Monte Carlo, he received the 2008 IAAF Inspirational Award.

Rono joins other track luminaries who have served as spokespersons for Keep LA Running - Mary Decker Slaney, Carl Lewis, Billy Mills, Frank Shorter, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Steve Scott, Johnny Gray, Louie Zamperini.

Keep LA. Running, which has grown into one of the most popular distance running events in Southern California, has raised over $800,000 for its beneficiary charities. Keep LA Running is a very special event, benefiting children with cancer, premature born babies and other worthy causes. The event was initiated in 1994 by then SEIU Local 660 L.A. County/Special Districts Employees Emergency Disaster Relief Fund to provide a safety net for L.A. County employees. The Emergency Relief Fund is a 501 (c) (3) not for profit organization (EIN 95-4842244).

As the event has grown in profile, popularity and funds generated, it has added new charities - the Pediatric Oncology Service, Women's and Children's Hospital of LAC + USC Medical Center and the Harbor UCLA Medical Center Neonatal Ward. Recently Keep LA Running partnered with Rebuild Sylmar Long Term Recovery Committee to provide $50,000 in financial assistance to victims of the November 2008 Sylmar fires.

Major sponsors of Keep L.A. Running include co-title sponsors, PacifiCare, Colonial Supplemental Insurance, Kaiser Permanente and American Income Life. Other top supporters include Trustmark, The Law Offices of Fensten & Gelber, Union Bank of California, Delta Dental, Benefit Vision, United Way, Aflac, Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton of Goldstein, Allstate, Southern California Ford Dealers, Amalgamated Bank, and Lewis, Marenstein, Wicke and Sherwin. Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable are media partners of Keep L.A. Running.