Minneapolis/St. Paul - Aug. 5, 2010 - Team USA Minnesota's Heather Dorniden travels back to Europe this week to continue her summer track campaign.  She is confirmed to run the 800 meters at the Spitzen Leichathletik meet in Lucerne, Switzerland, on Aug. 8 and at the Flanders Cup meet in Lueven, Belgium, on Aug. 14, with the possibility of another race mid-week.

Dorniden competed earlier this summer at the Leon Buyle Memorial meet in Lede, Belgium, on July 3 where she finished second in the 800 meters in 2:02.43.  She followed up that event with a season best time of 2:01.75 in the 800m at the International Athletics Meeting in Liege, Belgium, on July 11.  Her third race in Europe was in Lignano, Italy, on July 18 where she ran 2:01.78.

Since joining Team USA Minnesota last December after graduating from the University of Minnesota, Dorniden has finished third in the 800 at the USA Indoor Championships in February and then sixth at the USA 1 Mile Road Championships in May.  She has a best in the 800 meters of 2:01.05.

About Team USA Minnesota

Team USA Minnesota is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul.  Formed in 2001, the purpose of the training cetner is to improve the competitiveness of post-collegiate American distance running and to develop Olympians.  The athletes are coached by Dennis Barker, head cross country and track coach at Augsburg College in Minneapolis.  Team USA Minnesota's major sponsor is Life Time Fitness (www.lifetimefitness.com) and its silver sponsor is Twin Cities In Motion (www.mtcmarathon.org).  It is also supported by the New York Road Runners and the USA Distance Project along with a grant from Running USA.  For more information, visit the team's web site at www.teamusaminnesota.org.

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Contact:

Pat Goodwin

952-924-1081

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