Minneapolis/St. Paul - Dec. 21, 2010 - Two-time national champion Andrew Carlson has rejoined the Team USA Minnesota distance training center.  Carlson, who won the USA 15k Championship in 2008 and the USA 25k Championship in 2010, was previously with Team USA Minnesota from 2005-2008.

Carlson is originally from North Dakota where he graduated from Fargo South High School as a four time all-state honoree and a state cross country champion.  At the University of Minnesota, he ran cross country and track for the Golden Gophers and was the 2002 and 2004 Midwest Region Cross Country champion.  He holds the school record in the outdoor 5000m of 13:44.64 and has the second fastest time in the 10,000m in school history.

Since becoming a professional distance runner, he has been a member of two World Half Marathon teams, the World 20k, and two Chiba Ekiden teams.  He has also been a runner-up in the 2006 USA 10 Mile Championship and the 2008 USA 8k Championship.  His personal bests on the roads include 22:41 in the 8k, 44:12 in the 15k, 1:02:21 in the half marathon, and 1:14:42 in the 25k.

"Andrew is a talented runner and good teammate for our other runners," said Coach Dennis Barker.  "I look forward to working with him again."  The Team USA Minnesota men's team now includes Carlson, Antonio Vega, Jason Lehmkuhle, Josh Moen, Chris Rombough and Matt Gabrielson.

Carlson, who was a three-time All American at the University of Minnesota, graduated in 2005 with a major in kinesiology.

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 center 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.  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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