Adriana Pirtea

Adriana Pirtea (born January 31, 1980)cite web|url=http://www.chicagomarathon.com/CMS400Min/Chicago_Marathon/press_center/index.aspx?id=2737|accessdate=2007-10-07|publisher=2007 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon|title=Adriana Pirtea] is a Romanian long distance athlete who made her marathon debut in the Chicago Marathon held on October 7 2007 with a second place finish. She led by a few dozen meters in the final 300 meter stretch run down Columbus Drive on a day of record setting F to C|88|wiki=yes temperatures, but she was caught just before the tape by defending Chicago Marathon women's champion, Berhane Adere.cite web|url=http://www.chicagomarathon.com/CMS400Min/Chicago_Marathon/press_center/index.aspx?id=3045|accessdate=2007-10-07|date=2007-10-07|title=Ivuti, Adere win LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon|publisher=LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon] Pirtea had held a 30 second lead with 600 meters remaining, but Adere slipped down the right side of the final straightaway under the shield of male runners. Adere was so far to the right that she even missed the finish line tape. The 2007 Chicago Marathon was the slowest women's Chicago finish since 1992. Pirtea had been a pacemaker at the January 28 2007 running of the Osaka Marathon and an injury prevented her from making her marathon debut at the London Marathon on April 22 2007. [cite web|url=http://runningtimes.com/rt/articles/?id=11977&page=3&c=476|publisher=Running Times Magazine|accessdate=2007-10-08|title=Looking For A Breakthrough|author=Taylor, Matt]

She is the Romanian national champion in both the 5K (2006 & 2007) and 10K (2007).cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/athlete=187685/BioPopUp.html|accessdate=2007-10-08|publisher=IAAF|title=Adriana Pirtea] She graduated from University of Texas at El Paso in 2005. Pirtea has run the half marathon in 1:09:57 and placed 10th at the World Half Marathon Championships held on October 1 2005 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This tenth place finish contributed to the Romanian team gold medal at the World Half Marathon Championships in which 2004 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Women's Champion Constantina Tomescu-Dita placed first for the Romanians, Mihaela Botezan placed 5th and Nuta Olaru placed 8th. [cite web|url=http://www.runningstats.com/Pages/894/Page1.html|accessdate=2007-10-11|date=2005-10-13|publisher=Running Stats|title=Issue No. 894 - 10/13/2005]

Pirtea had been the Silver Medalist in the 3,000-meter run at the NCAA Championships. [Cite web|url=http://utepathletics.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/kitchens_bob00.html|accessdate=2007-10-08|title=|publisher=UTEP/College Sports TV|title=Bob Kitchens] At the NCAA Championships, she had been the #2 seed, but was run down in the final lap by #4 seed Renee Metivier. [cite web|url=http://www.ncaasports.com/track-and-field/story/8265755|accessdate=2007-10-08|title=2005 Championship Selections - Women|date=2005-03-07|publisher=NCAA] [cite web|url=http://www.fast-women.com/image_view.php?p=143&s=photos/2005/ncaaindoor05/daytwo|accessdate=2007-10-08|publisher=New York Road Runners|work=fast-women.com|title=Day Two Photos|date=2005-03-12] Like the 2007 Chicago Marathon, the 2005 NCAA 3000 was run at a relatively slow pace. [cite web|url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2005/03/21/sports/12362.shtml|accessdate=2007-10-08|date=2005-03-21|title=Ferrell 3rd in 3,000m at indoor nationals|publisher=Daily Princetonian Publishing Company, Inc. |author=Censer, Majorie] Pirtea had finished 16th in the event as a junior in 2004. [cite web|url=http://www.trackshark.com/articles/2005/5.php|accessdate=2007-10-08|publisher=Trackshark.com|title=Articles : 2005 NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Preview|author=Moore, Alex]

Pirtea now resides in city-state|Fort Collins|Colorado; [cite web|url=http://www.coloradorunnermag.com/media/features/Issue25_RaceReports.pdf|title=Elite Field at Stadium Stampede|work=Race Reports|publisher=coloradorunnermag.com|date=September/October 2007|accessdate=2008-01-14|format=PDF] she lives with her fiancé Jeremy Nelson, a mechanical engineer, and 2 dogs.

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