TMMK Sends Three to Race in Prestigious Ekiden Cup

TMMK'S 2007 Ekiden Team:

Back row, Left to Right: Erik Bielby (FP120), Marcel Barnes (IA260) , Christian Coy (IA150)
Middle Row, Left to Right: Stephen Wood (MA140), Tim Brett (MA240) , David Bunch (FP110), Neil Redick (K4240) , Sheila Harris (HI240) , Chip Palmer (GW319)
Front Row, Left to Right: Trinna McIntire (K4310), Misty Reynolds (FA100) , Kirsten Hendricksen (GT100) , Sandy Harding (HJ190) , Paula Miller (UW120), Julianna Stallard (IP140) , Kim Davis (IT230)

GEORGETOWN, KENTUCKY, (November 15, 2007) —Kim Davis of Lexington has won a chance to run in the prestigious Toyota Ekiden Cup Race in Japan. Davis, a team leader in Paint at Georgetown’s Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) facility, earned a spot on the North American Ekiden team by racing in qualifying rounds and beating out other team members from Toyota manufacturing plants all over the world.

During October’s North American trials, Davis was the first woman runner to complete the two-mile course in a time of 13:39. A full 47 seconds faster than the next closest competitor. But Davis was not only a leader during the race, she also showed leadership off the track. She was elected captain of TMMK’s Ekiden Race Team, scheduling weekend runs for the team, even organizing a trip to Erlanger, Ky. to run on the official race course where the 2007 North American Ekiden Trials were held. Davis also took the initiative to draft training plans specifically for the race and share them with her team mates. “If it could shave off 30 seconds I was all for it,” Davis added. “I told them not to over do it but was glad to share anything that would make our times faster as a team.”

Davis , a native of Sheperdsville and a 1988 graduate of Bullitt Central High School, took up running a little over 12 years ago. She had the pleasure of representing TMMK in Japan, serving as an alternate for the North American team. Once Davis learned she was again destined for Japan she altered her training regime. “The elevation in Japan is different than Kentucky,” Davis said. “I’ve added some hills and two more days of speed training to accommodate for the higher elevation and difficulty of breathing that comes with it.”


Kim Davis, a Sheperdsville native, placed first in the women’s division of the North American Ekiden Cup. Davis is an avid runner, estimating she runs about six days a week.	Body Weld’s Paula Miller will represent TMMK in Japan as part of the Coed Team.

Assembly 2’s Tim Brett will also be apart of the North American Coed Team.

Two other runners from TMMK --Body Weld’s Paula Miller and Assembly 2’s Tim Brett will also be traveling to Japan. Team member Paula Miller lead the women’s master team (for runners 40 and over) , turning in a performance that landed her in the top eight of her heat. She’ll participate in the Ekiden race as a member of the coed team. Joining Miller on the coed team is Assembly 2, Trim team member Tim Brett, who finished in 11:46. His time was within seconds from qualifying for the men’s team.

Ekiden is a Japanese term for a long distance foot race. This is the 61st year Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has conducted an Ekiden Race. More than 120 team members from various plants in North America competed for a spot in the race. The top eight individual men and women runners will travel to Toyota City, Japan on December 2. The runners will spend several days in Japan running, visiting TMC and participating in a Japanese cultural tour.

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Contact:
Rick Hesterberg
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc.
502-868-2135