U.S. Olympic team announced — Blake Russell of Pacific Grove will compete as a marathoner.

The University of North Carolina graduate now calls Pacific Grove home. And next month, she’ll be running a marathon in Beijing —26.2 miles worth — as part of the U.S. Olympic team. Russell made her first attempt to compete at the national level in 2000, when she placed seventh in the 10,000 meter race of the Olympic Trials. In 2004, she became an alternate for the U.S. marathon team when she placed fourth in the Olympic Trials. This year Russell ran a 2:32:40 marathon at the Boston Marathon, finishing third and earning a spot on this year’s marathon team. The women’s marathon will take place on August 17, at 7:30am, in China. http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?duid=USATF_2008_07_14_09_52_13 http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Russell_Blake.asp