Registration for the fourth annual Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach is officially closed, announced Elite Racing, Inc., producer of the event. The 16,000 spaces for the September 5, 2004 race, which takes place at the Virginia Beach oceanfront, have been filled.

A limited number of entries for the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon are still available through Team In Training, the event's official fundraising and training program. Team In Training participants receive a fitness program, expert coaching, a support team of runners and walkers, entry into the half marathon, and travel and accommodations in Virginia Beach. In exchange, participants raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to fund research and patient aid programs. For information, call (800) 482-TEAM or visit www.teamintraining.org.

In addition, a number of spaces in a special "Mayor's Program" have been reserved for the men and women of the Armed Forces who currently may be overseas and unable to register before the race closed. A $5 discount on the race registration fee also will be extended to those who qualify for this program.

"The response to this race is always tremendous," said Race Director Tim Murphy. "The first three Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathons received fantastic reviews from participants and spectators, and in the past two years we raised $3.4 million for cancer research. We're hoping to recruit even more Team In Training participants this year so that we can continue to help The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in finding a cure for these devastating diseases."

The Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon is patterned after the popular Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon(R) in San Diego, the Country Music Marathon & Half MarathonTM in Nashville, and P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon and Half Marathon. It features an assortment of live bands staged approximately every mile of the 13.1-mile course to provide runners and spectators with continuous entertainment.

The race offers a fast and flat seaside course, stretching through one of America's most scenic beach resort communities. Runners and walkers will start the race at the Pavilion Convention Center and finish with a spectacular post-race party on the boardwalk. That evening, race participants receive free entry to a headliner concert on the beach. This concert is part of the Verizon Wireless American Music Festival presented by JABRA, a Labor Day Weekend festival of concerts to which all race participants receive free admission. Additional tickets for the headliner concert can be purchased by visiting the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Web site or calling Elite Racing at (800) 311-1255.

In the past three years, the half marathon has attracted some of the fastest runners in the world. This year's elite athletes will vie for more than $80,000 in cash and prizes--making this the largest half marathon purse in the U.S. The event will be televised nationally on FOX Sports Net. Sponsors of the event include the City of Virginia Beach, Reebok, SunTrust, JABRA, Geico, Volkswagon, GNC, PowerBar, Michelob Ultra, UPS, WAVY TV 10 and Active.com.

For more information on the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, visit www.RnRHalf.com or call (858) 450-6510.