Marathon Messenger Provides LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon With Groundbreaking Messaging Technology

Marathon partners Centerpost & DiamondCluster create state-of-the-art messaging service to deliver timing alerts and breaking news

The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon has turned to its Chicago-based Official Mobility Solutions Providers - Centerpost Corporation and DiamondCluster International - to create Marathon Messenger - a state-of-the-art messaging service to enhance the race experience for runners and spectators. The 2001 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, to be held on October 7th, will be the first marathon with the capability to deliver automated updates on runners' times and breaking news by phone, e-mail, pager, or wireless device.

"We are very proud to be the first marathon to offer this unique, multi-channel technology," said Carey Pinkowski, executive race director of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. "We have always made a commitment to enhance the race experience and create a world-class event. Friends and family - as well as marathon fans everywhere - will now be able to follow the progress of their favorite runners as they complete the 26.2-mile challenge."

Marathon Messenger is a free service that will be accessible by visiting www.chicagomarathon.com. On race day, participants will receive automated notifications to the communications devices of their choice: phone, e-mail, pager, or personal digital assistant (PDA).

"We are very excited about tailoring our messaging technology to help enrich the experience of marathon fans," said Juergen Stark, co-founder and CEO of Centerpost. "We have thoroughly enjoyed working with our neighbors DiamondCluster and LaSalle Bank, in a joint effort to bring another innovative element to this world-class event."

"Chicago is our home town, and the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon is a world-class event, so DiamondCluster International is especially pleased to participate," said Anthony Abbattista, partner and managing director of Diamond MarketSpace SolutionsTM in North America and Latin America. "This mobile messaging technology will provide exciting new information for runners and spectators alike, while at the same time demonstrating that Chicago is a world-class, leading-edge technology town."

The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon has a long-standing tradition of utilizing technology to enhance the race experience for runners and fans. In 1998, the ChampionChip timing and scoring system made its debut. By 2000, individual splits were posted to the Internet every seven minutes, which enabled friends and family to follow their favorite runners directly from their personal computers. This tracking capability is now being expanded to mobile communications devices.

The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon is one of the premier races in the world. From 1996 to 2000, the number of registered runners grew three-fold from 10,925 to 33,171. In addition to the amazing growth of the field, The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon is now one of Chicago's favorite annual traditions with more than 900,000 spectators lining the race course in 2000.

Chicago-based Centerpost is the leading provider of multi-channel electronic messaging solutions for companies looking to improve communications with their customers. Centerpost's unique technology helps companies automatically deliver important information to their customers in the most convenient way - including voice and data, wired and wireless. Centerpost is working with top companies, such as United Airlines and Travelocity.com, and is backed by Motorola, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and Portage Venture Partners.

Chicago-based DiamondCluster International, Inc. (Nasdaq: DTPI) is a premier business strategy and technology solutions firm, delivering value to clients worldwide by developing and implementing innovative digital strategies that capitalize on the opportunities presented by new technologies. With deep skills across multiple competencies (including the Internet, wireless, and mobile arenas), DiamondCluster's 1,100 consultants serve blue-chip clients in more than 35 countries across a variety of industries including consumer products, industrial products and energy, telecom and media, insurance and healthcare, financial services, and high tech.

The 2001 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon begins Sunday, October 7, 2001, at 7:30 a.m., starting and finishing in Chicago's Grant Park. The race will be televised live on NBC5 and broadcast on Chicago's ESPN Radio 1000 from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The 2001 race is expected to draw up to the registration cap of 37,500 participants who will compete for $450,000 in prize money, plus time bonuses.

The Marathon is open to all runners who can complete the course in less than six hours. For information, call toll-free 1-888-243-3344 (U.S. and Canada) or (312) 904-9800. Registration is $70 ($80 for international participants) and can be completed online by visiting www.chicagomarathon.com. Mail-in entries will be accepted until September 12, 2001. Runners registering online earn a $5 discount and have a September 19, 2001 deadline or until the registration cap is reached, whichever comes first. There will be no race weekend registration.



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