FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Application for 40th Running of ING New York City Marathon Opens
Thursday, February 19
June lottery announcement to kick off anniversary celebration
New York, February 17, 2009—The application for the ING New York City
Marathon 2009 will open on Thursday, February 19, at noon at
www.ingnycmarathon.org, announced race director Mary Wittenberg, president
and CEO of New York Road Runners. It's a historic year as the race
celebrates its 40th running. This year's ING New York City Marathon will be
on Sunday, November 1.
"First times and long timers alike won't want to miss the 40th edition,"
Wittenberg said. "The marathon 'class of 2009' will be treated to an
experience of a lifetime as we celebrate both our legendary champions and
the nearly 788,000 participants who have crossed our finish line with a
race week filled with unique events."
Applications for the lottery from individuals with a U.S. address will be
accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, June 1, 2009, and results will be
posted in mid-June. Applications from individuals without a U.S. address
and all applicants eligible for guaranteed entry will be accepted until
11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 1, 2009, and results will be posted in mid-May.
Entry fees for runners accepted through the lottery (as well as guaranteed
entrants) will be $138 for New York Road Runners members, $171 for
non-members, and $231 for international entrants.
A record number of more than 105,000 people applied to the 2008 event, and
the race hosted one of its largest fields ever with more than 38,000
finishers. Last year, more than $18 million was raised for charity, and the
race's economic impact totaled approximately $220 million. It was a year of
repeat champions, as Paula Radcliffe won her third ING New York City
Marathon title in 2:23:56 and Marilson Gomes dos Santos outlasted
Abderrahim Goumri in the final mile to claim his second ING New York City
Marathon crown in 2:08:43. Female wheelchair winner Edith Hunkeler finished
in 2:06:42, capturing her fourth title, and male wheelchair defending
champion Kurt Fearnley finished in 1:44:50 to claim his third consecutive
crown.
Also in 2008, Kara Goucher impressed the hometown crowd in finishing third
in an American debut record of 2:25:53, surpassing Deena Kastor's mark of
2:26:58, set in 2001 at the New York City Marathon. Goucher is the first
American woman to reach the podium in New York since Anne Marie Letko in
1994.
New York Road Runners
New York Road Runners, founded in 1958, is dedicated to promoting the sport
of distance running, enhancing health and fitness for all, and responding
to community needs. Our road races and other fitness programs draw upwards
of 300,000 runners annually, and together with our magazine and website
support and promote professional and recreational running. A staff of more
than 100, assisted by thousands of volunteers, stages the ING New York City
Marathon, as well as a road race nearly every weekend plus many track and
cross country events. NYRR's home base in New York, and its lifelong
identification with Central Park, have given many of its events iconic
status, attracting the world's top professional runners. Our youth programs
provide running to 50,000 schoolchildren in New York City, around the
country, and in South Africa who would otherwise have few or no fitness
opportunities. For more information, visit www.nyrr.org.
The ING New York City Marathon
The premier event of New York Road Runners, the ING New York City Marathon
is one of the world's great road races, drawing nearly 105,000 applicants.
The race attracts many world-class professional athletes, not only for the
more than $600,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to excel in the
media capital of the world before two million cheering spectators and more
than 300 million worldwide television viewers. As any one of the nearly
788,000 past participants will attest, crossing the finish line in Central
Park is one of the great thrills of a lifetime. For more information, visit
www.ingnycmarathon.org.
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