FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Countdown to 40th Running of ING New York City Marathon
Begins with Annual Runner Lottery Drawing for Biggest-Ever Field
New York's Jeff Mead and Virginia Beach's Anette Hagen
chosen first overall by New York Road Runners
Lottery drawing one of several events celebrating National Running Day
New York, June 3, 2009 - A field of more than 40,000, the largest in the
storied history of the race, was announced today for the ING New York City
Marathon 2009 by New York Road Runners officials. The 40th running of the
famed five-borough race will be on Sunday, November 1. For the second
consecutive year, the marathon attracted more than 100,000 applicants.
Marathon rookie Jeff Mead, 35, of New York, and Anette Hagen, 45, of
Virginia Beach, VA, who will be running just her second marathon, were the
first two names selected in the U.S. lottery today. Rounding out the first
five selections were Jeffrey Dorn, 56, of Englewood, NJ; Peter Goldberg,
38, of New York; and Kellan Flynn, 46, of Boulder, CO.
"Breaking the 100,000-applicant mark again, in the midst of a recession,
speaks volumes to the importance in people's lives of running and achieving
a major goal like New York," said race director Mary Wittenberg, president
and CEO of New York Road Runners.
The first five names selected were announced on WNBC's Today in New York.
"As far as I'm concerned, the marathon is one of the best events in the
city, not to mention that running 26 miles is a difficult test," said Mead.
"To do the two together will be exhilarating and would give me a great
sense of accomplishment."
"This is my biggest dream of all. My sister ran last year, and I was on the
sideline in New York watching and cheering for her," said Hagen. "It was
amazing to be there, but I wanted so badly to run myself. Now this year,
it's finally my turn. This is just so exciting."
The lottery was one of several activities scheduled by New York Road
Runners to celebrate the inaugural National Running Day, a nationwide
movement to nationally and locally promote running as a healthy, easy, and
accessible form of exercise.
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