A winner already on the track, on the roads and in life, Marla
Runyan will step up to tackle her next challenge by making her
marathon debut at the 2002 New York City Marathon on Sunday,
November 3 it was announced today by Mary Wittenberg, Executive
Vice President of the New York Road Runners.Runyan joined Wittenberg at a news conference here on the eve of
the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships at Stanford
University where she was scheduled to compete in either the
1,500m or defend her 5,000m title this weekend.
Runyan is the first confirmed entry for the 33rd edition of the
five-borough
race that annually attracts a starting field of around 30,000
participants.
The 2002 NYC Marathon has a guaranteed prize money purse of
$475,000 with the men's and women's champions collecting $80,000
plus a luxury automobile from Pontiac.
More than 2.5 million spectators lined the New York City streets
last year
to watch men's champion Tesfaye Jifar of Ethiopia (2:07:43) and
women's
winner Margaret Okayo of Kenya (2:24:21) set NYC Marathon course
records.
Runyan, 33, of Eugene, Ore., has emerged as one of the great
success stories in U.S. running annuals. Battling to overcome a
visual impairment, Runyan became the first legally blind athlete
to compete at the 2000 Olympic Games where she placed eighth in
the 1500m (4:08.30).
Runyan, who became a Nike athlete in January, 2002, is in the
midst of a
superb 2002 racing season both on the track and on the roads.
She has won three of five races this year beginning at the
Shamrock 15K (52:20) in March followed by a victory on the track
at the Prefontaine Classic 3000m with the fifth fastest time
(8:39.36) by an American woman at that distance. Earlier this
month, Runyan claimed her first U.S. road racing crown by
winning the Freihofer's Run for Women 5K (15:27). Runyan took
her first competitive steps up the marathon distance by placing
fifth (53:37) at the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler in April.
Runyan has enjoyed career success already in New York, claiming
the American 5000m indoor record (15:07.33) last year as part of
the New York Road Runners Challenge Series at the Armory Track
Center.
"We are thrilled to have Marla come run with us again," said
Wittenberg.
"She gave us a phenomenal show when she set the U.S. 5000m
record and we expect similar excitement when she takes on the
marathon challenge and races through the streets of New York
City."