Kara Goucher to Make Her Marathon Debut at the ING New York City Marathon
Goucher latest in line of stars to debut in New York. Protégé of marathon legend Alberto Salazar is first named to professional field for November 2 race

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Posted Wednesday, 10 September, 2008

New York, September 10, 2008—United States Olympian and 2007 IAAF World Championships 10,000-meter bronze medalist Kara Goucher will make her much-anticipated marathon debut at the ING New York City Marathon 2008 on Sunday, November 2, it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.

“Last year when I watched the race first hand, I decided I wanted to run in New York,” said Goucher.

“The ING New York City Marathon is one of the most prestigious, and the course is challenging, so I’m excited for my f irst marathon to be this one. I have a strong emotional connection to New York, as it is where I was born, where my family lives, and where my father passed away. This one will be personal for me and my family.”

Goucher, 30, of Portland, OR, is the latest in a line of stars to make their debuts in New York, including Grete Waitz (1978), Goucher’s coach Alberto Salazar (1980), Liz McColgan (1991), Deena Kastor (2001), Marla Runyan (2002), Meb Keflezighi (2002), and Dathan Ritzenhein (2006).

“Our wish has been granted,” said Wittenberg. “American track star Kara Goucher will make her much anticipated marathon debut in NYC following in the footsteps and with the help of her coach and mentor, the marathon’s last great American star, three-time winner Alberto Salazar. This is a two-for-one deal. We get Kara and she comes with the benefit of Alberto’s experience. I anticipate another milestone in American long distance running.”

Goucher is the first athlete announced for the professional field in the 39th running of the famed 26.2-mile five-borough race, which is expected to feature a field of about 39,000 runners.

Goucher’s breakout performance at last year’s World Championships in Osaka, Japan, established her as one of America’s f inest distance runners. She was the first American woman since Lynn Jennings in 1992 to win a World Championships or Olympic medal at 10,000 meters. Goucher qualified for this year’s U.S. Olympic team in both the 5000 and 10,000 meters, defeating American record-holder Shalane Flanagan in the 5,000 meters at the Trials to win her first USA track title.

At the Olympic Games in Beijing, Goucher finished 10th in the 10,000 meters in a time of 30:55.16, setting a personal record and becoming the third-fastest 10,000-meter runner in U.S. history behind Flanagan and Deena Kastor. In the slow, tactical 5000-meter f inal, she placed ninth in a time of 15:49.39.

A bona-fide star on the track and in cross country, Goucher has run few road races—but in her most recent one, last September, she upset marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe to win the BUPA Great North Run, a half-marathon in England, in 1:06:57, the fastest-ever half-marathon by an American woman. The race was Goucher’s first serious race longer than a 10K and only the third road
race of her career.

This year’s ING New York City Marathon will again be featured in more than six hours of television
coverage, including five hours of local coverage on WNBC in the tri-state area and a one-hour national highlight show on NBC on Sunday afternoon.

Top Five Marathon Debuts by American Women
2:26:58 Deena Kastor, New York City, 2001
2:27:10 Marla Runyan, New York City, 2002
2:29:01 Deeja Youngquist, Chicago, 2003
2:30:41 Blake Russell, Twin Cities, 2003
2:32:11 Lesley Lehane, Twin Cities, 1988

New York Road Runners
New York Road Runners is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2008. NYRR 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 and around the country who would otherwise have few or no fitness opportunities. For more information visit www.nyrr.org.

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 750,000 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.

World Marathon Majors
The ING New York City Marathon is one of five events in the World Marathon Majors series that showcases the sport’s top athletes and awards an unprecedented $1 million champion’s prize. The WMM series also includes the Boston Marathon, the Flora London Marathon, the real,- Berlin Marathon, and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. For more information, visit www.worldmarathonmajors.com.

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