November is still a little ways away, but the race is already full of awesome
[Updated Aug 25, 2018. Updates follow the original post. ]
As the list of elite runners committing to this year’s New York Marathon grows, it’s feeling like the third act of a thrilling three act play — with New York 2017 being act one, and this past April’s Boston Marathon being act two.
However you wanna look at it, this has been an exciting story to follow. (And the the complete professional field hasn’t even been announced yet!) It’s a story about American runners winning their own races again, and American women making that happen.
Shalane was the first American woman to win the New York City Marathon in 40 years in 2017. After running Boston earlier this year, she’s returning to the New York City Marathon this November.
Desiree Linden was the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon in 33 years, and she’s going to be running New York also!
That alone should make this year’s NYC Marathon one to watch… but there’s more. From an article at Runner’s World:
Allie Kieffer, 30, is returning this year as well. She enjoyed a major breakthrough at the race last year by placing fifth in 2:29:39, a 26-minute personal best time.
NYRR also announced on Tuesday that Geoffrey Kamworor, 25, of Kenya, is racing the NYC Marathon for a second victory. He won last year with a 4:31 penultimate mile, holding off Wilson Kipsang in Central Park.
As I said, the complete list of elite runners has yet to be released, I’m sure there will be more. So stay tuned!
Incidentally, for the curious: a course map for the New York city Marathon is available as a pdf HERE. To read a detail description of the course, check out Sabrina Wieser’s breakdown of the course at her RunningBrina blog.
UPDATE Aug 25, 2018
The NYC Marathon announced the professional field last week, and the list is awesome. It includes Molly Huddle (who placed third in 2016), Mary Keitany of Kenya (who had three consecutive wins at New York, 2014 thru 2016), Sarah Sellers (the surprise Boston Marathon 2018 runner-up), Bernard Lagat (a five-time U.S. Olympian and self-described “track guy” who is making his marathon debut at New York), Chris Derrick, Tim Ritchie, and more.
Visit nyrr.org for the full list of elite women and men.
I’m running the @nycmarathon on 11/4!!!
Ever since riding the lead vehicle in 2015 I’ve been dying to experience this race as a participant! Hopefully I don’t have to pee in a Gatorade bottle in the middle of Brooklyn like last time.#TCSNYCMarathon#MovedMe pic.twitter.com/z8HkcQgpwn
— Chris Derrick (@CDerrickRun) August 23, 2018
Update Oct 27, 2018
See related post: Des Linden is everywhere this week
