Application for 40th running of ING New York City Marathon is now open

The application for the ING New York City Marathon 2009 is open as of 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.