Posted: October 29, 2004

Athletics: Iraq War Veteran and Multiple Sclerosis Advocate Are Winners of Avis 'We Try Harder' Award

Jose Ramos and Jennifer Woods to Run 2004 ING New York City Marathon and Will Be Recognized for Courage and Perseverance By New York Road Runners and Avis

NEW YORK, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- New York Road Runners and Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. announced today that Iraq war veteran Jose Ramos from El Paso, Texas and multiple sclerosis advocate Jennifer Woods from Indianapolis, Indiana have won the inaugural Avis "We Try Harder" award in conjunction with the 2004 ING New York City Marathon. The award celebrates people who endeavor to overcome considerable obstacles through courage and extraordinary effort. Hundreds of ING New York City Marathon participants were nominated by friends and family and the two winners were selected by a panel that included representatives from Avis, Achilles Track Club and the New York Road Runners. The awards will be presented on Friday, November 5th at Tavern on the Green.

Jose Ramos, El Paso, TX
Ramos is a Navy corpsman who returned from service in Iraq after losing his arm in combat in late July. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation therapy at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Ramos is unable to do some of the activities he once could because of his injury, but he remains active and driven to overcome his disability. He has always wanted to run a marathon and decided that making a commitment and challenging himself would enable him to achieve his overarching goal of living a full and active life. On Friday, November 5th, Avis will transport Ramos and other Iraq war veterans participating in the ING New York City Marathon from Washington D.C. to New York.

Jennifer Woods, Indianapolis, IN
Woods, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 11 years ago during her senior year at Columbia University, is running the ING New York City Marathon on behalf of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Once a star field hockey player, Woods started experiencing trouble walking in college. After being diagnosed with MS, she returned to Indianapolis at the end of her senior year and started working in advocacy programs with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. After years of being told what she could not do, Woods was determined to help others with MS to realize that their disabilities must not prevent them from pursuing their dreams. She is returning to New York, where she was first diagnosed with MS, to show others that the disease that once kept her from walking across campus will not keep her from running the 26.2-mile race.

"Anyone willing to take the challenge of completing a marathon shows tremendous courage," said Scott Deaver, executive vice president of marketing for Cendant Car Rental Group, parent company of Avis. "However, it is hard to imagine two people who embody the 'we try harder' spirit more than these two athletes. We are very proud to honor them."

Avis is the official rental car company of the ING New York City Marathon and is in its second year as presenting sponsor of the ING New York City Marathon Wheelchair Division. The company also sponsors the Achilles Track Club for runners with disabilities. Winners of the wheelchair division on the men's and women's side will each receive $3,500. On race day, Avis vehicles will provide transportation to runners with disabilities and be used as emergency wheelchair/hand cycle repair stations throughout the five-borough course.

About Avis
Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate the world's second largest general-use car rental brand, providing business and leisure customers with a wide range of services at nearly 1,800 locations in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Latin American/Caribbean region. Avis is one of the world's top brands for customer loyalty, ranking as the number one rental car brand and the number one brand overall among 182 in the 2003 Brand Keys(R) Customer Loyalty Index, and tying for the highest ranking in the 2003 J.D. Power & Associates rental car customer satisfaction study. The company is part of Cendant Car Rental Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD), a diversified global provider of business and consumer services primarily within the real estate and travel sectors. For more information visit AVIS.com or Cedant.com.

About the ING New York City Marathon
The ING New York City Marathon is the premier event of New York Road Runners (NYRR). Inaugurated in 1970 with 127 entrants, it has grown into the world's premier road race, featuring 35,000 participants, more than two and a half million spectators, a leading professional field, and a guaranteed prize purse of more than $500,000. Broadcast across the nation and in 125 countries worldwide, and seen by 275 million viewers worldwide, the 26.2-mile footrace is the United States' most watched one-day sporting event. The ING New York City Marathon joins the USA Men's 8K Championships and the Circle of Friends New York Mini 10K as the cornerstones of the NYRR Professional Racing Series and continues NYRR's tradition of bringing the very best runners in the world to New York City. For more information visit INCNYCMarathon.org.