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NEW YORK (19-Sep) -- The New York Road Runners announced today that 2005 USA 10,000m champion, Katie McGregor, would make her marathon debut at the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 5.
"Katie’s debut is the most highly anticipated debut of an American woman since Deena Kastor and Marla Runyan," said race director and New York Road Runners president and CEO, Mary Wittenberg. "Like a train, we have seen her coming from a distance, consistently chugging along and each year gathering steam."
McGregor, 29, just missed an Olympic berth with her fourth-place finish in the 10,000 meters at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, but she returned in 2005 with her finest season yet, capturing national titles and setting personal bests on the track (10,000 meters) and the roads (10K).
Wittenberg also announced that the race would offer a separate guaranteed purse of $100,000 dedicated to U.S. athletes, paid five-deep and equal for men and women: $20,000-$15,000-$10,000-$3,000-$2000.
"We are proud to add a guaranteed American prize purse to this year’s ING New York City Marathon," said Wittenberg. "Our decision to do so is part of our longstanding commitment to foster and promote high-level distance running in this country, as well as a reflection of the caliber of today’s American distance runners."
In addition to McGregor, the Road Runners announced Americans Matt Downin (Madison, Wisconsin), Joe Driscoll (Blowing Rock, North Carolina), Matt Gabrielson (St. Paul, Minnesota), Peter Gilmore (San Mateo, Calif.), and Zika Palmer (Blowing Rock, North Carolina) for the ING New York City Marathon 2006. Driscoll and Gabrielson are making their marathon debuts.
The ING New York City Marathon is the world's largest. Last year's race boasted 36,856, the largest of any marathon in history.
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