Posted: April 29, 2007

Athletics (RRW): ING NYC Marathon Guaranteed Entry Deadline Approaching

From David Monti © 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com It's no secret that it can be difficult to get an entry to the ING New York City Marathon, the largest marathon in the world with 37,866 finishers in 2006. Race organizers, New York Road Runners, receive tens of thousands more entry requests than the Nov. 4, race can grant. However, it is not widely known that the race has a guaranteed entry system for runners who meet certain requirements, and the deadline for applying under that program is Tuesday, May 1. There are six types of guaranteed entries (not counting approved international travel partners who also guarantee an applicant's entry through a running tour): . Members of New York Road Runners since January 31, 2006, who completed at least nine NYRR-scored, qualifying races during the calendar year 2006. . Entrants in the ING New York City Marathon 2006 who canceled prior to the race. . Those who have completed 15 or more New York City Marathons. . Those who have applied but been denied entry for the last three years in a row (2004, 2005, and 2006). . Those who run for certain charities. . Runners who meet certain qualifying time standards on any certified course as long as they were achieved between January 1, 2006, and May 1, 2007 (see below). Race director and NYRR president and CEO, Mary Wittenberg, encourages faster runners to apply for the race. "At NYRR, we are deeply committed to competitive running and offer our platform of the ING NYC Marathon as the stage for the most competitive, most committed runners to perform," she said in a written statement. "There is plenty of room at the front of our race and we invite the best in all age groups to join us." The qualifying standards are as follows, by age-group: MEN - 18-39 years-old: Marathon, sub-2:55 or half-marathon sub-1:23 40-49: Marathon, sub-3:10 or half-marathon sub-1:30 50-59: Marathon, sub-3:30 or half-marathon sub-1:40 60+: Marathon, sub-3:45 or half-marathon sub-1:48 WOMEN - 18-39 years-old: Marathon, sub-3:23 or half-marathon sub-1:37 40-49: Marathon, sub-3:38 or half-marathon sub-1:44 50-59: Marathon, sub-3:52 or half-marathon sub-1:50 60+: Marathon, sub-4:13 or half-marathon sub-2:00:30 Applications can be made on-line at www.ingnycmarathon.org. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest