Two-Time Champion Hesch Also Competing
Reigning Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile champion Lisa Dobriskey and 2006 Big Ten 10,000m champion Brian Olinger are the top contenders for victory at the 31st Emerald Nuts Midnight Run scheduled for the stroke of midnight on December 31 in New York City's Central Park, the New York Road Runners announced today. Over 5000 runners, many in costume, are expected for the race, a New Year's Eve fixture in the Big Apple.
"Over the past 30 years the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run has become the biggest New Year's Eve party in New York City," said the Road Runners's president and CEO Mary Wittenberg through a media release. "Runners and non-runners alike look forward to all of the festivities that this event has to offer."
While not an elite race as such, many top athletes have used the Midnight Run over the years as a fun way to test their winter fitness. Race winners include some of the sport's top middle and long distance runners, like Ireland's Marcus O'Sullivan and Sinead Delahunty, the United States's Amy Rudolph and Sara Slattery, Australia's Shaun Creighton and Andrew Letherby, and Canada's Carmen Douma Hussar.
Since the distance was changed to four miles in 2000 (it has been a 5-miler and a 5-K previously) the event has grown even more competitive. The course records stand at 18:12 for the men, by American Andrew Carlson, and 20:54 for the women by Douma Hussar. Both marks were set one year ago.
For Dobriskey, the fourth place finisher at the Beijing Olympics over 1500m, it will be her second race in New York City this year. The Briton stormed to victory on Fifth Avenue last September, narrowly defeating U.S. 1500m champion Shannon Rowbury. Dobriskey will be coming to the race with her fiancee, Ricky Soos, who ran the 800m at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
Olinger will be running his first road race in New York. A steeplechaster with a 8:19.29 personal best, Olinger showed excellent fitness placing third at the very hilly Manchester Road Race in Connecticut on Thanksgiving day. His chief rival looks to be two-time champion and former course record holder Christian Hesch, who won the race in 2003 and 2004. It was Hesch's 2004 course record of 18:28 which Carlson broke last year.
The event kicks off with a dance party and costume contest at 10:00 p.m., and a costume parade beginning one hour later. At the stroke of midnight, the runners will begin their four-mile run through the par, dazzled by a 17-minute fireworks show. A non-alcoholic champagne station near mile two will be available for runners who want to toast the new year.
The event website is located at this link, NYRR.org, and the race is still open for entry.
Recent Emerald Nuts Midnight Run Champions:
MEN -
1998 Marcus O'Sullivan (IRL) 14:44 (5 km)
1999 Joseph Kariuki (KEN) 15:21 (about 3.2 mi.)
2000 Janko Bensa (YUG) 19:31
2001 Shaun Creighton (AUS) 19:22
2002 Karl Savage (USA) 19:07 CR
2003 Christian Hesch (USA) 19:36
2004 Christian Hesch (USA) 18:28
2005 Andrew Letherby (AUS) 18:44
2006 Thomas Morgan (USA) 18:31
2007 Andrew Carlson (USA) 18:12 CR
WOMEN -
1998 Zofia Wierciorkowska (POL) 17:28 (5 km)
1999 Alisa Harvey (USA) 17:51 (about 3.2 mi.)
2000 Sinead Delahunty (IRL) 22:08
2001 Janelle Kraus (UsA) 22:24
2002 Janelle Kraus (USA) 22:05 CR
2003 Atalelech Ketema (ETH) 21:50
2004 Amy Rudolph (USA) 21:16 CR
2005 Sara Slattery (USA) 21:36
2006 Aziza Aliyu (ETH) 21:56
2007 Carmen Douma Hussar (CAN) 20:54 CR
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