NEW YORK (21-Jul) -- Adam Goucher will make a rare road racing appearance at Sunday's NYC Half-Marathon presented by NIKE, capping an already excellent professional field which makes the race the world's top summer half-marathon.
"Adam adds firepower to any race," said New York Road Runners CEO Mary Wittenberg who will direct the race. "He's always a fighter, and he'll be in the hunt."
Although he was unable to qualify for the Beijing Olympics at the recent U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, he showed very good form in the 10,000m (after dropping out of the 5000m final), running a personal best 27:59.31 and finishing seventh. That fitness should translate well to the certified half-marathon course in New York which begins with a hilly 10 km loop of Central Park before piercing the heart of Times Square on the way down to a grand finish just north of Battery Park in lower Manhattan. It will be Goucher's second half-marathon attempt; he ran 1:03:17 at last year's Great North Run without any special training (his wife Kara won the women's race).
"I definitely see [the NYC Half-Marathon Presented by Nike] as exploring a new direction in my career," said Goucher, 33, through a prepared statement. "For years I've focused on the shorter, faster stuff, but I always knew I would eventually move up to the 10-K, the half-marathon, and the marathon."
After an outstanding career at the University of Colorado, Goucher has been a force in U.S. distance running in both cross country and on the track. In 2000 he won both the U.S. 4-K and 12-K cross country titles, and in 2006 he again won the 4-K title. Goucher, who lives in Portland, Ore., was the U.S. 5000m champion in 1999 and 2000 and was a 2000 Olympian at the distance.
This won't be Goucher's first road racing appearance in New York City. In 2006 he ran the Fifth Avenue Mile, finishing fourth.
Goucher joins an international field at the NYC Half that includes 2008 Olympic medal hopefuls Dathan Ritzenhein of the United States, Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, Madai Perez of Mexico, Benita Johnson of Australia, and Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa. Road running stars Patrick Makau, Felix Limo, and William Kipsang --all of Kenya-- are also in the field competing for their share of a $70,000 prize money purse.
Over 14,000 runners were accepted into the race, the Road Runners said. Last year's race had slightly less than 10,000 finishers.
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