Acclaimed US talent, led by 2012 Olympians Kara Goucher and Desiree Linden will join previously announced Meb Keflezighi on the start line at the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday 2 November, organisers of the IAAF Gold Label Road Race announced on Monday (8).Goucher will return to New York for the first time since making her mark on the 2008 New York City Marathon when she ran the fastest US women’s debut marathon of 2:25:53, and finished in third place, while Linden will run the New York City Marathon for the first time. Keflezighi will lead the US men, including top returner Ryan Vail.“It’s an honour and thrill to welcome such an extraordinary line up of American runners to this year’s Marathon,” said Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners. “Kara, Desi, and Ryan are, along with Meb, some of America’s most established and adored distance runners. “As they lead the way through the city’s five boroughs and diverse running communities on marathon day, we’re sure they’ll inspire not only the 50,000-plus runners following in their footsteps, but the next generation of great American marathoners as well.”Goucher, 36, has been a pioneer among US women marathoners since her impressive debut at the 2008 New York City Marathon, the fastest-ever marathon debut by a US woman and the fastest time by a US woman on the New York course. Her third-place showing was the first podium finish by a US woman in 14 years. On the track, Goucher made history at the 2007 IAAF World Championships when she finished third in the 10,000m, the first US woman to win a medal in the event. Before finishing 11th in the London 2012 Olympic Games marathon, Goucher placed third at the NYC Half in both 2011 and 2012. She has finished in the top six three times at the Boston Marathon: third in 2009, fifth in 2011, and sixth in 2013. The 2014 TCS New York City Marathon will be her first competitive marathon since the 2013 Boston Marathon.<div class="quote">“Since I ran my first marathon in New York City in 2008, I have wanted to go back and run again,” said Goucher. “I am so excited after a year of injuries and changes that my return to ‘marathoning’ happens here. New York City is a very special place for me, as I was born in Queens. I have always loved the city, and I have felt a special connection since running my first marathon there.” </div>Linden, 31, finished second at the 2011 Boston Marathon with a personal best time of 2:22:38. She finished second at the 2012 US Olympic Trials Marathon in a time of 2:25:55, but she suffered an injury that forced her to drop out of the 2012 Olympic marathon. Since overcoming her injury, Linden has finished second at the 2012 USA Half Marathon Championships, fifth at the 2013 BMW Berlin Marathon, and 10th at the 2014 Boston Marathon.“I feel I’ve been preparing for my TCS New York City Marathon debut since the beginning of my marathon career,” said Linden. “I believe the course favours strong and experienced marathoners, and I’m excited that I’ve finally developed the fitness and fortitude to take on the challenging course and strong field that NYRR will assemble. I hope to build on the momentum from the spring and capitalise this fall by competing at the front of one of the world’s most prestigious marathons.”Goucher and Linden will lead the deepest US women’s field in New York City Marathon history, including 2004 Olympic bronze medallist and US record-holder Deena Kastor, 2008 Olympian Blake Russell, 2013 USA marathon champion Annie Bersagel, and 2:28 performer Lauren Kleppin.The top US men joining Keflezighi and Vail are the top two men’s finishers from the 2013 USA Marathon Championships: winner Nick Arciniaga and runner-up Josphat Boit. Luke Puskedra, who represented the USA at the 2012 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, will make his marathon debut.Organisers for the IAAF

Acclaimed US talent, led by 2012 Olympians Kara Goucher and Desiree Linden, will join previously announced Meb Keflezighi on the start line at the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday 2 November, organisers of the IAAF Gold Label Road Race announced on Monday (8).

Top US runners, led by Goucher and Linden, will join Keflezighi on New York City Marathon start line 

Three of the most accomplished US long-distance runners – Meb Keflezighi, Ryan Hall, and Kara Goucher – will run the 2013 ING New York City Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, on 3 November.The trio will lead a group of highly competitive US athletes who are the first official entrants for this year’s elite field. Keflezighi, Hall, and Goucher are among six US Olympians confirmed so far, along with Julie Culley, Amy Hastings and Janet Bawcom.Additional US men announced for the race include two-time fourth-place Boston Marathon finisher Jason Hartmann, last year’s eighth-fastest US marathoner Ryan Vail, and 2013 World Championships team member Jeffrey Eggleston.Other top US women include 2012 US Olympic Trials 10,000m fifth-place finisher Alisha Williams, 2013 US Half-marathon champion Adriana Nelson, and Mattie Suver, the top US finisher at the 2013 New York Mini 10K.“Running the ING New York City Marathon is always a great pleasure and honour for me,” says 38-year-old Keflezighi, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist and 2009 New York Marathon champion. “This year’s race will be extra special because of the cancellation last year. As always, I will train and run to win.”“I have one goal in mind for this year’s ING New York City Marathon: redemption – restore what has been lost,” said Hall, who ran 2:04:58 at the 2011 Boston Marathon. “I have had my fair share of struggles since qualifying for the 2012 London Olympic Marathon; however, those struggles are now behind me and the lessons learned are paving the path to what I hope is a very redemptive ING New York City Marathon.”“I’m so excited to be returning to the ING New York City Marathon,” said Goucher, who finished third at the 2008 New York Marathon in 2:25:33, the fastest ever debut by a US woman. “So much in my life has changed during the five years since I last ran this race, but my love for NYC remains the same; it feels like a full-circle moment to return to NYC, where my marathon career began and to return with my son.”Organisers for the IAAFElite US fields (with PBs)Men Ryan Hall (2:04:58) Meb Keflezighi (2:09:08) Jason Hartmann (2:11:06) Ryan Vail (2:11:45) Jeff Eggleston (2:12:03)Women Kara Goucher (2:24:52) Amy Hastings (2:27:03) Adriana Nelson (2:28:52) Janet Bawcom (2:29:45) Alisha Williams (2:34:58) Mattie Suver (2:50:23) Julie Culley (debut)

First wave of US athletes announced for New York Marathon

Three of the most accomplished US long-distance runners – Meb Keflezighi, Ryan Hall, and Kara Goucher – will run the 2013 ING New York City Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, on 3 November.

On February 24 New Orleans will welcome Olympic champions Meseret Defar and Mo Farah when they compete at the Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Half Marathon.Farah, who won the 5000m and 10,000m at the London 2012 Olympics, has recently returned from training in Kenya and is set to compete in Birmingham this weekend over 3000m – a race he’ll be using as an opportunity to sharpen up for New Orleans.“I’m excited to be racing at my first Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans,” said Farah, who in his only previous attempt at the Half-marathon clocked the fastest time ever by a Briton with a time of 60:23. “I’ve heard great things about the races and understand that the course is fast and flat. I’m sure that the competition is going to be strong.”A loaded women’s Half-marathon field is anchored by Meseret Defar, the multiple world record-holder who captured gold in the 5000m at last year’s London Olympics, regaining her title from 2004.In her Half-marathon debut in Philadelphia in 2010, Defar shattered what was then the US all-comers record, running the fastest time (67:45) ever run by a woman on American soil for the distance.“I had a great experience in my first Half-marathon when I raced at Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia in 2010. I was so happy to win and hoped to run there last year but a small injury stopped me from racing,” said Defar.&nbsp; “I’m looking forward to coming to New Orleans, I’m told that the course is fast and flat which I hope will suit me. I hope that this half-marathon gives me a great start to my racing schedule.”Defar will be joined by two of the biggest superstars in US distance running – the fastest American woman ever to run a half-marathon Kara Goucher (66:57) and 2008 Olympic bronze medallist over 10,000m Shalane Flanagan. The training partners will look to use the flat New Orleans course as a spring board to the Boston Marathon in April.“After coming off an injury this fall, I am looking forward to racing again in the Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Half Marathon,” said Goucher, who owns three of the five fastest Half-marathon times in US history. “I have been training up in Colorado Springs and am ready to run my first race as I start the process of regaining my form leading into Boston. The Rock 'n' Roll series is the perfect place for me to get back into racing and I am excited to be the part of such a fun, fast course.”Also in the field will be former World 10,000m champion Berhane Adere of Ethiopia, Boston Marathon runner-up Jemima Jelegat of Kenya, and New Zealand’s Mary Davies, winner of the 2012 Toronto Waterfront Marathon.The talented field and New Orleans’ history for record road performances puts in jeopardy the US all-comers’ mark of 1:07:11 set by New Zealand’s Kim Smith in 2012. In 2010, the two-time Chicago Marathon champion Adere ran what was then the fastest half-marathon ever on US soil (67:52) at the first Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans. Defar reduced that record to 67:45 then Smith bettered it the next year, running 1:07:36 before she lowered her mark to the current record.Organisers for the IAAF

Defar, Flanagan and Goucher join Farah in New Orleans

On February 24 New Orleans will welcome Olympic champions Meseret Defar and Mo Farah when they compete at the Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Half Marathon.