NEW YORK – (March 2, 2011) – U.S.
Olympian, two-time U.S. 10,000 meter champion and U.S. indoor
5000 meter record holder Galen Rupp is the latest addition to a galaxy of American stars at the NYC Half on Sunday, March 20, it was announced by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.
In his first 13.1-mile race ever and only
his second professional road race, Rupp will join the
previously announced powerhouse trio of U.S. Olympians Ryan Hall, Meb Keflezighi and Abdi Abdirahman, along with standouts Patrick Smyth and Jason Lehmkuhle. The women’s field features U.S. Olympian and World Championships bronze medalist Kara Goucher and USA Half-Marathon Championships runner-up Serena Burla.
“This is one of the most significant
debuts the sport has seen,” said Wittenberg. “We have cheered
Galen through high school and college, and now it is our turn
to cheer for him on the streets of New York, and look forward
to many more opportunities to come.”
Rupp, 24, of Portland, OR, earned
back-to-back victories in the 10,000 meters in 2009 and 2010 at
the USA Championships. He also set the American 5000m indoor
record of 13:11.44 on February 19. Rupp is second on the
all-time U.S. list for the 10,000 meters in 27:10.74. He competed in the
2008 Olympics in the 10,000 meters, where he finished 13th
overall.
“I am excited to be able to participate
in the NYC Half. With an emphasis on strength in my training
this winter, I feel like this is a great time to try and tackle
a longer distance,” said Rupp. “The half-marathon will allow
me to challenge myself in new ways, both mentally and
physically. I am thrilled for this opportunity, and couldn’t be happier
that my first half-marathon will be in the streets of New
York.”
Growing up in Portland, Rupp was first coached by Alberto Salazar
during high school. This helped lead him to a strong NCAA
career at the University of Oregon that included holding all
five distance titles during the 2008-09 season: cross country,
3000 and 5000 meters indoors, and 5000 and 10,000 meters
outdoors. He is the only athlete in NCAA history to achieve this
feat.
“As Galen’s coach, the NYC Half appealed
to me because Galen had done a tremendous amount of training
with much higher mileage than normal to prepare for a 10K in
Christchurch in February,” said Salazar. “Due to the tragic
earthquake, that meet was cancelled. I believe that it will be
in Galen’s interest to compete in a race out of his normal
comfort zone against some of the best half-marathoners in the world.
This experience and what he learns from it will make him better
on the track this summer.”
This will mark Rupp’s first time racing
professionally in New York City. In high school, he competed at
the Armory, and while redshirting in 2008, he competed in the
Millrose Games.
The NYC Half will again offer the largest
half-marathon prize purse in the United States: $100,000. The
men’s and women’s champions will each earn $20,000, the largest
first-prize checks for a non-marathon race in the country. The
race continues to attract leading professional athletes and
recreational runners from around the world.
On a course designed to celebrate New
York City, the NYC Half will take runners on a loop through
Central Park, down Seventh Avenue through Times Square, across
42nd Street, and along the expansive West Side Highway to
Battery Park in the heart of the city’s financial district, finishing
with a view of the Statue of Liberty.
For more information, visit: www.nyrr.org
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