Olympian Ryan Hall to Make Debuts at ING New York City Marathon 2009 and NYC Half-Marathon

Hall returns to the streets of New York as a leading contender in the 40th running of the five-borough classic in November and at the famed NYC Half-Marathon in August

New York, July 23, 2009 - America's best marathoner, Ryan Hall, will make his long-awaited debut at two of the sport's most famous events, the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1, and at the NYC Half-Marathon on Sunday, August 16, it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.

"Many have been waiting for this day, including all of us at NYRR," Wittenberg said. "We are so glad that this is the year that Ryan Hall will take on the history, the hills, the competition, and all that New York can throw at an athlete in his or her quest to be not only America's best, but one of the world's best. It is doubly exciting to announce Ryan in both the NYC Half-Marathon and the ING New York City Marathon."

Hall, 26, of Mammoth Lakes, CA, had one of his career's finest performances in New York's Central Park at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon when he broke the Olympic Trials record with his winning time of two hours, nine minutes, and two seconds. Hall went on to finish 10th in the 2008 Beijing Olympic marathon in a time of 2:12:33. The first American to finish the Boston Marathon earlier this year, placing third overall in a time of 2:09:40, Hall will be making his ING New York City Marathon debut.

"I've been out to New York to watch the marathon every year since 2006, and now I'm thrilled to run on the streets of New York for what will be my sixth marathon," Hall said. "My previous marathons and thousands of miles logged in training have prepared me for the opportunity to try and win in New York. I couldn't ask for a bigger stage to get to compete on, and I'm honored to be a part of the great American and international field that NYRR are bringing out."

Hall has been one of America's top marathoners since his compelling debut at the distance in London in 2007, when he finished seventh in 2:08:24, the fastest debut marathon ever run by an American. In 2008, he became the second-fastest American marathoner of all time when he ran 2:06:17 to take fifth place at that year's Flora London Marathon.