Kenya’s Linet Masai pulled of an impressive win Saturday morning at New York Road Runner’s Women’s Only Mini 10k, with a time of 30:48. The race is steeped in history and tradition. Run for the first time in 1972, the Mini 10k is named for the miniskirt, which was a symbol of renegade women’s fashion, at the time. The initial rendition of the race had less than 100 participants. Saturday’s iteration had over 5000 ladies participating.

Kara Goucher and Paula Radcliffe, both visibly pregnant, came out to Saturday’s race to show their support for women runners. Paula ran the course, although she was not competing. Kara was not feeling up to the run, though she greeted the runners from the podium at the start line and held the finish line ribbon.

More photos of the event can be seen on the run-nyc.com album page.

In addition to the Linet, the field of Saturday’s elite runners included several Olympic athletes. According to NYRR:

When Linet Masai of Kenya crossed the finish line in Central Park to win the 2010 NYRR New York Mini 10K, she became one of the few runners to have mastered all three of her sport’s disciplines. Already a world champion at 10,000 meters on the track and a two-time silver medalist at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Masai has now added a victory in the world’s original all-women’s road race. And she has done it all by the age of 20.
Just past the race’s halfway point, in the tough Harlem Hills section, Masai broke away from the strongest field ever assembled in this race’s 39-year history. The pack behind her included four-time Mini 10K champion Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands, 36, who had led early; Kenya’s Emily Chebet, 24, who had defeated Masai by one second to win this year’s World Cross race in Poland; 2010 Boston Marathon champion Teyba Erkesso, 27, of Ethiopia; and Werknesh Kidane, 28, also of Ethiopia, a former World Cross champion and a World Championships silver medalist on the track.

Congratulations to all of the participants of the 2010 New York Mini 10k, and to NYRR for organizing such a great event. Full results available on the NYRR event result page.

[Photos: Jacob Breinholt]

(Photo: NYRR)

New York Road Runners, is presenting the perfect opportunity for fitness conscious “global citizens” to lend a helping hand. Saturday morning, February 20th, NYRR is organizing a 4 mile walk/run to benefit the earthquake ravaged country of Haiti. The walk/run starts at 9:00 AM. In addition to the 4 mile race, a kids race will take place at 10:30. According to the NYRR:

All entry fees collected by NYRR will go to New York City’s Haiti Relief Fund, administered by the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, which is directing 100% of donations to reputable organizations providing relief in Haiti.

Online registration for the event is currently open, until 11:59 PM EST, on Wednesday night (February 17), after which participants will only be able to register on the morning of the event, in Central Park. Online registration may be done through the NYRR event page.

As an additional bonus for NYRR members trying to gain entry for the 2011 New York City Marathon, NYRR has announced that it will award double “9+1″ credit for this race. That means that the run for Haiti will actually count as two races toward the nine required for guaranteed entry to next year’s marathon. For additional details, including course map, please see the New York Road Runners’ event page.

Meb Keflezighi winning the 2009 New York City Marathon (Photo: Jacob Breinholt)

After a 27 year drought, an American won the mens’ New York City Marathon. Meb Keflezighi brought home the title, with a roughly 40 second margin between himself and the second place male finisher. In addition to an American taking first place, Ryan Hall, finished fourth. For the winner, Meb Keflezighi, this race was also a personal best, at 2 hours, 9 minutes and 14 seconds.

It was an amazing sight to watch Keflezighi cross the finish line, kiss the ground and go straight over to his family. Keflezighi, originally from Africa, immigrated in the 90′s to later become a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Meb Keflezighi at the finish line with his family at the  2009 New York City Marathon (Photo: Jacob Breinholt)

The womens’ race took a turn for the unexpected, only a few short miles before the finish, when Paula Radcliffe, 3 time winner of the New York City Marathon, started to fall back, after leading the pack for the majority of the race. Paula, who was favored by most, to win her forth New York City Marathon, this year, ended up finishing off the podium in fourth place, and was visibly upset at the finish.

Women’s winner Derartu Tulu with Paula Radcliffe and NYRR CEO Mary Wittenberg at the finish line of the 2009 New York City Marathon (Photo: Jacob Breinholt)

Derartu Tulu, of Ethiopia won the womens’ race with a time of 2 hours 28 minutes and 52 seconds. Although the womens’ race kept a fairly tight pack until very late in the race, Tulu finished with a solid margin.

Derartu Tulu, of Ethiopia  crossing the finish line as victor of 2009 New York City Marathon (Photo: Jacob Breinholt)

A few fun facts about this year’s New York City Marathon, provided by NYRR:

43,741 runners competed in the 2009 ING New York City Marathon
2:09:15 Keflezighis time as he became the first American man to win since 1982
2:28:52 Tulus time as she became the first Ethiopian to win the NYC Marathon
11,410 pounds of ice were at the ready at marathon medical stations
2.5 million people will read the marathon results section of tomorrows NY Times
For more fast facts about the marathon, click here.

For more photos, click here.

The Norwegian Festival is this weekend in Central Park. Organized by NYRR, there is literally a race for everyone. The festival takes place in Central Park, this Saturday, with the main location being at the Central Park Band Shell. the festival will have a 1.7 mile race that spans the 72nd Street Transverse, to the lower loop of the park; a 13.1 mile half marathon, that consists of two loops of Central Park Drive; and, a kids race, to top it all off.

For those who were thoroughly frustrated by the transportation breakdown at the Queens Half-Marathon, on the 20th, this will be the perfect opportunity to show up and run a stress free 13 miles. As of Monday, September 28, online registration is still open.

Check the NYRR official event page, for further details, including start times, and course map.

[Photo: Jacob Breinholt/Run-NYC]

It was fantastic weather for running, Saturday morning. The overnight rain kept things cool, and the clouds were still blocking the sun. These conditions made the 2009 NYRR, Fitness Magazine Fitness® Mind, Body, Spirit Games, 4 mile race, even more enjoyable.

The race was a NYRR club points race, and were divided up by gender. The mens’ race started at 9:00 AM, and the women’s at 10 AM. Both heats were had very exciting finishes that came right down to the final stretch.

Before the women’s race, Kara Goucher happened to be out for a run in the park, and Mary Wittenberg of NYRR, noticed her passing by. Goucher was a good sport about giving an impromptu address to the women runners, who were already all lined up in the starting chute.

The winner for the men, was Bado Worku Merdessa, with a scorching time of 19:08. For the Women, it was Aziza Aliyu, beating out Katrina Janosikova by less than a full step. Aliyu scored a 22:22, time.

In total, there were nearly 5000 finishers. As always, NYRR and Fitness Magazine put on a great event. Congratulations to all of the finishers. Full results can be found here.

Click here for the photo gallery.

Sunday morning was a very hot day to be running, even at 7 A.M.. Weather and all, nearly 10,000 runners showed up to compete in the 2009 New York City Half-Marathon. The course remained in the shade, for the majority of the beginning, in Central Park. But, once the runners took to the West Side Highway, it was a very warm stretch to the finish. The male winner of the race was Tadese Tola, of Ethiopia. For the women, as expected, Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain was the winner. Paula was a late entry, announced last week. She has been recovering from a foot problem. This was Radcliffe’s first race of 2009. Full results can be found at the NYRR website.

The NYRR did a great job of organizing the race. It was a complete success. Congratulations to all of the finishers of the 2009 NYC Half Marathon. WABC-7 , will be airing coverage of the race, beginning tonight at 11:30 P.M.. Click here for the photo gallery.

Paula Radcliffe (photo: NYRR)

The NYRR Half Marathon Grand Prix, continues, this weekend, with the New York City Half-Marathon. This race will take place in the borough of Manhattan. This leg of the NYRR Grand Prix is probably the most popular, because of its location.

The course begins on the east side of Central Park, on Central Park Drive, near 85th Street, headed south. After one clockwise loop of the park, runners will exit, onto Central Park South, headed west, to the West Side Hwy. The remainder of the course is located on the south-bound portion of the West Side Highway, to the finish line in Battery Park City. Click here for a course map.

The gun, will be at 7:00, Sunday morning. The weather forecast is looking favorable. As if there weren’t enough reasons to be excited about running, or attending this race on Sunday, It was recently announced the Paul Radcliffe, winner of multiple major marathons, will be participating. This will be the first race of the year for Radcliffe.

The NYRR announced on Thursday:

Making her first start of the year after being sidelined with a foot injury and looking to test her fitness, marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain will run in the fourth annual NYC Half-Marathon on Sunday, August 16, it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg. Radcliffe last competed nearly 10 months ago when she won her third ING New York City Marathon. She had bunion surgery on her right foot in March. The NYC Half-Marathon will be her first-ever half-marathon in the United States

This should be an extremely exciting event, with an expected participation of nearly 10,000 runners. Check back on Monday, for photos of the race.

It could be described as the “mermaid parade of running.” Friday night July 24, runners, triathletes, and others gathered in Central park to kick off a weekend of events surrounding the Nautica New York City Triathlon.

The race, sponsored by Nautica, started on the 72nd street transverse of Central Park, and Cherry Hill. The route was a 1.7 Mile lap, of the lower Central Park Drive, then back to the 72nd Street Transverse.

The event set a world record (yet to be confirmed) for the most people assembled wearing only underwear. Most of the runners got creative with their ensembles. Many of the Triathlon clubs participating in the NYC Tri, this weekend, showed up in matching outfits. It was a good time for participants and spectators alike.

For more details about the Olympic length New York City Triathlon taking place this weekend, click here.

For more photos, click here.

The NYRR Run for Central Park, to benefit the Central Park Conservancy was July 18. Zach Tolbert volunteered his photography skills for the event. He shot a hefty stack of great photos, including the one at the top of this post. Check of the rest of the photos here. You can also read the race report on the Examiner website, here.