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.