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ING New York City Marathon: Americans Bobby Curtis, Ed Moran, Lauren Fleshman, and Molly Pritz Making Debuts
From New York Road Runners with contribution by DrewAll photos by www.photorun.net
August 10, 2011 last updated 10/3/11
New York, NY
The “Freshman Class of 2011”--Bobby Curtis, Ed Moran, Lauren Fleshman, and Molly Pritz--will make their marathon debuts at the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 6. New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg made the announcement on Wednesday, August 10.
This quartet of American standouts continues a tradition set by compatriots Deena Kastor (2001), Meb Keflezighi (2002), Marla Runyan (2002), Dathan Ritzenhein (2006), Kara Goucher (2008), Jorge Torres (2009), and Shalane Flanagan (2010) of making their marathon debuts on New York City streets.
“This year’s ‘Freshman Class’ are some of the best in their respective distances, and we are very excited to see what they can do in the marathon,” enthused Mary Wittenberg. “New York has become an inviting and exciting place for our Americans to debut from Alberto, Deena and Meb to Kara and Shalane, and we are ready to see what Bobby, Ed, Molly, and Lauren have in store for 2011.”
Bobby Curtis and Ed Moran will join a pair of previously announced ING New York City Marathon champions on the men’s side: Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia (2010) and American Meb Keflezighi (2009) of Mammoth Lakes, CA. In the women’s division, Lauren Fleshman and Molly Pritz will battle against defending champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, three-time American Olympian Jen Rhines of Mammoth Lakes, CA, and Kim Smith of New Zealand.
Bobby Curtis, 26, of Ardmore, PA, became the seventh-fastest American of all time at 10,000m when he
ran 27:24.67 (photo at right) to finish second at the Payton Jordan Invitational in April. Currently the third-fastest 5K runner in the world for 2011, the two-time Team USA member of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships team (2009, 2010) won the 2008 NCAA Championship at 5000 meters in 13:33.93. “I’m thrilled to be debuting at the ING New York City Marathon,” remarked Bobby Curtis. “I’m looking forward to competing as an American in what I believe to be the USA’s most prestigious road race. Not only that, I’m excited to be competing in a city full of passionate running fans, many of whom will be running the marathon on November 6 just like me. I can think of no better event than the ING New York City Marathon for an American distance runner to have the race of his or her life.”
Bobby Curtis spoke about his marathon debut during a NYRR teleconference call on August 10. He said he has enjoyed a great relationship with New York Road Runners for several years; he placed ninth (29:09) in the 2011 UAE Healthy Kidney 10K and 22nd (30:39) in 2010. "Do I have what it takes? There is only one way to find out. . . "
Bobby Curtis pledged to focus on the 10,000m for 2012 and the USA Olympic Trials. He placed 4th (28:42.50) in the 10,000m at the USA Outdoor Championships on June 23, only two seconds away from making the Team USA roster for the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.
Although an American, Bobby Curtis is also affiliated with the Melbourne (Australia) Track Club; Nic Bideau is the Director, and married to Olympic distance runner Sonia O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan and Curtis (2008) are both alumni of Villanova University. When Curtis is training in the Philadelphia area, he is coached by Marcus O'Sullivan--the head coach at Villanova. Bideau first raised the idea of racing a marathon after an Australian athlete--Michael Shelley--won a silver medal in the men's marathon (2:15:28) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.
Bobby Curtis noted that Dathan Ritzenhein has shown that marathon racing doesn't kill speed. Ritzenhein debuted as a marathoner at the 2006 New York City Marathon (2:14:01), placed ninth in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Marathon (2:11:59, top American), and improved his 5000m best time to 12:56.27 (from 13:16.61, 2006) in 2009.
Ed Moran, 30, of Williamsburg, VA, won gold in the 5000m at the 2007 Pan American Games, becoming the first American male to do so since 1987. He also took home the title of USA 10K champion in 2010 at the AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta. Moran finished fourth in the 10,000m at the 2008 Olympic Trials, missing the Olympic team by six seconds. Photo at left: Ed Moran leading USA 5000m race in June; he placed sixth (13:44.58).On August 14, Ed Moran placed eighth (32:50, 4th American) in the New Balance Falmouth Road Race (7 Mile). At the USA men's 10K road championship on July 4, he placed second (28:29). Earlier in the year, he placed third (35:54) in the men's 12K at the USA Cross Country Championships on February 5.
He was second (29:03.07) in the 2010 USA men's 10,000m track race, and he was the top American male (32:40, 5th overall) at the 2010 CIGNA Falmouth Road Race.
“I’m excited about making my marathon debut in New York City this fall,” stated Ed Moran, who was born in Staten Island. “While I am mostly focused on the challenge of the marathon distance and the world-class competition that comes to the Big Apple, I’m equally excited about fulfilling my childhood dream of running across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. For me, the ING New York City Marathon will be more than just a race. It is an event that I have always dreamed of competing in.”
Ed Moran was a four-time All-American athlete and graduated from William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA in 2003, where he continues to train and serve as a volunteer assistant coach. He earned a Masters in Public Policy (2005), and is currently enrolled in the MBA program at the Mason School of Business.
Ed Moran was a late bloomer--he started running as a sophomore at Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, NJ, and didn't run what he calls "professional caliber" times until his last two months of college at William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. Moran earned his first graduate degree from William & Mary in 2005. He finished fourth in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials at 10,000m, missing the Olympic team by six seconds.
"I was born on Staten Island and lived there until I was 6 before moving to New Jersey. My aunt, uncle, and all my cousins on my mom's side still live on Staten Island and my godmother and grandmother still live in Brooklyn, where both of my parents were born and raised before they moved to Staten Island. My father was a New York City police officer for 14 years and as a motorcycle officer he had marathon traffic duty a couple of times on the Brooklyn side of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
I had five stress fractures in five years at college, and ended up with a sixth year of eligibility in graduate school. That season I dropped 30-some-odd seconds from my 5K time.
I'm surprised at how well my body is reacting to marathon training. I don't have any of the aches and pains I used to have. And I'm surprised at how much I've enjoyed it so far.
In May, I finished my MBA at William & Mary, and had an internship last summer with Deloitte Consulting. They offered me a job, and let me defer until next September, after the 2012 Olympics. They deferred a job offer after I got my graduate degree in public policy in 2005, too, and I never took the job because I decided to run professionally, so I'm glad they were willing to try again.
The weekend after New York, I'm getting married."
Lauren Fleshman, 29, of Eugene, OR, is making her marathon debut after winning the 5000m (15:00.57) at the Aviva London Grand Prix on August 6 (photo below, right). The two-time USA 5000m champion (2006, 2010) has twice competed in the World Track & Field Championships (2003, 2005), and sees the marathon as a stepping-stone on the way to her 2012 Olympic goals.
“My dream for the past 11 years has been to do something special with the 5000 meters in the 2012
Olympics,” explained Fleshman, a three-time NCAA titlist for Stanford University. “I know I need to get a lot stronger, so it became obvious that I need to throw some new wood on the fire. I’ve seen the marathon work its magic on many women I admire, and I’m convinced: Nothing will change my physiology, stretch my mind, and freshen my perspective more than running the ING New York City Marathon.” Lauren Fleshman commented during the NYRR call on August 10 that the marathon has never been on her radar. But she has gotten stronger during the last couple of years while overcoming injuries: she missed the entire 2009 season, and in January she developed another injury--a stress reaction in her left foot--that forced her to wait until April to resume training for the 2011 season. Adversity has taught her that she is better at dealing with challenges than she previously thought possible.
Lauren is a member of Oregon Track Club Elite (OTC), where Mark Rowland is the coach. He is a former Olympic bronze medalist from England (1988 3000m steeplechase). Some of the best known OTC athletes are middle distance runners (Nick Symmonds, 800m; Andrew Wheating, 800m/1500m); Kenyan distance runner Sally Kipyego races 5000m/10,000m.
Since graduating from Stanford in 2003, Lauren has focused on track racing at 5000m. She has also raced 3000m and 1500m, but she has no experience track racing 10,000m or longer. At first, Coach Rowland was reluctant to accept Lauren's idea of trying a marathon, but "he is on board now." Lauren said that she enjoys a great relationship with her coach, and Mark Rowland loves a challenge.
Note: Lauren explained during the NYRR call that her two wins (1:19:10, 2009; 1:24:24, 2010) in the Xterra Trail Run National Championship half marathon were close to home in Bend, OR; her husband's family was able to watch the couple race. It was not a serious attempt to test herself for longer distance races.
The biggest difference in preparing for a marathon versus a 5000m race is the higher volume of mileage necessary. Lauren plans to use an ElliptiGO bicycle to supplement her training. She said during the NYRR call that she has used an ElliptiGO [it's a cross between an elliptical trainer and a bicycle, and can be used outdoors] since October 2010. Training on an ElliptiGO promoted her quick return from this winter's injury in her left foot. Lauren rode an ElliptiGO as the official pace vehicle in this year's Eugene Marathon.
Lauren will be racing the 5000m at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea; women's heats are August 30, and the women's final is September 2. Lauren stated she will begin marathon training on September 9, and she is confident that there will be sufficient time to prepare. (Kara Goucher raced the 2008 Beijing Olympics 10,000m on August 22, and made her marathon debut in New York City on November 2, 2008 in 2:25:53, third.)
Lauren explained that she called her business partner, Stephanie Rothstein, and was told by Stephanie that her marathon training was nine weeks in length for the 2011 Chevron Houston Marathon (2:29:35, third). Lauren will have eight weeks to prepare for New York. Lauren and Stephanie market Picky Bars, a gluten and dairy free energy bar that they created and sell online.
Molly Pritz, 23, of Williamsport, PA, won the 2011 USA 25K Championship in May in 1:25:38. She has shown success in the half-marathon distance with a win at the 2010 Rock ’n’ Roll San Antonio Half-Marathon in 1:12:14, and finished as the runner-up to Kim Smith at the 2011 Mardi Grad Half-Marathon (1:11:05). Pritz has competed in the last two NYRR New York Mini 10K races in Central Park, finishing 16th in 2010 and 15th in 2011.
“Watching the ING New York City Marathon in 2008 is the reason I became a long-distance runner,” commented Pritz. “Ever since then I couldn’t imagine a better place to make my marathon debut. I am not only excited to race in New York City, but am also thankful to be able to have an experience of a lifetime.”
Deena Kastor and Kara Goucher set women’s American marathon debut records in New York. In 2008, Goucher set the current record at 2:25:53 when she finished in third place.
New York Road Runners
Headquartered in New York City, New York Road Runners is dedicated to advancing the sport of running, enhancing health and fitness for all, and meeting community’s needs. NYRR's goal is to use the expertise acquired in its 53-year history to empower all people to live fitter, healthier lives through participation in NYRR races, community events, instruction and training resources, and youth programs. NYRR races and other events draw more than 300,000 people each year. The ING New York City Marathon, NYRR’s premier event, is the largest marathon in the world, attracting the world’s top professional runners every year and raising $30.8 million for charity in 2010. NYRR’s running-based youth programs, which currently serve more than 100,000 children in hundreds of schools and community centers, promote children’s health and fitness, character development, and personal achievement in underserved communities. For more information, see www.nyrr.org.
The ING New York City Marathon
The premier event of New York Road Runners, the ING New York City Marathon is one of the world’s great road races, drawing some 140,000 applicants. The race attracts many world-class professional athletes, not only for the $800,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to excel in the media capital of the world before two million cheering spectators and a worldwide broadcast reach of 330 million. As any one of the more than 875,000 past participants will attest, crossing the finish line in Central Park is one of the great thrills of a lifetime. For more information, see www.ingnycmarathon.org.