FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Grete Waitz, Haile Gebrselassie, Paula Radcliffe, and Meb Keflezighi Lead
Galaxy of Stars Supporting the Run for Haiti
Champions to participate in the four-mile virtual run through
MapMyFitness.com
More than 8,000 participants registered for the 4-mile run/walk
held in Central Park
New York, February 17, 2010— An international galaxy of past and present
stars of track and field, long distance running, and the marathon including
Grete Waitz of Norway, Bill Rodgers of the United States, Haile
Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain, and American
superstars Ryan Hall, Meb Keflezighi, Deena Kastor, Dathan Ritzenhein, and
Shalane Flanagan have pledged their support for the Run for Haiti, a 4-mile
run/walk to benefit victims of the Haiti earthquake on Saturday, February
20, it was announced today by New York Road Runners officials.
In an effort to expand the scope of the event, the champions, along with
runners around the globe, will register to participate in the four-mile
virtual run, held in cooperation with NYRR, through MapMyRun.com. The entry
fee ($30 per entry) will go directly to New York City's Haiti Relief Fund.
More information on the virtual run:
http://www.mapmyrun.com/virtual_event/ny_haiti/index
The Run for Haiti, to be held at 9:00 a.m. in Central Park, is a joint
effort of New York Road Runners, the Mayor's Office of New York City, and
the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation.
Waitz, Rodgers, Radcliffe, and Keflezighi are all past ING New York City
Marathon champions; Waitz won a record nine times (1978-80, 1982-86, and
1988), Rodgers won four times (1976-79), Radcliffe won three times in the
last six years (2004, 2007-08), and Keflezighi won the 2009 race.
Gebrselassie is the marathon world record-holder and has set 25 world
records in his illustrious career. Hall, Flanagan, Ritzenhein, and Kastor
are all Olympians and American record-holders.
"It's our honor to have a list of superstar athletes join in our efforts to
assist in the Haiti recovery and continue making a positive difference
through running," said New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary
Wittenberg. "The event is quickly becoming running's 'We are the World'
effort."
"With the leaders of our sport participating virtually, we have the entire
support of the running community working towards the goal of recovery,"
said Wittenberg.
More than 8,000 people have registered for the Central Park race. All entry
fees ($40 per entry) will go directly to New York City's Haiti Relief Fund,
which is administered by the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City and
directed to the following organizations: the American Red Cross, Doctors
Without Borders, Partners in Health, and the United Nations World Food
Programme.
The Run for Haiti will include pre-race and post-race activities for
families, including free kids' races.
New York City's Haiti Relief Fund, administered by the Mayor's Fund to
Advance New York City, was established to provide a secure vehicle for
donations to aid the victims of the January 12, 2010, earthquake. The
Mayor's Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, serves as an umbrella
not-for-profit organization for the City of New York to aid public programs
with private support. To donate by phone, call 311 (212-NEW-YORK outside
New York City); online, go to www.nyc.gov/fund; by mail, make check payable
to Mayor's Fund, One Centre Street, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10007 (note:
Haiti Relief Fund).
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