From Running USA

The 40th ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1, 2009 was a memorable and historic event with the first U.S. race champion since 1982 - Meb Keflezighi and the largest marathon field in the sport's history - 43,741 runners and 43,475 finishers (a 99.4% completion rate). Below is a summary of fast facts for the flagship marathon in 2009:

THE FIELD

All time high number of participants: 43,741 starters, 43,475 finishers

• Number of starters: 43,741
  
• Number of finishers: 43,475
  
• Largest number of marathon finishers in running history (previously 38,607 - at 2007 ING NYC Marathon; 4,868 more finishers than in 2007)
  
• Italy had the highest number of non-U.S. finishers: 3,093
  
• France was second with total finishers: 2,924
  
• Total countries represented: 110
  
• Total states represented: 50 plus DC, Puerto Rico and Guam
  
• Total finishers from the tri-state area: 12,661
  
• 102,486 people applied for the ING New York City Marathon 2009.
  
• Oldest Female Finisher: Yolande Marois, 84, 7:41:04
  
• Oldest Male Finisher: Peter Harangozo, 88, 7:53:02

PROFESSIONAL RACE SUMMARY

Winners

• Male Open race winner: Meb Keflezighi, USA, 2:09:15, personal record
  
• Female Open race winner: Derartu Tulu, Ethiopia, 2:28:52
  
• Male wheelchair race winner: Kurt Fearnley, Australia, 1:35:58
  
• Female wheelchair race winner: Edith Hunkeler, Switzerland, 1:58:15
  
• Male hand cycle race winner: Helene Hines, USA, 1:53:51
  
• Female hand cycle race winner: Dane Pilon, USA, 1:19:48

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Meb Keflezighi became the first U.S. man to win the race since Alberto Salazar three-peated in 1982. Keflezighi has now finished in every podium position in New York: champion (2009), runner-up (2004) and third (2005). The two-time Olympian earned $200,000 in prize money and time bonuses.
  
• Derartu Tulu became the first Ethiopian woman to win New York, and is the only Olympic 10,000m gold medalist (male or female) to win here.
  
• Ludmila Petrova, 41, competed in her 9th ING NYC Marathon, taking her third podium finish.
  
• Even with the strongest men's fields ever in New York, six American men finished in the top 10, the best U.S. finish at NYC since 1979.

Professional women's field had 7 personal bests:

• Buzunesh Deba, Ethiopia, 2:35:54
  
• Serkalem Biset Abrha, Ethiopia, 2:37:20
  
• Desiree Ficker, Austin, TX, 2:39:30
  
• Catha Mullen, New York, NY, 2:43:13
  
• Christine Ramsey, Baltimore, MD, 2:44:37
  
• Hirut Mandefro, Ethiopia, 2:47:03
  
• Rebecca Yau, New York, NY, 2:51:22

Professional men's field had 8 personal bests:

• Meb Keflezighi, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 2:09:15
  
• Jorge Torres, Boulder, CO, 2:13:00
  
• Nick Arciniaga, Rochester Hills, MI, 2:13:46
  
• Mike Sayenko, Bellevue, WA, 2:16:38
  
• Allen Wagner, Huntington Valley, PA, 2:17:49
  
• Max King, Bend, OR, 2:19:11
  
• Pat Tarpy, Providence, RI, 2:20:43
  
• Bryan Morseman, Addison, NY, 2:23:50

Athlete Payments

• Prize money totaled $800,000, the largest in race history.

CHARITY

• The race charities had over 6,700 runners raise more than $24 million ($24 million - not a typo).

For more of the above including age group and charity breakdowns as well as broadcast and web numbers, go to: www.nyrrmedia.org