Five-Time World Champion and Two-Time U.S. Olympian Bernard Lagat to Make Half-Marathon Debut at NYC Half

March 17 race will be the longest of Lagat’s career

Event to be broadcast live locally on WABC-TV and nationally on ESPN3

New York, February 19, 2013—Bernard Lagat will take on the longest race of his career in his half-marathon debut at the NYC Half on Sunday, March 17, it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.

“We are simply thrilled to host Bernard Lagat, one of the greatest runners our sport has ever seen, in his debut at the half-marathon distance,” said Wittenberg. “Bernard already has a storied history in New York City; he’s inspired us with his dominance at the Wanamaker Mile and his perseverance at the Fifth Avenue Mile, racing year after year until he finally captured the crown. If he can win the NYC Half, he’ll be the first winner of the Fifth Avenue Mile, the Wanamaker Mile and the NYC Half, a trifecta that would be just another indication of Bernard’s talents and range.”

One of America’s most decorated runners, Lagat was victorious yet again at the Millrose Games on Saturday night, reclaiming the American indoor record in the two-mile with a time of 8:09.49. He also ran 7:34.71 for 3000 meters earlier this month in Karlsruhe, Germany.

“I’m excited to be running a half-marathon,” said Lagat. “It’s a big step up in distance, but I think I’ll be well prepared. Of course, there’s a bit of uncertainty, but that makes it exciting; the challenge is what really appeals to me,” he added. “New York has been a great city for me for more than a decade. I’m proud of all those Wanamaker Mile wins, the record, running the Fifth Avenue Mile, and finally winning there in 2011. I’m really looking forward to the half-marathon next month; I’ve been planning for it during all my training this season.”

NYRR’s flagship half-marathon, in its eighth running, will air live locally on WABC-TV from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. It will also stream live on ESPN3 concurrently with the broadcast. NYRR’s On the Run broadcast will air on www.nyrr.org at 8:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16, with a post-race recap Sunday evening. The race continues to attract prominent professional athletes and thousands of recreational runners from around the world.  

The NYC Half will offer runners a spectacular 13.1 mile tour of Manhattan as they race through Central Park to Times Square, the Hudson River waterfront, and finish in lower Manhattan. This year's race is "More than a Run," offering runners and their family, friends, and fans ways to get involved, give back, and have fun. 

About NYRR

New York Road Runners was founded in 1958 when a small group of passionate runners vowed to bring running to the people. Over the past 55 years, NYRR has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization. NYRR’s mission is to empower everyone, of all ages and abilities—beginners and competitive athletes, the young and the elderly, adult professionals and underserved schoolchildren—to improve their health and well-being through the power of running and fitness.

NYRR’s races, community events, instruction and training resources, and youth programs give hundreds of thousands of people each year the motivation, know-how, and opportunity to start running and keep running for life. NYRR’s premier event, the famed ING New York City Marathon, attracts the world’s top pro runners and committed amateurs alike while also raising millions of dollars annually for charity and driving economic impact for the City. But NYRR is equally committed to the runners of tomorrow, passionately providing youth fitness programs that educate and inspire more than 150,000 kids in underserved communities in New York City, all 50 states, and around the world.

Headquartered in New York City, NYRR implements a unique nonprofit model that teams contributed and earned income to make all its efforts possible. To learn more, please visit www.nyrr.org.