Marathon Opening Day Gallery

April 27, 2011

ING New York City Marathon Opening Day The road to the ING New York City Marathon 2011 finish began with great fanfare on April 27 at Marathon Opening Day, a special live celebration held to announce the selection of the first non-guaranteed entrants. Hundreds of hopeful runners gathered at Columbus Circle to learn whether they're "in" this year's marathon. They were joined by several equally eager celebrities, including ING New York City Marathon 2009 champ Meb Keflezighi, actor Edward Norton, and Olympic speed skating star Apolo Ohno—who will run his first marathon in New York this fall. MC Al Roker drew the names of ten runners, three of whom won grand prize packages from ASICS and Poland Spring Brand 100% Natural Spring Water. They, and thousands of other athletes from around the world, are now on the Road to the Finish—a path they'll travel as they log hundreds of miles in the coming months in preparation for Marathon Sunday. [Story]

Excited runners gathered at Columbus Circle, less than half a mile from the ING New York City Marathon finish line.
City councilman (and marathon veteran) Robert Jackson joined NYRR's President and CEO Mary Wittenberg and NYC Economic Development Corporation COO Josh Wallack to highlight the race's enormous economic impact. Last year, the ING New York City Marathon brought an estimated $340 million to the city.
Cat Greenleaf and Bruce Beck of WNBC hosted the live webcast.
ING New York City Marathon 2009 champ Meb Keflezighi will return for this year's race, before competing in next year's Olympic trials marathon.
MC Al Roker drew the names of the first 10 lucky runners.
Laura Satterly is IN!
U.S. Olympian Jen Rhines will make a return to the marathon in November.
Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe works closely with NYRR to make every race as green as the lawns in Central Park.
Jubilant first-timer Jennifer Anaya celebrates with her husband, an ING New York City marathon veteran.
Actor, marathoner, and seasoned fundraiser Edward Norton discusses Crowdrise, his philanthropic social network.
We hope Yankee center fielder Curtis Granderson will keep playing baseball through the first Sunday in November—but we'd love to see him on Staten Island someday when he hangs up his cleats.
Survivor winner, cancer survivor, and ING New York City Marathon veteran Ethan Zohn will once again toe the line on behalf of Grassroots Soccer, which provides HIV-prevention programs to kids in Africa.
Butch Dudas is in! His wife and daughter will join the fun, too, supporting him as he trains and hollering for him on November 6.
Anthony Majewski is in, and he'll win the style prize if he decides to run in his bow tie.
Runners listened anxiously as the names were drawn.
Tania Rivera is in, and seasoned marathoner Al Roker had some words of encouragement.
Mary Wittenberg and Al Roker sounded a giant air horn to start runners off on the Road to the Finish.
Jennifer Anaya, Tania Rivera, and Anthony Majewski celebrated their grand prizes—each runner went home with a duffle bag full of running shoes and clothes from ASICS, plus ample supplies of Poland Spring Brand 100% Natural Spring Water to keep them hydrated as they train.