MARLA RUNYAN TO GO FOR THE 5,000 METER AMERICAN INDOOR RECORD AT THE SECOND NEW YORK ROAD RUNNERS RECORD CHALLENGE
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Marla
Runyan (left) runs alongside Sarah Schwald during the Millrose Games
mile on February 2nd. Runyan finished third in the slow, tactical
race.
(Photo: Alison Wade/www.fast-women.com) |
New York, February 12 -- Marla Runyan, the first legally-blind athlete to make an American Olympic team, will take off in pursuit of the women's American indoor record for 5,000 meters as part of the New York Road Runners (NYRR) Record Challenge Series on the lightning fast Mondo track at the Armory Track & Field Center on Sunday (Feb. 18).
The inspirational Runyan, who has 20/300 vision in her left eye and 20/400 in her right, hopes to beat the mark of 15:22.64, set by Lynn Jennings on Jan. 7, 1990. Runyan won the 3,000 meters at last year's USA Indoor Championships (9:01.29) before finishing third in the 1500 meters at the Olympic Trials (4:06.44) and eighth at Sydney (4:08.30) in a slow-paced race.
Runyan, 32, a resident of Eugene, Oregon, placed 10th in the heptathlon at the 1996 Olympic Trials, breaking the heptathlon 800 meter record (2:04.70). This convinced her to drop the heptathlon and concentrate on middle distances.
Fans are welcome free of charge to watch the record attempt, which is co-sponsored and organized by the Armory Track & Field Center and the NYRR. It will take place at 2:00 p.m. during the Catholic High School Championships. "We are thrilled that Marla has chosen the Armory to make this record attempt," said Dr. Norbert Sander, president of the Armory Foundation.
The Armory Track & Field Center is located in Washington Heights at 216 Fort Washington Avenue (168th Street). The NYRR is the largest running organization in the world and producer of the world famous New York City Marathon®.
"We welcome the opportunity to have such amazing runners, like Marla, come and boldly challenge an incredible standing record. We are pleased to continue our involvement in bringing the very best track and field events to all our running friends in the New York metropolitan area," said Allan Steinfeld, president and CEO of the NYRRC.
Last year, in the first record breaking attempt of the NYRR series, Regina Jacobs attempted to run the 1,500 meters in under four minutes, and create a new world record.
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