Global Maternal Health Advocate/Founder of Every Mother Counts Christy Turlington Burns, chef Richard Blais, restaurateur Joe Bastianich, and Boardwalk Empire’s Paul Sparks will run for second consecutive year
Television talent Jean Chatzky, Tanya Marchiol, and Anna Kooiman join field for November 4 race
New York, September 20, 2012-Familiar faces will be running through the five boroughs in the world’s most popular marathon this year. Founder of Every Mother Counts Christy Turlington Burns, celebrity chef Richard Blais, restaurateur Joe Bastianich, and Boardwalk Empire’s Paul Sparks have decided to take on the challenge of the ING New York City Marathon for the second consecutive year. Joining these Marathon veterans will be television talent Jean Chatzky (NBC’s Today Show), television personality Tanya Marchiol (HGTV), and news correspondent Anna Kooiman (FOX News Channel), it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.
Previously announced celebrities adding sparkle to the field include U.S. Army veteran and Dancing with the Stars winner J.R. Martinez, who’s running on behalf of Timex GPS, and former New York Rangers hockey player Nick Kypreos, now a sports analyst on Canada’s Sportsnet.
“We have quite a celebrity contingent this year,” exclaimed Wittenberg. “We always look forward to having our celebrity runners shine at the ING New York City Marathon! These stars help to spread very important messages to their fans: living a healthy lifestyle, giving back to the community, and demonstrating the determination to achieve something great. They add a wonderful sense of excitement, inspiration, and buzz to the field of runners.”
The celebrity participants have traded their broadcast scripts for running logs, sporting equipment for sneakers, and Hollywood backdrops for the streets of New York City, but on November 4, they’ll all come together to support one of more than 200 charities that are involved with the ING New York City Marathon. In 2011, the official charity program raised a record-breaking $34 million toward many different causes. This year, the race aims to raise the bar even higher, to a total of more than $35 million.
“Each year, hundreds of thousands of women die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, but 90 percent of these deaths can be prevented if more people become aware of the challenges and solutions,” said Turlington Burns. “By running the ING New York City Marathon, EMC hopes to engage more supporters by illustrating one of the biggest barriers- distance. A marathon-26.2 miles-is the average distance a woman living in a rural part of many countries must travel to access emergency obstetric care. We are running the ING New York City Marathon again so other women don’t have to walk. We believe that together, we can make pregnancy and childbirth safe for all moms.”
The full list of celebrity participants
-Stephanie Abrams, on-camera meteorologist, The Weather Channel
-Joe Bastianich, restaurateur, judge on Master Chef
-Richard Blais, chef/TV personality, Life After Top Chef (Alliance for a Healthier Generation)
-Jennifer Carpenter, actress, Dexter (Every Mother Counts)
-Jean Chatzky, best-selling author and financial editor, NBC (Alliance for a Healthier Generation)
-Dave Douglas, jazz composer/musician/label owner (Ovarian Cancer National Alliance)
-Andrew Firestone, The Bachelor Season 3 (Team Grassroot Soccer)
-Anna Kooiman, News Correspondent, FOX News Channel (Folds of Honor)
-Nick Kypreos, former NY Rangers player, hockey analyst on Canada’s Sportsnet
-Tanya Marchiol, television talent (HGTV)
-J.R. Martinez, U.S. Army veteran, winner of Dancing with the Stars (NYRR Youth Programs)
-Sarah Reinertsen, American challenged athlete, first female leg-amputee to complete Ironman® World Championship, CBS Amazing Race star (Challenged Athletes Foundation)
-Brian Sears, actor in Broadway’s Book of Mormon (Broadway Impact)
-Nick Spangler, winner of Amazing Race Season 2, actor in Broadway’s Book of Mormon (Broadway Impact)
-Paul Sparks, actor, Boardwalk Empire (JDRF)
-Greg T, radio personality, Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, Z100 (Rosie’s Theater Kids)
-Christy Turlington Burns, Global Maternal Health Advocate/Founder of Every Mother Counts (Every Mother Counts)
-Edwin van der Sar, former Manchester United soccer goalkeeper (Laureus Sport For Good Foundation)
-Patrick Wilson, actor, Insidious, Young Adult, Little Children (Michael J. Fox Foundation)
-Justin Young, contestant, Amazing Race Season 19 (Team Grassroot Soccer)
About the ING New York City Marathon
NYRR’s premier event, the ING New York City Marathon is the most loved and most inclusive marathon in the world, attracting elite athletes and recreational runners alike for the challenge and thrill of a lifetime. The race has grown tremendously since it began in 1970 with just 127 runners racing four laps of Central Park. Now, more than 47,000 participants from all over the globe flock to New York City every November for an adrenaline-filled road tour of all five boroughs, starting on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and ending in Central Park. Some run for prize money or bragging rights, others for charity or their personal best. All are cheered on by more than two million live spectators and a TV audience of 330 million.