New Zealand’s Kim Smith Will Run in New York on November 6

American 5000-meter record-holder Molly Huddle will run NYRR 5 on November 5

New York, June 1, 2011—Coming off a heartbreaking race at April’s Boston Marathon, where she led for 17 miles before a leg injury forced her to withdraw, Kim Smith of New Zealand will make her marathon return at the ING New York City Marathon 2011. The marathon will be the second of two planned appearances in New York this year for Smith, as she’ll also run the NYRR New York Mini 10K on June 11, as her first race since Boston.

Smith's training partner Molly Huddle, the American 5000-meter record-holder, will toe the line at the NYRR 5 on Saturday, November 5, during marathon weekend. The race will feature a professional athlete field; still-to-be-announced prize money, start time, and course details; and a finish under the marathon finish-line banner.

The runners made the announcement at the NYRR Mighty Milers Fun Run at Icahn Stadium on National Running Day (NRD). They joined 2,000 schoolchildren as part of the third annual NRD celebration.

Smith will join three-time Olympian Jen Rhines of the United States and defending champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya on the marathon starting line; defending champion Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia and ING New York City Marathon 2009 champion Meb Keflezighi of the United States will also run on November 6. [Story]

"It's great to have two of the best women athletes in the world here today to celebrate National Running Day,” said Wittenberg. “Both Kim and Molly are young at heart and full of athletic potential. Their best remains in front of them, and that’s so exciting for all these kids here with us today. We are thrilled they will be both be headlining major NYRR events this year."

Smith, 29, a native of Auckland who now lives in Providence, RI, won four NCAA titles in two seasons at Providence College. She holds 12 New Zealand records at distances from the mile to the marathon (2:25:21, London, 2010).

I can’t wait to step on the line in November for the ING New York City Marathon,” said Smith. “I want to put my Boston Marathon experience behind me and I hope to do that in New York. Marathon weekend in New York is so exciting and it is a lot of fun to be part of the buzz."

Huddle, 26, also of Providence, set the American 5000-meter record of 14:44.76 at the Brussels Diamond League meet in 2010 and won her second USA 10K championship. She has won five additional USA championships over distances from 5K to 10 miles.

"It will be my third time attending the marathon, and it is always a very dramatic and exciting weekend, so I can’t wait to see what happens in 2011,” said Huddle. “I look forward to lacing up in NYC on National Running Day, and I can’t wait to come back to New York to be, in a small way, part of the marathon festivities."