Famous Faces 2009
The ING New York City Marathon is a magnet for achievers of all sorts - even people who have already made their name in film, music, commerce, and sports other than running. Keep your eyes open - New York is the media capital of the world and you never know who you'll see on the course or on the sidewalks.
Stage, Screen and Radio:
Edward Norton: This Oscar nominee and Golden Globe-winning actor is starring in the new film Leaves of Grass. Norton, also a film director, is running on November 1 for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust with a group of 30, including several Maasai warriors. He's Tweeting up a storm to promote the charity.
Anthony Edwards: Best known for playing the part of Mark Greene, M.D., on the television show ER, Edwards is chairman of Shoe4Africa and is running to raise funds for that non-profit, which is currently raising money to fund a children's hospital in Kenya.
Sarah Jones: This multi-talented actress and playwright has won a Tony and Obie award. She is the author of the acclaimed play Bridge & Tunnel and is working on a commission for Lincoln Center. Jones is running on the Shoe4Africa team.
James LeGros: You might recognize this actor as the doctor in the new NBC series Mercy. LeGros is on the Shoe4Africa team.
Dante Di Loreto: If you watch the new series GLEE, you're seeing Di Loreto's work -- he's the executive producer of that show. Di Loreto is raising funds for Shoe4Africa.
Anthony Sullivan: He's the host of the Discovery Channel show Pitchmen and is running for Grassroot Soccer, a charity that uses soccer to educate and fight against HIV and AIDS.
Veronica Webb: Supermodel and now co-host of Tim Gunn's Guide to Style, Webb will be raising money for Harlem United Community AIDS Center.
Peter Segal: Segal is the host of the popular radio show Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me; hes running to raise funds for the Healthy Schools Campaign.
John Pickard: This British actor is running for the UK non-profit, The Prostate Cancer Charity.
Kate Shindle: The former Miss America (1998) is now a Broadway actress in such plays as Legally Blonde, Cabaret and Jekyll & Hyde. She is raising funds for BroadwayImpact, an affiliate of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
David Blaine: Known for creating illusions and performing feats of endurance, Blaine is in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding his breath under water: for 17 minutes, 4.4 seconds. Blaine is running 26.2 miles to support the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust
Music:
Alanis Morissette: A native of Canada, Morissette has won seven Grammy awards for her songwriting and singing. She's running in aid of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust.
Michelle Heaton: A pop-music star in England who also appeared in the UK version of Big Brother, Heaton will run in aid of Autism Action, a UK charity.
Reality Television Stars:
Tara Costa: You might have seen Costa in last year's edition of NBC's The Biggest Loser, which chronicled her loss of 155 pounds; she was named runner-up on the show. Visit Tara's blog.
Robert Herjavec: This successful businessman appears as one of the "sharks" on the ABC series Shark Tank. He's raising funds for Team for Kids.
Brennan Swain: He's an experienced racer -- he won the first season of The Amazing Race; Swain is running to raise funds for Grassroot Soccer.
Ryan Sutter: He's already a winner, having won the television reality show Bachelorette. Sutter is running for Grassroot Soccer.
Ian Rosenberger: He survived Survivor, now he's running for Grassroot Soccer.
Chad Crittenden: This Survivor alumni is running for Grassroot Soccer.
Sports World:
Dan Jansen: A speedskater who won a gold medal in the 1994 Olympics, Jansen is on the ING Run for Something Better team.
Pat LaFontaine: This pro-hockey player started with the New York Islanders in 1983 and finished his career with the New York Rangers in 1998; he's on the ING Run for Something Better team.
Mark Lopez: In the 2008 Olympics, Lopez won a silver medal in taekwondo; his entire family participates in the martial arts -- watch for them cheering Lopez.
Caryn Davies: This law student is running her first marathon; she's already won two Olympic medals for the US in rowing, including a gold in 2008.
Food and Fashion:
Mark Bittman: A cookbook author and blogger, Bittman is author of the best-selling How to Cook Everything. His column, "The Minimalist" has appeared in the New York Times for 11 years.
Raul Penarandar: Now head fashion designer for Oscar de la Renta, Penarandar is about to launch his own clothing line and is raising money for NYRR's Team for Kids.
Nicholas Mellamphy: Because he's turning 40 this year, this Canadian fashion expert is raising $40,000 for two Canadian charities, the Corsage Project and Princess Margaret Hospital.
Joe Bastianich: This chef, winemaker, and restauranteur is running his second consecutive ING New York City Marathon and has recruited six employees from his restaurant Becco to run with him. Bastianich appears on the Today show as their wine expert.
Joe Campanale: A restaurant owner who is about to open his own wine bar and appears on the Today show as a wine expert, Campanale is raising funds for Team Hole in the Wall.
The Public Stage:
Nir Barkat: The mayor of Jerusalem since November 2008, Barkat is also well-known as a successful businessman. Barkat is running with a group of friends to celebrate his 50th birthday.
Prince Pieter Christiaan Michiel: He's technically Prince of the Netherlands, but he's also an executive in Amsterdam and is running the marathon to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund.
