A celebration of distance running kicks off in the Big Apple this weekend with the men's US Olympic marathon trials and culminates in a Sunday showdown for the New York City Marathon.
Tomorrow's marathon is expected to feature more than 37,000 runners through the five boroughs of New York, but the focus falls on a duel between Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia and Ethiopian Gete Wami for a $500,000 payout.
The race will determine the first World Marathon Majors women's title, with twice New York defender Prokopcuka needing to finish third or better to have a chance at overtaking Wami in points gathered over two years in major marathons.
The prospect of clinching the first World Marathon Majors payday motivated Wami to make a quick turnaround and race in New York 35 days after winning in Berlin to push 10 points past Prokopcuka in the standings.
"The next significant race after the New York Marathon will be the Olympics, and I'll have enough time to recover," said the 32-year-old Wami.
Prokopcuka is trying to become the first woman to rule the roads of New York with three marathon wins in a row since nine-times winner Grete Waitz.
Prokopcuka has other formidable challengers to conquer. Running her first marathon in more than two years after a maternity break will be 2004 champion and world record holder Paula Radcliffe of Britain.
Radcliffe, who showed she was in competitive shape by finishing runner-up at the BUPA Great North Run a month ago in her first race in 21 months, enters with the modest aim of posting an Olympics qualifying time for Beijing.
Yet Prokopcuka said Radcliffe's presence changes the race. "When she announced to run in New York, it changed the tactics for all the runners," Prokopcuka said.
"She likes running and she likes big races. And she likes winning."
Also gracing the field is Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, who has won the Boston Marathon four times, the Chicago Marathon twice and the world championship twice.
Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya has already wrapped up the first men's World Marathon Majors crown. Men's defender Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil goes against a New York field that includes 2007 London Marathon runner-up Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco and twice London winner and 2003 New York champion Martin Lel of Kenya.
A chance to chase Olympic glory in Beijing is the prize for 133 American men also running to a Central Park finish in today's US Olympic trials.
Three places on the US team are at stake with leading contenders including 2004 Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi, Alan Culpepper, Ryan Hall and former world record holder Khalid Khannouchi, coming back from a foot injury.