ING New York City Marathon

Weatherman Al Roker ready for run of his life in New York marathon
By Roxanna Scott, USA TODAY

Al Roker admits he hasn't been a big fan of the ING New York City Marathon, saying he thought of the crowds and congestion as a nuisance.
"I understand why people do it, and I understand it's a great event in New York," he said. "But for most of us, it comes down to ourselves. If I have trouble getting to my street, now I'm annoyed."


But Sunday, Roker will attempt his first marathon in his hometown, along with more than 43,000 runners, making the New York City Marathon the largest in the USA. He's been training since March and ran the Chicago half marathon in 3 hours, 10 minutes as part of his preparation.

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The Today show weatherman says he's not trying to break a certain time; his goal is to cross the finish line. He'll be running with Today's Meredith Vieira.

"She's really amazing. She had a hamstring injury, and most people said, 'Oh she's not going to be able to run.' But she rehabbed it and did physical therapy, and we're running together. She's a much better runner than I am, so she'll probably have to pull back."

Here's a look at some past celebrity runners and their times in the New York marathon:

•Sean Combs 4:14:52
•Anthony Edwards 4:08:20
•Katie Holmes 5:29:58
•Edward Norton 3:48:01

This year's celebrity field also includes chef Bobby Flay, Subway spokesman Jared Fogle and former New York Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer.