Race Week Gallery

World-class runner Kim Smith of New Zealand is riding high after a string of half-marathon victories, but she'll face stiff competition from a talented field.

The Foot Locker Five Borough Challenge team will run the first half of the race together, then compete for hometown bragging rights and a handsome trophy.

Marathon mom Christie Dawes of Australia is returning to action after the birth of her son, Charlie; she's fresh from a second-place finish in Chicago.

The ceremonial painting of the blue (and orange) line by city officials and honored guests took place on Wednesday morning near the marathon finish line. Left to right: NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley; NYC Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, ING U.S. executive vice president Alain Karaoglan, Bill Rudin of longtime marathon sponsor The Rudin Family, Central Park Conservancy president Doug Blonsky, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Citywide Events Cristin Burtis, MTA Senior Director of Corporate and Internal Communications Paul J. Fleuranges, and NYRR Chairman of the Board George Hirsch.

These top American professional athletes are all entered in the ING New York City Marathon 2011. Left to right, standing: Bobby Curtis, Jennifer Houck, Sarah Porter, Molly Pritz, Lauren Fleshman, Jen Rhines, and Ed Moran. Foreground: wheelchair racers Amanda McGrory and Josh George.

The Central Park Conservancy and the New York Department of Parks and Recreation are indispensable and indefatigable partners with NYRR in making the ING New York City Marathon possible. Here, CPC and Parks workers stand with Doug Blonsky, the Conservancy's CEO (far left), Mayor Bloomberg (in dark suit), and Adrian Benepe, Commissioner of Parks and Recreation (in gray suit).

At Thursday evening's Five Borough Bash, Young Runner Eliomar Lopez told grown-up runners how running has helped him become a better student..

Rescued Chilean miner Edison Pena is back for another go 'round at the ING New York City Marathon.

Sunday isn't the only day for world-class competition this weekend—top runners from across the nation and around the world will compete in the NYRR Dash to the Finish Line 5K. They are (left to right, top row): Matt Tegenkamp, Brett Gotcher, Dathan Ritzenhein, Ben True, Chris Thompson. Bottom row, left to right: Lisa Uhl, Sally Kipyego, Molly Huddle, Sara Hall, Deena Kastor.

Apolo Ohno, Jennie Finch, and Mark Messier are all professional athletes—but like all first-time marathoners, they admitted to being a little nervous about Sunday's 26.2-mile challenge.

Excited runners from around the world collected their race materials at the Javits Center.

Dancers from Wonderful Indonesia entertained the crowd at the ING New York City Marathon Health & Fitness Expo.

New York City Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott came to Run with Champions, too—he got some inspiration for his five-borough journey from members of NYRR's Youth Running programs.

Poland Spring Presents the Marathon Fireworks lit up the sky as a spectacular conclusion to the Marathon Opening Ceremony.

ING New York City Marathon 2009 champion Meb Keflezighi of the United States and 2010 famous finisher Edison Pena of Chile ceremoniously crossed the finish line.

Jack Waitz accepted the honor on his late wife Grete Waitz's induction into the NYRR Hall of Fame. Nine-time New York City Marathon champion Waitz and race co-founder Fred Lebow are the first class of inductees.

NYRR chairman of the board George Hirsch presented the Abebe Bikila Award to two-time New York City Marathon champion (1994-95) and humanitarian German Silva of Mexico.

The parade also featured a roster of world-class professional wheelchair racers and runners, including Kenya's Caroline Kilel, the reigning Boston Marathon champion.

Delegations of runners from around the world, including this Austrian group, made up the first-ever Parade of Nations, part of the Marathon Opening Ceremony in Central Park on Friday night.

Dancers from Wonderful Indonesia performed at International Taste of Travel, a reception held at the Marathon Pavilion and featuring the food and culture of Indonesia and Andalucia.

Will Sunday's race be the battle of the Mutais? Reigning Virgin London Marathon champion Emmanuel Mutai (left) and reigning Boston Marathon champion Geoffrey Mutai, both of Kenya (though not related), are among the top contenders for the laurel wreath on November 6.

Defending men's champion Gebre Gebremariam and his wife, Werknesh Kidane, are almost certainly the marathon world's fastest couple, and both are running on November 6.

Celebrities Ethan Zohn, Ryan Sutter, Paul Sparks, Mya, Dr. Andy Baldwin, and Mario Lopez are all ready to run on Sunday!

NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg, NYRR vice president of youth and community services Cliff Sperber, an ING representative, Dr. Andy Baldwin, and NYRR young Runners program members attended a news conference to spotlight the ING Orange Laces Nation, which supports kids' participation in school-based running fitness programs.

The annual Marathon Eve Dinner was an opportunity for runners and their friends and family members to carb up and mingle the night before the big day.

NYRR Dash to the Finish Line winners Sara Hall and Chris Thompson stopped by to encourage and inspire runners and the Team for Kids awards breakfast.

Longtime marathon sponsor Bill Rudin, marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe, Jack Waitz, NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg, and Central Park Conservancy president Doug Blonsky planted a tree in memory of nine-time New York City Marathon champion Grete Waitz, who died of cancer earlier this year.

World-class runners—many of them aspiring 2012 Olympians—led the pack. Winners were Chris Thompson of Great Britain and Sara Hall of the United States.

The Dash—a first-time event—drew more than 5,300 runners looking to cruise through the streets of NYC and cross the marathon finish line—without running 26.2 miles!

The marathon champions visited the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, November 7, for the Opening Bell.

World Marathon Majors 2010-11 champions Emmanuel Mutai and Liliya Shobukhova received their ceremonial $500,000 winner's checks on Monday.

Monday's New York Times featured a Special Marathon Results section.

Finishers wore their medals proudly and posed by the Fred Lebow statue near the finish line. The ceremonial bib number is a reminder that "This One's for Grete," meaning that this year's race was dedicated to nine-time New York City Marathon champion Grete Waitz, who died earlier this year.

Marathoners and fans shopped at Marathon Monday at the Marathon Pavilion.