Ryan Hall to Run Boston Marathon

Olympic marathoner and American half marathon record holder Ryan Hall will compete in the 113th Boston Marathon next April 20, event sponsor John Hancock Financial announced today.

The fastest American marathon runner for the past two years, Hall wants to become the first American winner of the race since Greg Meyer in 1983.

"I am grateful to have the opportunity to compete on the John Hancock elite team at the 2009 Boston Marathon," Hall said. "The Boston Marathon is the grand daddy of the World Marathon Majors, to win here would mean as much to me as winning any marathon in the world, including the Olympic Games.

"To win in Boston would show the world that American distance running is indeed back to the days of [Alberto] Salazar, [Dick] Beardsley, and [Bill] Rodgers. I hope that I can contribute to bringing American marathoning back to the forefront. There is no better place to do that than Boston. What is done in Boston lives on for all time."

A 2005 Stanford graduate and three-time All American, Hall set the American 20K record at the 2006 world championships and a year later broke the 21-year old American half marathon record. His 59:43 win at the U.S. championships marked the first time an American had ever broken the one-hour barrier.

Hall made his marathon debut in London 2007 and stayed with the African leaders until the final miles, eventually finishing seventh in 2:08:24, the fastest debut ever by an American. A few months later at the U.S. Olympic Trials, he set a course record as he cruised to a nearly two-minute lead over one of the best U.S. fields ever assembled.

This past summer, Hall returned to London in April, finishing fifth in 2:06:17, making him the second fastest American of all time. At the Olympics Hall placed 10th.

"Ryan's Boston Marathon debut will be a highly anticipated performance throughout the sports world," said Executive Director Guy Morse, of the Boston Athletic Association, which oversees the race. "As an American Olympian recruited by our principal sponsor John Hancock Financial, his commitment to race in Boston, combined with his record of outstanding performances are indicators that he will add great excitement to the 113th Boston Marathon as he challenges some of the world's best athletes on the world's most famous course."

Hall is married to professional runner Sara Bei Hall and the couple resides in Mammoth Lakes, California.

By Amy Shipley  |  November 18, 2008; 1:42 PM ET  | Category:  Track and Field
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