New York, October 23, 2013—New York Road Runners will honor the Rudin family with the Abebe Bikila Award for their outstanding commitment and contributions to the sport of distance running. Mary Wittenberg, President and CEO of New York Road Runners and marathon race director of the ING New York City Marathon, will present the award to Bill Rudin on October 30 at the Central Park finish line of the ING New York City Marathon.

Originally intended to be part of the 2012 Marathon celebrations, NYRR postponed award presentations after Hurricane Sandy forced the cancellation of the race. This year’s ceremony will be part of the annual event where city and race officials begin painting the blue line that traces the iconic race route through the five boroughs of New York.

In 1976, Lewis and Jack Rudin honored their late father, Samuel Rudin – an avid long distance runner and a member of the Pastime Athletic Club in the Bronx – by becoming a sponsor of the New York City Marathon. For 36 years, the Rudin family has presented the winning athletes of the race with the Samuel Rudin Trophy. 

“The Rudin family is part of the fabric of the ING New York City Marathon – it’s impossible to think of the race without reflecting on their tremendous contribu tion,” said Wittenberg. “Their steadfast, decades-long support of NYRR and our marquee event have helped advance the race as one of NYC’s most treasured traditions and furthered NYRR’s efforts to help all New Yorkers Run for Life. I look forward to presenting this token of our appreciation to Bill Rudin this year.”

Bill Rudin, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rudin Management, Inc., stated, “On behalf of my family, we are honored to accept the Abebe Bikila Award and are proud to have been a part of the New York City Marathon since 1976 when my father Lew and my uncle Jack were asked to sponsor the one-time five borough race. Today, that five-borough race is an annual event and has grown to become the preeminent race in the world. There is no greater day in New York City than Marathon Sunday.”

The Abebe Bikila Award, named for the legendary 1960 and 1964 Olympic marathon champion from Ethiopia, has been presented annually by New York Road Runners since 1978 to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of distance running, both on and off the field. Past recipients include Grete Waitz, Fred Lebow, Bill Rodgers, Allan Steinfeld, Paul Tergat, and 2011 winner Gérman Silva.

Nationally, the ING New York City Marathon will be presented live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes+ from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST. For those who have video subscriptions with affiliated providers, the race will also be available via WatchESPN. Locally, New Yorkers can watch the race on ABC7 or 7online.com from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., or via WatchABC on mobile devices. Pre-race features from the start at Fort Wadsworth will broadcast live at 7:00 a.m. on ABC7, 7online.com and WatchABC. Additionally, a national highlights show will air from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on local ABC affiliates. International viewers can watch the broadcast via a live digital stream from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST on 7online.com.

About the ING New York City Marathon

NYRR’s premier event, the ING New York City Marathon is the most loved and most inclusive marathon in the world, attracting elite athletes and recreational runners alike for the challenge and thrill of a lifetime. The race has grown tremendously since it began in 1970 with just 127 runners racing four laps of Central Park. Now, some 48,000 participants from all over the globe flock to New York City every November for an adrenaline-filled road tour of all five boroughs, starting on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and ending in Central Park. Some run for prize money or bragging rights, others for charity or their personal best. All are cheered on by more than two million live spectators and a TV audience of 330 million.

NYRR is proud to be a part of the World Marathon Majors—an alliance with the Tokyo, Boston, Virgin Money London, BMW Berlin, and Bank of America Chicago marathons—to advance the sport, raise awareness and increase interest and involvement in participatory and professional marathon running globally. A signature element is the WMM series, which offers a $1 million prize purse to be split equally between the top male and the top female marathoner in the world.