ING NYC Marathon Champion, Olympian Meb Keflezighi Kicks Off Marathon Week With "Run To Overcome"

Nov. 1, 2010 - PRLog -- Marathon fever will grip New York City this week, and defending champion Meb Keflezighi (pronounced Kef-lez-ghee), will help kick it off with the publication of his memoir, Run to Overcome: The Inspiring Story of an American Champion’s Long-Distance Quest to Achieve a Big Dream, with Tyndale Publishing today, the one year anniversary of his landmark triumph on the streets of New York. The book is co-authored by USA Today veteran and Olympic expert Dick Patrick. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of the book will go to the MEB Foundation.  The MEB Foundation ("Maintaining Excellent Balance"), which support health, education, and fitness programs in the United States and his native Eritrea.

"Like the marathon, life can sometimes be difficult, challenging and present obstacles,” Keflezighi said. “However if you believe in your dreams and never ever give up, things will turn out for the best.”

The autobiography chronicles the California residents’ inspirational story of his escape to the U.S. from the war-torn country of Eritrea in northeast Africa, and the struggles he has faced and overcome personally and professionally to be America’s leading distance runner and one of the most consistent elite marathoners in the world today.

Keflezighi became the first American to win the New York marathon in 27 years with last year’s surprise title, but he immediately faced questions from critics as to whether he was “really” an American in spite of his U.S. citizenship status and the fact that he has represented the USA on two Olympic and several World Championship teams. The book looks at Meb’s response to the criticism as the latest triumph in a series of challenging and life altering events. Those events range from his escaping a life of instability and a violent war with Ethiopia to come to America and become an A student and a high school state and national champion, to his silver medal finish at the Athens Olympics, his experiences as a student at UCLA and the many personal and professional obstacles he has overcome as an athlete, teammate, father, and husband.  

Run to Overcome is the inspirational story of a man who discovered the real meaning of victory, and who embodies the American spirit of overcoming the odds.

Keflezighi will arrive in New York Monday night and take part in a New York Road Runners Press Conference on Tuesday 11 a.m. EDT which will be streamed  at NYRR.org.
The official launch of the MEB Foundation will be at a private reception at the New York Times Building, during the week.  Keflezighi’s first official book signings will on November 8, at the Foot Locker store on 34th street from 4:30-5:30pm and Niketown from 12-1pm.

Signed copies of “Run To Overcome” will be available for sale at the Foot Locker expo booth of the ING New York City Marathon Health and Fitness expo from Thursday to
Saturday as well.

For all the details go to http://www.runtoovercome.com/

CONTACTS:

For Tyndale:
Todd Starowitz
Public Relations Manager
toddstarowitz@tyndale.com
(630) 784-5397 - work

For The MEB Foundation:
Merhawi Keflezighi
hawisports@gmail.com
(310) 895-6438

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