Former Champions, Elites Return To Compete In The 2014 Novo Nordisk New Jersey Marathon April 27

MONMOUTH, N.J. - Feb. 28, 2014 - PRLog -- A few familiar faces will be donning very low numbers and running at the head of the pack when former champions Oz Pearlman, Bronawyn O'Leary and Erin Reddan compete at the 18th Annual Novo Nordisk New Jersey Marathon, produced by Life Time – The Healthy Way of Life Company, on April 27. The race is part of a full three-day celebration of health and fitness which also includes the competitive Long Branch Half Marathon, Half Marathon Relay and new ShapingNJ 5k.

Pearlman, 31, of New York, the defending men's marathon champion, has taken first all three years in which he has entered, also winning in 2008 and 2011. O'Leary, 38, of Cliffwood Beach, N.J., was the women's full marathon champ in 2011, then won the half-marathon in 2012. Reddan, 26, of New York, won the half-marathon last year but will compete in the full marathon in 2014.

“It is gratifying to see great former champions like these returning to the Novo Nordisk New Jersey Marathon,” said Joe Gigas, Race Director. “They have set a standard for other runners, and we are pleased to welcome them at the head of this year's field.”

Several other “elite qualifiers” looking to upend the former champs have also committed to date, including Jeff Mescal in the men's marathon, Brigid Moriarity in the women's marathon, Tim Seeley and Mike Soroko in the men's half-marathon and Dactilia Booth and Cate Robbie in the women's half.

In order to qualify for the Elite Athlete program, runners must have met/exceeded the following times in the past three years: full marathon, males, under 2:30 (or 2:40 for level 2-elite qualification), females under 3:00 (or 3:10 level 2-elite); half-marathon, males, under 1:11 (or 1:15 level 2-elite), females under 1:20 (or 1:24 level 2-elite).

The course for the Novo Nordisk New Jersey Marathon runs through the diverse neighborhoods and business districts of Shore towns Oceanport, Monmouth Beach, Long Branch, Deal, Allenhurst, Loch Arbour, Asbury Park and Ocean Grove. This scenic, fast, flat and point-to-point course has proven to be a good choice for those attempting to qualify for the B.A.A. Boston Marathon, as many have done in the past.

This will be the first time the event is produced by Life Time Fitness, which recently acquired US Road Sports. The race begins inside Monmouth Park in Oceanport and finishes on the Long Branch Oceanfront Promenade, north of Pier Village. Wheelchair athletes start at 6:45 a.m. for the half-marathon and 8 a.m. for the full marathon, followed in waves by the rest of the corrals.
Registration for all events, course views (when finalized), information about volunteering, sponsorship and details of the entire weekend of activities are available at the race Web site at www.NJMarathon.org and the event Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NJMarathon. Runners and fans are encouraged to follow the Novo Nordisk New Jersey Marathon on Twitter @NJMarathon.

Beginning runners, walkers and athletes with disabilities are all invited to participate. The Novo Nordisk New Jersey Marathon also conducts a series of training runs and related events to help participants of all levels to prepare.

About Novo Nordisk
Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk is a global health care company with 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within hemophilia care, growth hormone therapy and hormone therapy. For more information, visit novonordisk-us.com or follow US activities on Twitter at @novonordiskus.

About Life Time Fitness, Inc.
As The Healthy Way of Life Company, Life Time Fitness  helps organizations, communities and individuals achieve their total health objectives, athletic aspirations and fitness goals by engaging in their areas of interest – or discovering new passions – both inside and outside of Life Time’s distinctive and large sports, professional fitness, family recreation and spa destinations, most of which operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Company’s Healthy Way of Life approach enables members to achieve this by providing the best programs, people and places of uncompromising quality and value. As of Feb. 26, 2014, the Company operated 109 centers under the LIFE TIME FITNESS® and LIFE TIME ATHLETIC® brands in the United States and Canada. Additional information about Life Time centers, programs and services is available at lifetimefitness.com.