DOUMA-HUSSAR, PEACOCK LEAD MIDNIGHT RUN FIELDS

By David Monti

(c) 2011 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

NEW YORK (30-Dec) -- Carmen Douma-Hussar and Landon Peacock lead the elite fields for tomorrow night's Emerald Nuts Midnight Run here in Central Park.  The New York Road Runners, who will organize this iconic four-mile road race held at the stroke of midnight for the 33rd time, expect 5000 runners to take part.

Douma-Hussar, 34, the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships silver medalist at 1500m for Canada, won the race in 2007 and formerly held the course record.  She finished second last year to Desiree Davilla who broke Douma-Hussar's course record, lowering it to 20:51.

Peacock, 24, part of the Reebok-sponsored ZAP Fitness in-residence training program in Blowing Rock, N.C., will be running the race for the first time.  The 2010 Big Ten indoor 5000m champion at the University of Wisconsin, recently finished second at the Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving Day.

Other top athletes on the women's side include Sarah Porter, also of the ZAP Fitness program and the 2011 NCAA D-II 10,000m champion; Katie DiCamillo, who runs for New Balance Boston and was the 2010 ECAC 5000m champion; Stephanie Pezzullo, who runs for Saucony and was second at the 2006 Midnight Run; and Sarah Cummings of the New York Athletic Club, who was the Ivy League 5000m runner-up in 2011.

Men who should challenge Peacock are Christian Hesch, a two-time Midnight Run champion and a former course record holder; Tim Ritchie, who runs for the Boston Athletic Association and who was fifth at this year's Manchester Road Race; and Stephen Pifer of the Nike Oregon Track Club, the former Colorado Buffalo who was second at the 2008 NCAA championships at 5000m.

In-person registration is still open at the New York Road Runners at 9 East 89th Street, from 1:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. today, and 11:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. tomorrow.

PHOTO: Stephen Furst winning the 2010 Emerald Nuts Midnight Run in a course record 18:11 (photo courtesy of New York Road Runners)

ENDS