Yamauchi, based in Japan, has not competed since the Virgin London Marathon in April but is strongly tipped to challenge in the world's biggest Half Marathon contest, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.
The 36-year-old Oxford born star will line-up against three former Bupa Great North Run champions - Berhane Adere of Ethiopia, Kenya's Susan Chepkemei and Jessica Augusto of Portugal, who will be defending her title.
“I’m really looking forward to racing the Great North Run again," Yamauchi said. "It always attracts the best athletes in the world and is a fast course, so I’ll be aiming for a fast time and hope to win. I last ran the Bupa Great North Run in 2005 when I smashed my PB, so I certainly have fond memories of this great race!"
“Since the London Marathon I’ve been building up my training towards the autumn and winter road racing season. I had a small foot problem in June but that is now resolved and I am training well again. The Bupa Great North Run will be my first race since London so I’m looking forward to racing again, and a good result.”
"Mara is a very experienced half marathon runner and I know is determined to follow in the footsteps of Paula Radcliffe, the last Brit winner of the race in 2003," said Peter Riley, the meeting's elite athletes manager.
"She showed her ability over the distance when winning the New York Half Marathon in March where her time of 69 minutes 25 seconds, a course record, was phenomenal considering the injury problems she had last year."
Yamauchi, after a superb second place in the 2009 London Marathon, saw her hopes of challenging for the World Marathon title in Berlin later in the summer thwarted by a foot injury.
The sixth finisher in the 2008 Beijing Olympics Marathon took several months out after further problems before opening her campaign early this year, but wasn't quite ready to repeat her podium finish of 12 months earlier.
"I know since finishing 10th in London she has managed to put together a solid block of training and it is great to be able to welcome here back to our event for the third time," added Riley.
Yamauchi, before making her mark as a world class Marathon runner, finished 22nd at the 2004 Bupa Great North Run and then the following year improved significantly to place sixth with an impressive time of 1:09:51.
Organisers
New York, August 10, 2010, NYRR report — Seven months after her come-from-behind triumph at the 2010 NYC Half-Marathon, Mara Yamauchi will seek a New York winning double by adding the ING New York City Marathon 2010 crown on Sunday November 7, it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg. No athlete has won both the NYC Half-Marathon and ING New York City Marathon in the same year.
“I am looking forward very much to my debut run in the ING New York City Marathon. After winning the NYC Half-Marathon in March, I can’t wait to return to New York and race against the best marathon runners in the world,” said Yamauchi, who caught Deena Kastor of the United States in the closing miles to win the NYC Half on March 21 in a time of 1 hour, 9 minutes, 25 seconds. “New York is an iconic race and one of the best in the world. I will give it everything, and I hope to join the illustrious list of winners of this amazing race.”
Yamauchi joins the already announced American pair of Olympic medalists—Shalane Flanagan, who is making her marathon debut, and the former London and Chicago Marathon champion Kastor—in the women’s field.
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