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Sports

Kastor Pregnant, Will Miss New York Marathon

The Agoura High graduate, the American record holder in the marathon, is due to give birth in March.

Agoura High graduate Deena Kastor, the American record holder in the marathon, is three months pregnant and has pulled out of the New York Marathon.

Kastor, who intended to race in the New York Marathon in November, is due to give birth in March. It will be the first child for the 37-year-old and her husband Andrew.

"I was looking forward to returning to New York this fall to attempt to fulfill my longtime dream of winning there," said Kastor, who was entered to run New York for the first time since finishing sixth in 2006. "Since my marathon debut in 2001, winning the ING New York City Marathon has been on my list of running goals."

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Kastor set the American record by winning the 2006 London Marathon in two hours, 19 minutes, 36 seconds. It was her second major marathon race victory, having also won the marathon in Chicago in 2005. She also won a bronze medal for the marathon at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

Kastor said in a news release that her life has changed greatly since finding out she was pregnant.

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"We always postponed starting a family, but to hear this news was really exciting and we never imagined it would be so rewarding even long before the baby is born," Kastor said. "I am especially grateful to have felt fantastic, except for feeling a bit sluggish in workouts and tired during the day."

Kastor trains in Mammoth and said she has cut back on her workouts. Earlier this year, she won a half marathon in Phoenix and was second in the New York City half marathon.

"As soon as we heard the news, I stopped hard workouts," Kastor said. "I am running easy days with my Mammoth Track Club teammates, but have chosen to forgo any hard efforts in order that every bit of my energy goes into making sure the baby will be healthy and strong. I don't look pregnant yet, but I hear it seems to happen overnight."

She intends to attend the New York Marathon and participate in the festivities and activities in the week leading up to the race.

"Since my marathon debut in 2001, I have returned to New York each year, whether to race, help host charity events, or help with the television coverage," Kastor said. "This year is no exception. For a fan of the sport, New York is the place to be come November." 

Kastor raced in the New York Marathon from 2001 to 2006.

"Deena is like family to us at NYRR," New York Road Runners President and CEO Mary Wittenberg said in a news release. "We are ecstatic for her and Andrew. There will always be another ING New York City Marathon. There's no better reason to miss our race than pregnancy."

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