November 6, 2006 – Lance Armstrong ran the New York City Marathon yesterday in 2:59:36, finishing some 49 minutes behind winner Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil. His goal was to break the three-hour barrier. It was Armstrong’s first marathon and he finished 856th in a field of about 38,000 competitors.

“That was without a doubt the hardest physical thing I’ve ever done,” said the seven-time Tour de France champion, his dark green shirt soaked in sweat. Armstrong was accompanied by Alberto Salazar, Joan Benoit Samuelson and Hicham El Guerrouj, all former top level distance runners who acted as pace-setters for him through the race. Armstrong’s reported goal was to raise money for cancer research through the Lance Armstrong Foundation.