Kenenisa Bekele planning to run the New York City Marathon 42 days after headlining Berlin

The New York Road Runners (NYRR) has announced that the second-fastest marathoner of all time, Kenenisa Bekele, will headline the TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 7. This will be Bekele’s second fall marathon, as he posted on his Instagram page early last week that he will also run the BMW Berlin Marathon on Sept. 26.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CR0uuiwD-kG/

These two races will be 42 days apart for the 39-year-old, who claims to be in great shape.

Bekele, who has never run NYC, will have stiffer competition than in Berlin. The elite field features the Olympic silver medallist Abdi Nageeye from the Netherlands and the current half-marathon world record holder Kibiwott Kandie (57:32), making his marathon debut in NYC.

RELATED: Olympic medallists Peres Jepchirchir and Molly Seidel to run TCS New York City Marathon

Canada’s top finisher in Tokyo, Ben Preisner, will be making his world marathon major debut. “I have my eyes on this fall marathon, as I prepare to chase the 2:11:30 standard for 2022 Commonwealth Games and World Championships,” said Preisner.

The fourth-fastest Canadian marathoner in history (2:10:17) will have the Canadian marathon record of 2:09:27 on his mind as he competes against a fast men’s field.

RELATED: Canadian Olympic marathoner Ben Preisner signs with Lululemon Athletica

RELEASE: Olympic Champion Peres Jepchirchir, Olympic Silver Medalist Abdi Nageeye, and Four-Time Olympic Medalist Kenenisa Bekele to Join Star-Studded Professional Athlete Field at TCS New York City Marathon on November 7 >> https://t.co/Jh4alFgXHt pic.twitter.com/J0iaFLcaki

— NYRR Media Relations (@nyrrnews) August 19, 2021

Other notable names featured on the elite list are Ben True (marathon debut), Jared Ward (2:09:25), Noah Droddy (2:09:09) and the U.K.’s Callum Hawkins (2:08:14).