In a sport where the average winner is in their mid-twenties, the thrill of victory belonged to two unlikely candidates at yesterday's ING New York City Marathon.

Meb Keflezighi, 34, became the first American man to win what others refer to as one of the world's greatest races since 1982, when Alberto Salazar had three consecutive victories. Keflezighi crossed the finish line with an impressive time of 2:09:15. It was both Keflezighi's first marathon win, and his personal-best record.

Among those who Keflezighi defeated were up-and-coming favorite, Ryan Hall, and four-time Boston Marathon champ, Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot. "A lot of people were writing him off, saying he was too old," Ryan Hall said about Keflezighi in a press conference after the race. "But if there was one other guy who I wanted to see win this race, it was Meb. He's like an older brother to me."

More than 40,000 people will run the ING New York City Marathon this Sunday. Among them will be working mothers chosen to represent all five of New York City's boroughs in the 2009 Foot Locker Five Borough Challenge Team. The women, some running the marathon for the first time, all have unique stories, but share the bonds of being fit, working mothers balancing all the demands that come with those roles. The team of five was also joined recently by another woman, Beth Segaloff, who recently lost her fiancé, Captain Ben Sklarver, just three weeks ago when he was deployed in Afghanistan. The women will run together for the first 13 miles, and then anyone can break away for the second half. The woman with the best time will win a trophy, and bragging rights. But none of these women are part of this team to brag. Instead, they find peace, motivation and solace in their commitment to running. That's Fit recently met the team, along with mom and marathon Olympian, Magdalena Lewy Boulet, to find out how, and why, they have made running such a critical part of their lives.

Olympians Kerri Strug and Brandi Chastain obviously know how to train for and commit to a sport -- Kerri took home a very memorable gold medal in gymnastics, while Brandi is a gold medalist in soccer. This year, the two partnered up to serve as ambassadors for ING's Run for Something Better program, which encourages kids to live healthier and more active lives.

This cause is something both really believe in, with Chastain saying, "I learned the value of physical fitness early on in life. I also know that being healthy as a child can lead to good habits as an adult." She hopes her participation will "encourage thousands of children ... to embrace physical activity and create their own personal fitness goals."

Still, going from playing a team sport to spending hours training alone has been a big adjustment for the soccer star. By the time the training period was over, though, she learned to love it and finds peace in those long runs.

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Shock jock Howard Stern has a gorgeous new wife and while they're still enjoying the honeymoon period (they've only been married a month), a good deal of their physical activity has taken place outside the bedroom -- they've been running.

Beth Ostrosky was training for the New York City Marathon that took place this past weekend and has run every day since her October 3 wedding. That's not a problem for Stern, who is already a runner. Ostrosky told People, "The greatest thing is that he's a runner and he's been running most of the mileage with me."

The training showed -- the former model, 36, finished much faster than her goal of five hours. She crossed the finish at four hours and 15 minutes, as her husband and stepdaughter cheered her on.

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I think Ryan Reynolds might be a bit of a liar. After insisting that he's not a runner and that he'd be lucky to cross the finish line in last weekend's New York City Marathon, Ryan completed the 26.2 mile run in three hours and 50 minutes, which comes out to around a 8:45 mile (if my math is correct).

At the finish line, he told reporters that he was pretty excited to still be standing and explained that seeing Michael J. Fox around mile 20 caused him "to gain about 15 pounds in goosebumps" and gave him the motivation to push through the last few miles. He ran as a part of Team Fox in honor of his father, who suffers from Parkinson's Disease and raised over $80,000 in contributions for the cause.

"I thought a lot about my father and Michael and the 500,000 other people afflicted with this awful disease in the United States alone," Ryan explained, adding, "I ran for those who can't."

This guy is every bit my idea of a Fit Celeb -- his mind, heart, and body are all in good shape. However, don't expect to see Ryan do it again any time soon. He has been quoted as saying, "I would sooner be prime minister of the moon than run another marathon."

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Barbara Barker shares on Newsday.com that she went out and bought a pair of running shoes last year after Paula Radcliffe won the New York City Marathon. Remember Paula? The British woman who 10 months after giving birth ran her fit little heart out and clocked a time better than all other racers. Well, Barbara might want to get shopping again this year -- because Paula has done it again.

Sunday marked Paula's third New York win and while her other two (in 2003 and 2007) were close victories, this one was not. Paula, a two-time Olympian whose injuries kept her from winning both times, pulled away at mile 22 and won the race in two hours, 23 minutes, and 55 seconds.

Two words: I'm inspired. How about you?

For more Radcliffe inspiration, click here.

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Is Victoria Beckham planning to run the New York City marathon this weekend? We know Posh has taken up running, but reports are coming out that she's actually been training for months in secret (just like her best gal pal, Katie Holmes did last year) and intends to run the race if she's ready. If she's not, she'll put it off until next February and take part in the Los Angeles marathon instead.

There's no doubt she's got some strong legs -- have you seen the insane high heels that woman wears? She walks in them as easily as I walk in my Chuck Taylors. But really? A marathon for Victoria Beckham, who once proclaimed she didn't work out because she didn't like wearing anything but heels?

If she participates, she certainly won't be the first celeb to become a marathoner. Check out the gallery for a few famous faces who've completed 26.2 miles.

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Ryan Reynolds has been an observer of the New York City Marathon in past years, and says he was amazed by the "guys coming in to finish with bleeding nipples ... People were crying. People were limping, hobbling, screaming, crawling. But most importantly, people were experiencing a sublime rapture that I couldn't even hope to understand."

Add to that statement the fact that Reynolds, who has described his early morning runs as "nothing short of horrifying," has chosen to run the marathon after speaking with Michael J. Fox in an effort to raise money for Parkinson's Disease, which his father has battled for the last 15 years, and whoa -- he's starting to sound awfully serious. Did his recent marriage to Scarlett Johansson rid him of his funny bone? Nope, not at all. The funnyman wrote the following:

"Not since the discovery of Junior High School has a torture been so effective. It's my hope the story of my father combined with my own goal of becoming the first person in history to sob uncontrollably for 26.2 miles straight, may inspire you to give something, too. ... [C]ome on down and watch. Feel free to bring a smile, automated defibrillator, or a fresh set of nipples."

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On November 2nd, New York City will be set abuzz by a stampede of people wearing crotch-hugging shorts and sweat-soaked T-shirts, all adorned with numbers that range from one to around 38,000. Their feet will march to the beat of a wide variety of iPod playlists, and their bodies will be pushed to their limits for 26.2 miles. These determined runners will be competing in a race that's as much a test of physical endurance as it is one of their will. In less than 23 days, thousands of men and women from around the world will hit the streets for the New York City Marathon.

But before looking to the future of this world renowned event, let's take a quick look at its past, shall we? Here are a few milestones from the history of the New York City Marathon.

1970. First Central Park Marathon sees 55 people complete the race after all runners paid only a one dollar entry fee.

1972. Six female entrants sit for first ten minutes of race in protest against the AAU's insistence on their starting early.

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Tomorrow is the New York City Marathon. Tomorrow is the day I knew was coming for a while now, and one I've for which I've been trying to prepare myself.

Unlike approximately 38,000 others, including my husband, I will not be running in the marathon. Instead I will remain with our seven month old son and perhaps scoot on down to the avenue in Brooklyn where all the runners travel.

Most of this was my choice. Actually, ultimately it was my choice. At some point along the way training for the marathon became too much. I had a new job and a new baby and my sense of family was being thrown askew with every additional minute I was out of the house. In addition to that, after I hit nearly fifteen miles at a pop I realized I didn't have it in me to do more.

Perhaps if I'd not just had a baby or not been breastfeeding and so focused on my new family I would have done better, tried harder, etc. There were times when I was so tired I couldn't go any further, times when stomach cramps frustrated and stopped me dead in my tracks.

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As you may remember, I've been trying my darnedest to get back on the running track. For the past two weeks or so I've really been kicking it into high gear. See, I kept getting these emails in my inbox alerting me as to how many days I had left until the New York City Marathon, a race in which I was entered at first solely by luck, and now by determination.

As anyone can imagine finding the time to run with a new baby is difficult at best. Lucky for me I have a great husband who is as committed to fitness as I am and who is willing to sacrifice some of his running time for mine. Generally speaking the baby is OK with my periodic trips around the park although he mentioned to me he can't wait for me to invest in a jogging stroller. After all, the whole time I was pregnant I hoofed it around that park, and baby misses our trips together.

So everything should be going super well, right? Well, mostly it is, but one thing has been plaguing me more than an old boyfriend, and is equally unsuited to my style: cramps. I am no stranger to cramps; in fact, they've haunted me since I first got serious about running way back when.

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