Paul Tergat to run Rock n Roll Half-Marathon in Seattle...

The Competitor Group, the promoters of the first annual Rock n Roll Seattle Marathon and Half-Marathon, announced that they have signed Kenyan Paul Tergat (left/photo courtesy IAAF) to run the half-marathon on Saturday June 27th.

Tergat, 39, is a two-time World champion at the Half marathon distance (1999 / 2000).

Tergat, two-time Olympic 10,000m silver medallist from the Atlanta and Sydney Games, recently won the Lake Biwa Marathon in Japan with a time of 2:10:22. He held the World record in the marathon from 2003 to 2007, as the first runner in history to break 2:05 with a time of 2:04:55.

Tergat is also a five-time IAAF World Cross Country Champion.

“I’m excited to be part of the first Rock ‘n’ Roll event in Seattle. I’m very happy with my races in 2009 and I’m hoping that will continue at the end of next month,” said Tergat, who will be running his first race in the U.S. since the ING New York City Marathon last year. “I ran the Rock ‘n’ Roll in Virginia Beach back in 2002 and I’m looking forward to be being part of another great event. I’ve yet to decide on my plans for the rest of the year but I am enjoying my running at the moment and looking forward to a competitive half marathon.”

Tergat’s PB in the half marathon is 59:17, set in 1998, which at the time was the world’s best and is still one of the top-20 all time fastest times ever recorded for the distance. He is the fourth fastest marathon runner in history and his marathon PB currently ranks as the sixth fastest ever run.

“We are thrilled to have Paul Tergat race in Seattle,” said Matt Turnbull, elite athlete coordinator for the event. “Paul is one of the true icons of athletics and has been a champion whether it be on the track, roads or cross-country.”

Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon and Half Marathon are now sold out with 25,000 participants, according to its web site.