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The final World Marathon Majors race of the year is right around the corner, bringing a close to the 2009-2010 season and marking the mid-point for the 2010-2011 season.

The New York City Marathon is a very flat course with the largest hills coming from the bridges as you cross through the different buroughs.

Antonio Vega and Blake Russell have both dropped out due to injury, but there's still a great field that will be toeing the line by the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge.

Meb Keflezighi rarely gets any love from the media but is the reigning champion and is coming into the race in good shape. Injuries kept him from racing over the Summer but he posted a 61:45 San Jose Rock'N'Roll Half Marathon a few weeks ago and is feeling about as fit as he was last year.

He won't have an easy win, though, as he'll be facing off against some very talented competition.

Haile Gebreselassie of Ethiopia is the current marathon world record holder, having run Berlin in under 2 hours and 4 minutes. Kenya is well represented by Robert Cheruiyot (The Elder), who is a 4 time Boston Marathon champion, and Martin Lel who has won London 3 times and New York City twice. James Kwambai is the 3rd fastest marathoner of all time and Abel Kirui has run right around 2:05 before.

Other former New York City champions that have are running this year include Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa and Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil.

On the American front, look for strong performances from Dathan Ritzenhein and Tim Nelson.

Since it is an off year with no Olympic Marathon and no World Championships, both Kara Goucher and Paula Radcliffe are taking a bye as they start training again after having recently had children.

Shalane Flanagan is hoping to give us a good show, however, as she moves up from a strong 10,000 meter and cross country career to run her debut marathon.

Former New York City champion Ludmila Petrova of Russia and last year's winner Derartu Tulu should give Shalane a good pack to work off of early in the race, along with the reigning World Half-Marathon champion Mary Keitany of Kenya and Mara Yamauchi of Great Britain.

Also keep an eye on Christelle Daunay, who was 3rd last year in New York City and holds the national marathon record in France.

None of these women have a chance of catching Lillya Shobukhova in the World Marathon Majors this year, and the only way that Samuel Wanjiru could lose would be if Tsegaye Kebede finished in the top 2. Tsegaye did briefly consider running but decided that he wouldn't be able to recover in time and is going to concentrate on next year instead.

If you are going to be one of the roughly 40,000 runners in New York City this year, good luck to you and remember to have fun! Once you get through the Bronx and find yourself in the last few miles through Central Park the crowd will give you plenty of energy to get to the finish line.