Edwards Participates in New York City Marathon with NBA All-Star Relay Team

�I thought at first it was just another appearance,� she said. �Then a couple of days later they told me I had to run. I thought �Uh oh�. I hadn�t run in years!�

But run she did, as part of an NBA All-Star Relay team that partnered with New York Road Runners (NYRR) for the first-ever marathon relay on Sunday, Nov. 2. Edwards was one of 24 NBA and WNBA personalities that teamed up with students from NYRR�s free, year-round youth running programs to run in the 26.2-mile tour of New York City�s five boroughs.

�It was a great way for the NBA/WNBA to participate without any of us having to run 26 miles,� she said. �When they told me all of the people who were going to be involved, I jumped at the opportunity.�

NBA commissioner Adam Silver ran the relay�s first leg, and Edwards was one of four current and former WNBA players among the group of 24 that covered the rest of the distance. Others included former Dream players Swin Cash and Ruth Riley, as well as former WNBA player Katie Smith. Dream fan Dikembe Mutombo anchored the team�s relay to the iconic Central Park finish line.

After finding out she was being asked to run, Edwards was relieved to discover that she would only be running approximately ninth-tenths of a mile. Still, she began training a week prior to the event to make sure she could cover the distance within the allotted 10 minutes, running at least a mile every day.

Edwards� NYRR partner for her leg was a young boy from Brooklyn named Gus. Waiting to receive her baton from NBA Vice President, Referee Operations Bob Delaney, Edwards was ready to go despite the chilly, blustery conditions. But she wasn�t aware of Gus� plans.

�We do our exchange, and the kid just takes off,� laughed Edwards. �I didn�t train as fast as he was running, and he kind of blew my wind out. We both had so much adrenaline kick in, but he about left me a couple of times.�

But Edwards managed just fine, handing off to NBA on ABC broadcaster and MSG Network Knicks announcer Mike Breen well within her allotted time, with Gus by her side.

With the race now behind her, Edwards will return to her normal schedule of appearances and speaking engagements, and is preparing to begin scouting potential draft prospects with the college basketball season set to begin. But she says participating in the race had a definite impact on her fitness regime.

�I�m going to keep it up,� she said about running. �Training for and competing in the race really woke my body up.

�Who knows, I might even come back and play ball again.�