Again, New York Marathon has a foreign look

American men are poised to run well in today's 40th New York City Marathon -- the race serves as the national championship -- but they are not expected to end the American drought that extends to Alberto Salazar's 1982 victory.

The field is loaded with past champions, including last year's winner, Marilson Gomes dos Santos, who also won in 2006. Gomes, 32, from Brazil, will have the advantages of confidence and experience over the challenging five-borough course. But he is hardly the favorite, even after the late withdrawal due to injury of two-time champion Martin Lel.

The consensus favorite now is James Kwambai, the world's third-fastest marathoner after his runner-up finish in 2 hours 4 minutes 27 seconds at Rotterdam in April. Two more Kenyans, four-time Boston Marathon winner Robert Cheruiyot and Patrick Makau, 24, who ran 2:06:14 in his marathon debut at Rotterdam, are likely to figure in the mix.

Then come the Americans, led by Ryan Hall, who pushed the pace for the first 10 miles at Boston in April and ended up third. Hall, 27, said at the news conference on Thursday that he's in better shape now, and "should be able to manage whatever pace [the leaders] are going to go at."

The women's race is more straightforward: British world record holder Paula Radcliffe is going for her third straight New York win and fourth overall, with Margaret Okayo's 2003 course record of 2:22:31 in her sights. For good measure, Radcliffe ran 1:09:45 to win the New York City Half Marathon in August.

Kenya's Salina Kosgei, who ran 2:32:16 to win a sprint finish at the Boston Marathon, should place well; Ethiopian Hirut Mandefro, from Silver Spring, could also finish among the top 10 women.