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Chilean Miner Arrives To Run NYC Marathon

NEW YORK (AP) -- Rescued Chilean miner Edison Pena is aiming to finish the New York City Marathon this Sunday.

Pena said at a news conference Thursday that he jogged through the tunnels while trapped underground to "beat destiny."

So he doesn't just want to attend the New York marathon as a guest, or simply start the race. It may take him 6 hours, bad knee and all, but he intends to complete the 26.2 miles.

The 34-year-old Pena looked quite comfortable surrounded by more than 100 media members at a news conference. He even sang a few lines from his beloved Elvis Presley, whose music helped him through those daily 6 or 7-mile runs in the mine.

Pena was still glowing over who greeted him at the airport when he flew in Thursday morning -- world-record holder Haile Gebrselassie. Like Pena, Gebrselassie will be running his first New York City Marathon.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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