By now, Meb Keflezighi is familiar with every patch of asphalt on the New York City Marathon route. Avalanche Jerseys 2020 .He has run the race 10 times, finishing as high as first and as far back as 23rd. Its a race he holds dear for his 2009 victory -- coming at a time when some believed his career was over -- and for the way the city has opened its arms to him, time and again. Fans have cheered his every stride through the five boroughs. He calls it the marathon of the world for its diverse field and crowds.So, hes excited to return to New York for Sundays race. This time, hes even guaranteed a lead position.For the first time since 2012, Keflezighi, 41, wont be running. Instead, hell be one of the races grand marshals, along with his U.S. marathon teammates from this summers Olympics. Hell be in the lead vehicle with a chance to see the race unfold without breaking a sweat.Its going to be a whole different perspective, he said.Related story from Competitor.com: How to watch the NYC MarathonRelated story from Competitor.com: Molly Huddle ready for her marathon debutThese days, Keflezighi is taking some time to look at everything from a new angle. After competing in his fourth Olympics, hes transitioning into a retirement that could take many shapes. Its a transition that will take a while.He plans to run two more marathons, both in 2017. That would give him 26 career marathon finishes.Twenty-six marathons for the distance, he said, referring to the races 26.2-mile length. And Im also going to be 42 years old. In terms of running international, its 42 kilometers and 195 meters. So, 42 years old and 26 marathons in honor of the distance.He said nothing is official on which races hell run. Hes hopeful they will be Boston and New York. A finale in New York would be a fitting farewell. He made his marathon debut there in 2002.But were still working out the details, he said.Keflezighi will continue to train and run through next year and beyond, but he knows its time for his marathon career to end. After that, hell run half-marathons, 15Ks, 10Ks and other shorter distances, while putting most of his attention on his family, his Meb Foundation and business and charitable interests.Ive been running 26 years, he said. I just dont want to do competitive marathons where people, believe it or not, still expect me to win. Even though Im 41, 42, they want me to win. But expectations, external and internal -- even though I have the desire to do those things, go to Rio, get the gold -- I wish it were that simple. Everything has to click. Sometimes, you just have to be thankful for the things you have earned.No unturned stonesWhat Keflezighi has earned has been remarkable.Hes the only marathoner to have won an Olympic medal (silver in 2004) while also winning at Boston and New York. He was on the 2000, 2004, 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic teams. He won 23 national championships at various distances. And he won four NCAA titles at UCLA before turning pro in 1998.My career has been more special than I could have ever imagined, he said. Im grateful for that.He said theres no unturned stones in his marathon career. He has accomplished more than he dreamed. His only goal for his final two marathons will be to finish in the top 10. They wont be ceremonial strolls.I dont want to say, Ahh, I just finished it, he said. I want to finish strong and be as competitive as I can be.Keflezighi, who came to the United States with his family from war-torn Eritrea at the age of 12, discovered running as a middle schooler in San Diego. He then became a standout at San Diego High School and earned a scholarship to UCLA. He excelled at cross country and the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. He made his first Olympic team in the 10,000 and competed in the 2000 Sydney Summer Games. The following year, he set a U.S. 10K record (27:13.98).It wasnt until 2002 that he ran his first marathon, finishing New York in 2:12:35, good for ninth place.At the time, he said he never wanted to do a marathon again -- yet he actually had found his calling. Now he laughs when sharing his only regret: What I now know, I wish I knew then.Whats next?Keflezighis whole focus earlier this year was on making the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and doing as well as possible. He qualified by finishing second in the U.S. trials in Los Angeles in February, running 2:12:20. At 40, he became the oldest American marathoner to qualify for the summer games.He went into the Olympics feeling strong, but he got sick on race day and had to stop several times to throw up. He willed himself to continue. Then, as he approached the finish, he slipped on the wet pavement and fell face down across the line -- where he promptly did three pushups to show he was fine, got up and celebrated his 33rd-place finish in 2:16:46.Though disappointed, hes proud of what he did in Brazil. One reason he wanted to go to a fourth Olympics was so his three daughters (ages 10, 8 and 6) would have a memory of their father in the Rio Games.They were there at the finish with wife Yordanos, brother Hawi and longtime coach Bob Larsen.They remember it, Keflezighi said. That was the whole goal. My youngest daughter does remember. When she was asked what was the best part of the summer, she said, When Daddy competed in Rio.Time with his wife and daughters is at the top of Keflezighis wish list now, as he transitions into retirement. He said travel and training have taken too much time from them.He hopes to blend family time with the work he does for the Meb Foundation, which is focused on helping children to be healthy and successful. Also on that list is doing public speaking and coaching. Hes interested in coaching every type of athlete, from collegiate standouts to men and women who simply want to complete in a half-marathon.Keflezighi said he doesnt want to be known as just a fine runner but also as a positive citizen and contributor to society.And Keflezighis post-marathon world also will be filled with appearances and work for his many sponsors. Last weekend, he was at a half-marathon in Sonoma, California, mingling with runners for a company that makes jerky products. Included among his other sponsors are companies that make shoes, printers, nutrition bars, compression socks, sunglasses and tires.Though he wont be running in Sundays New York City Marathon, hes still having a busy race week. On Tuesday, he received an award from famed distance runner Grete Waitzs AKTIV Against Cancer organization for his philanthropic work, and hell take part in a news conference with the grand marshals Thursday.Twenty-four marathons down, two to go. Theres still more work to do.It is my plan, said Keflezighi, laughing, but sometimes you wonder why you come up with these things. Wholesale Avalanche Jerseys .S. Open champion Justin Rose birdied the first hole with a blind shot he hit to a foot of the pin, and he stayed in front Tuesday until he completed a 4-under 67 for a two-shot lead over Jason Dufner in PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Cheap Avalanche Jerseys . 10 Texas Rangers jersey for one last time. Young formally announced his retirement Friday after returning to Rangers Ballpark, his baseball home for all but the last of his 13 major league seasons. https://www.cheapavalanche.com/ .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Chinese Super League clubs spent more than $350 million on high-profile foreign players in the winter transfer window and as soon as the summer window opened in June, Shanghai SIPG paid more than $60 million for Brazilian striker Hulk.While the leagues profile has soared, some question if China is paying over the odds.In March, CIES Observatory,a Swiss-based research group of the International Centre for Sports Studies, released a study of winter transfers that suggested Guangzhou Evergrandes $47 million purchase of Jackson Martinez from Atletico Madrid and Jiangsu Sunings $32 million signing of Ramires from Chelsea were among the over-priced deals.There has been more investment made by Chinese teams in recent times, Shandong Luneng General Manager Dong Jan told The Associated Press in a recent interview. It is important to find the right players and make the right investment. Talented foreign players can make a difference but good players obviously cost money.Karish Andrews, partner in the sports business group at law firm Lewis Silkin, believes it is inevitable that Chinese clubs have to pay above market value.Chinese teams are trying to entice players away from the lure of playing in the Champions League, which remains the elite tournament in club football. Wages and fees have to be high, he said. That is also a consequence of having to compete with English Premier League clubs who are richer than ever now that the new TV deals have kicked in.It has resulted in a growing number of stars playing in China, including Brazilians Alex Teixeira and Ramires, Argentinas Ezequiel Lavezzi and others such as Gervinho, Freddy Guarin, Jackson Martinez and Asamoah Gyan.Most players signed by China were in the shop window prior to arriving, said China-based player agent Christopher Atkins, who added that Chinese clubs were driving up the contracts. The more they spend, the more (European) clubs are automatically raising their price upon hearing of interest from China. Colorado Avalanche Store. .The spending has had some positive impacts. No Chinese Super League club had won the Asian Champions League until Guangzhou Evergrande, which started the recent wave of spending, lifted the trophy in 2013 and again in 2015. And, for the first time, China has two teams in the quarterfinals of the Asian Champions League this season.The average attendance in the Chinese Super League is close to 26,000 this year, up from 22,000.Investment is also being made in youth development following the desire of president Xi Jinping that the country become a power in the worlds most popular sport.There may be more value for Chinese investors in buying European clubs rather than players according to Daniel Lowen, a lawyer at specialist sports law firm Couchmans, because the location of the purchasing party is not a major issue.In June Tony Xia bought English club Aston Villa, which was relegated from the Premier League, for $87 million. Retail group Suning paid 270 million euros (then $306 million) for an almost 70 percent stake in Italian powerhouse Inter Milan.Dr Tony Xias acquisition of Aston Villa is a case in point, Lowen said. The final purchase price was a fraction of the sum former owner Randy Lerner was understood to have originally been seeking.For Chinese investors, the purchase of clubs is often not just about football but strengthening brands in the domestic market.Sunings acquisition of a controlling stake in Inter Milan is part of its global strategy in the highly competitive e-commerce space, Lowen said. Its association with a famous football club in Europe can assist in cultivating loyal customers in the Chinese marketplace. ' ' '