May28
Runners Tell Their Stories
People who train for marathons and other road races all have their own stories to tell. As New York Times writer Dana Jennings wrote this week, training for a marathon is a way to reclaim his body from cancer. Some runners pound the pavement to test their mental and physical endurance or to raise money for charity. Others do it for the camaraderie of race day.
Today, as part of our ongoing Run Well marathon training coverage, we’re launching a new series called Running Voices, created by Web producer Karen Barrow, who also creates our regular Patient Voices series. In pictures, audio and printed word, Running Voices captures the voices of runners and the reasons they do what they do.
Today you’ll meet Theresa Riley, 63, of La Crescent, Minn., who didn’t start running until the age of 39 after she was inspired by marathon great Joan Benoit. Today, Ms. Riley has completed 138 marathons. “It can be done if you really want to do it,” she says. “You have to have the desire.”
And there’s Rabbi Peretz Chein, 33, of Waltham, Mass., who ran his first marathon two years ago to show his students the importance of breaking out of your comfort zone. After 10 minutes on a treadmill, he says he was close to hyperventilating. “Accomplishing something you never thought possible is extraordinary,” he says. “I feel like I was on cloud 37.”
Emily Schaller, 27, of Trenton, Mich., has cystic fibrosis, and after running a 10K her lung function had improved. She ran her first half marathon last June, and now she’s training for the Detroit marathon in October. “My lungs have never felt so great,” she says. “With every step, I’m beating CF. That’s what keeps me going.”
And finally, meet Grace Lim, 44, a mother of two in Oshkosh, Wis., who wanted to get the most out of her marathon experience, so she sought corporate sponsorship for her slow, back-of-the-pack run during the New York City Marathon. She landed several sponsors, including the active wear company Horny Toad, and during the race, she stopped for coffee, a beer and photos with firefighters. (She was dissuaded from eating a shish kebab since running with a stick can be dangerous.) Although she normally runs marathons in under five hours, she ran this one in over six. “I overperformed,” she said. “I high-fived people. I handed out stickers. And I gained two pounds.”
To immerse yourself in Running Voices, click here. And check back regularly for new Running Voices in the weeks and months to come as part of the Run Well marathon series.
(Click pic to go to multimedia page. Once there click my face to hear my story)
