See Adrienne Run: How a Marathon Works

What's All This Then?

Greetings!

This blog has run its course, as it were. Actually three courses, but don't let that stop you from reading. Here's the skinny: I dedicated most of 2008 to running and fundraising for cancer research. On June 1, I ran the San Diego Rock n' Rock marathon. On June 21 I ran a half marathon in Anchorage, Alaska. Both of these feats were tackled with the coaching and support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, for which I raised $5,725. The final challenge was the New York City marathon on Nov. 2. This time I trained with "Fred's team" on behalf of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center where I was treated successfully for Hodgkins lymphoma five years ago. I raised another $3240 (maybe more).

It was a banner year in many ways. I celebrated 5 years of health. I raised a lot of money. I earned a Team in Training triple crown for completing a triathlon, century bike ride and marathon. I was featured on a show about three first time runners in the NYC marathon, aired on NBC in New York. And ....

You can read all about my journey in sneakers below. And remember:
"A journey of 26.2 miles begins with a single shlep."

(For the back story, check out the Sept. 29th entry.)

Friday, April 11, 2008

How a Marathon Works

So I get home after an evening that started at a bar on Second Avenue with teammates, then to Bugs's apartment to make and eat pizza and plan The Great Gotham Scavenger hunt*, and what's on my Google homepage under daily stuff from howstuffworks.com? You guessed it: how a marathon works.

It never would have occurred to me that howstuffworks would choose to analyze this sport as if it were global warming or some other phenomenon they like to deconstruct. I've only read the first page, but I'm hooked. It begins at the beginning, asking the big question by invoking the expert--Springsteen. Are we bipedal types born to run? Marathoners seem to think so.

As a group, marathoners are disciplined, resilient people. As individuals, marathoners have many perspectives about the sport. For some, the marathon is a competitive race. For others, it's a test of mental endurance -- or even a social event where they can meet like-minded fitness enthusiasts. And for the improperly trained, it's 26.2 miles of muscle-aching torture.

I could have lived without that last bit. This struck a chord:

Many marathoners approach the event with modest hopes: They dream of simply finishing the race. What is it about a marathon that inspires unlikely runners to shape up and lace up their sneakers? Is running a marathon really something anyone can do?

I'll have to read the rest of the article to find out their answers. My answer to the last question is an unequivocal yes.

You can read the article by clicking on this heading of this post.
* The big event will be Sunday, May 4 starting at 10 a.m. at Columbus Circle (SW entrance of Central Park). Details in the next few entries.