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Rare Disease Inspires Man's 63-Marathon Streak

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  • Rare Disease Inspires Man's 63-Marathon Streak

    Interesting story. I heard this on NPR yesterday. I thought maybe some of the runners on the board would like to read it.
    Betty (ttdriver) this guy will be runnning all 3 races in Disney in January of 08.

    All Things Considered, November 5, 2007 · Ultramarathoner Tim Borland set out last year with a goal for 2007: call attention to ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), a rare degenerative children's disease that combines the symptoms of cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis and cancer.

    His answer: run a marathon every day for more than two months.

    Borland's quest started on Labor Day with a half-marathon in Anaheim, Calif. — he ran it twice — and ended with Sunday's New York City Marathon. That's 63 marathons in 63 days. He logged some 1,650 miles in 26 states, plus Washington, D.C., and Montreal.

    Borland formed the idea after meeting Catherine Achilles, who has been battling A-T all her life. He said he was inspired to raise awareness in her honor.

    Borland ran most races while pushing a jogging stroller that was often occupied by a child or teenager with A-T.

    Most marathon runners are told to take it easy after race day to avoid injury. Recovery plans recommend that marathoners go for light runs of a few miles in the days after the race. So how did Borland's body cope, when his recovery runs were 26.2 miles?

    "The first weeks were tough," Borland said. However, he suffered no injuries beyond some soreness and some stomach problems. His body adapted, he said.

    "It got easier and easier as the weeks progressed," he said.

    He said he didn't even get blisters, nor did he endure extreme chafing, a problem that many runners experience when their clothes rub away skin on long runs.

    "My body was made for it, I guess," he said.

    "My body is capable of even more than I thought it was capable of," Borland said. "I was pretty amazed at my body's ability to adapt."

    Borland discusses his experience with Michele Norris.

    more at the following link....

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=16019208

  • #2
    Re: Rare Disease Inspires Man's 63-Marathon Streak

    Wow, thanks for sharing that article.

    I wonder how old this guy is? And how long he's been running? That truly is an amazing accomplishment!

    I've run 2 marathons...and except for an "under the nail" blister on my left big toe that resulted in losing the toenail, and some minor day-after stiffness, I came through virtually pain-free, which is pretty darned amazing for a 50-something runner. And, for all the runners who insist that carbloading is necessary for a marathon, I'm here to tell them, they are WRONG. Both my marathons were finished while LCing.

    I think the key is to listen to your body, not to push too hard, and respect the fact that PAIN means you need to stop.

    I've read alot of articles from people who have run a marathon a month, etc., and their stories are always so inspiring. There's NOTHING like crossing a marathon finish line, that's for sure!

    Betty
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