Search Results for: marathon

Redefining possibility: This 85-year-old marathoner runs faster than you

on December 29, 2016 in Fitness, Models

I remember people telling me as a kid that it was inevitable to get fat when you turned 30 or 40. When you’re young, you believe grown-ups. Sadly, you don’t know that they’re just telling you beliefs they’ve told themselves to excuse their mediocrity or having chosen ice cream and cookies in their two options in life. Sadder still, if people rise to the level expected of them, as I[…] Keep reading →

First half-marathon of the year

on May 23, 2015 in Fitness, Habits, Nature

New York City has a sunny, breezy, dry day in the sixties. Yet another perfect day for running. How could I resist. I’ve made a Memorial Day weekend tradition of my first long runs of the year to start the summer. Some details that make running fun The saltiness of the sweat mixed in the water when you shower after The exhaustion on finishing Continuing to run when your body[…] Keep reading →

You won’t believe this marathoner

on January 30, 2015 in Fitness

Regular readers know I read the New York City marathon results from the back to see the oldest finishers and finding meaning in the results, as in “On reading the 2010 New York City Marathon results.” The other day I got the official result “magazine,” opened to the back and found Margaret Hagerty, a 91-year-old woman who finished the 2014 marathon. She finished two seconds behind a 58-year-old woman. Eight[…] Keep reading →

Joshua Spodek’s 2014 New York City Marathon Results

on November 3, 2014 in Exercises, Fitness, Visualization

I finished the 2014 New York City Marathon with my best finishing time for the race and my second best time ever! Philadelphia, where I got my best, is flatter and has fewer people, which makes faster times easier. New York, with its hills, crowds, and turns, never gives great finishing times—just an unparalleled running experience, with dozens of bands, hundreds of neighborhoods, and probably over a million fans. My[…] Keep reading →

Marathon burpees

on November 1, 2014 in Choosing/Decision-Making, Fitness, Habits, SIDCHAs

It’s just past midnight, meaning I’m about fifteen minutes into Saturday, November 1. Tomorrow, Sunday, is the marathon. I’ve trained for it pretty well for months. I’ve wondered what to about my burpees. Some people suggested skipping burpees on days I run the marathon. I see it otherwise. Those are the most important days to do them. What’s the point of doing something only when it’s easy? The benefit comes[…] Keep reading →

Ran last half-marathon to train for this year’s marathon yesterday

on October 13, 2014 in Fitness

Yesterday I ran my last half-marathon to train for this year’s marathon. The temperature was in the mid-fifties with a light breeze. Yet another in a long string of perfect days for running. I’ve run a twenty-one mile run this year, an eighteen-and-a-half, and an eighteen-mile run, and a bunch of half-marathons. I’m ready to run the big race. It happens in under three weeks, Sunday, November 2. The New[…] Keep reading →

Half-marathons and cold showers

on June 28, 2014 in Fitness, SIDCHAs

[This post is part of a series on Cold Showers. If you don’t see a Table of Contents to the left, click here to view that series, where you’ll get more value than reading just this post.] This morning I ran about a half-marathon. I say “about” because I run for the fun of it and how it makes me feel after (and this year to train for the marathon[…] Keep reading →

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