{"id":91091,"date":"2020-10-17T00:18:10","date_gmt":"2020-10-16T21:18:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/the-wildest-most-inspiring-runners-in-the-nyc-marathon\/"},"modified":"2020-10-17T00:18:10","modified_gmt":"2020-10-16T21:18:10","slug":"the-wildest-most-inspiring-runners-in-the-nyc-marathon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-wildest-most-inspiring-runners-in-the-nyc-marathon\/","title":{"rendered":"#The wildest, most inspiring runners in the NYC Marathon"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a406e5c4d575\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a406e5c4d575\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-wildest-most-inspiring-runners-in-the-nyc-marathon\/#He_plans_to_juggle_the_whole_way\" >He plans to juggle the whole way<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-wildest-most-inspiring-runners-in-the-nyc-marathon\/#Shes_running_for_all_those_she_lost_this_year\" >She\u2019s running for all those she lost this year<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-wildest-most-inspiring-runners-in-the-nyc-marathon\/#Shes_completing_her_42nd_consecutive_NYC_Marathon\" >She\u2019s completing her 42nd consecutive NYC Marathon<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-wildest-most-inspiring-runners-in-the-nyc-marathon\/#This_front-line_worker_just_wants_to_finish\" >This front-line worker just wants to finish<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-wildest-most-inspiring-runners-in-the-nyc-marathon\/#Hes_running_in_on_all_fours\" >He\u2019s running in on all fours<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-wildest-most-inspiring-runners-in-the-nyc-marathon\/#Hes_not_letting_a_traumatic_brain_injury_get_in_the_way_of_his_dreams\" >He\u2019s not letting a traumatic brain injury get in the way of his dreams<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>#The wildest, most inspiring runners in the NYC Marathon<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n                        The first Sunday of November means only one thing for New Yorkers: marathon day, with its tinfoil-strewn streets, cheering fans in all five boroughs and a palpable energy as exhausted but proud finishers flood the city.<\/p>\n<p>This year the NYC Marathon turns 50, but instead of some 50,000 participants hitting the hard pavement of our city, the New York Road Runners, which organizes the 26.2-mile run, expects about 25,000 participants in what will be called the Virtual TCS New York City Marathon, taking place from Oct. 17 until Nov. 1.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s still a far cry from the 127 runners who kicked the event off in Central Park on a hot day in September 1970 \u2014 just one of whom was a woman, and 55 of whom finished the race.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can imagine when it was such a small group of people, we all essentially knew each other \u2014 if not by name, at least by sight,\u201d said George Hirsch, 86, chairman of the board of New York Road Runners, who spectated the inaugural race.<\/p>\n<p>It may not be the 50th anniversary celebration everyone hoped for, but it still promises to be a great run.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s unique and kind of cool,\u201d Hirsch added of the virtual aspect, \u201cbut it\u2019s not the same as 50,000 [runners] at the Verrazano Bridge waiting for the gun to go off.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And while runners may not be soaring through the boroughs, they will have their own backdrops from around the globe.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur Virtual TCS New York City Marathon will connect the global running community at a time when more and more people are running as a way to stay healthy during these difficult times,\u201d said Michael Capiraso, president and CEO of New York Road Runners.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the inspiring stories of six runners ready to conquer the NYC Marathon in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"He_plans_to_juggle_the_whole_way\"><\/span>He plans to juggle the whole way<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16468356\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img class=\"wp-image-16468356 size-nypost-large-desktop-uncropped lazyload\" alt=\"Jack Hirschowitz\" width=\"662\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-jack-hirschowitz.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=300 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-jack-hirschowitz.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-jack-hirschowitz.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-jack-hirschowitz.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=662 662w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-jack-hirschowitz.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1324 1324w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 662px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span>Jack Hirschowitz has a talent for \u201cjoggling,\u201d or juggling while jogging.<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Stephen Yang<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Jack Hirschowitz grew up fascinated by the circus and its arts, but don\u2019t call him a clown.<\/p>\n<p>The 75-year-old Namibia-born psychiatrist, who lives on the Upper West Side, will run the virtual marathon on its final weekend \u2014 while juggling.<\/p>\n<p>Referred to as \u201cjoggling,\u201d Hirschowitz first got into the unusual combination some 25 years ago at a juggling convention in Las Vegas. Most years since, he\u2019s run short-distance races against other jogglers \u2014 for which he\u2019s earned a number of gold, silver and bronze medals. In sum, he\u2019s joggled about 50 races, some of which include marathons in London, Paris and Rome.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[Running is] a sport that .\u2009.\u2009. [connects] you with people, and combining it with juggling has made it a lot more fun,\u201d said Hirschowitz, adding that it\u2019s also earned him a bit of attention while he\u2019s out training. \u201cPeople smile and make comments, and I enjoy that as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pullquote right\"><p>\u2018Combining it with juggling has made it a lot more fun.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>One of those people is television host Nev Schulman, who \u2014 while training for the marathon himself \u2014 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CEbvDoone4K\/\">encountered Hirschowitz<\/a> in Central Park in August and took a video of him, which he shared with his 1.6 million Instagram followers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo this guy\u2019s just out for a casual 6-mile run while juggling \u2014 in training for his thirteenth .\u2009.\u2009. New York City Marathon,\u201d Schulman said in the video, which earned nearly 100,000 views. \u201cThis is what it looks like to be super awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hirschowitz will run the entire trek in Central Park, keeping it casual because there won\u2019t be anyone there handing out water.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not going to worry about the time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Hirschowitz ran his first New York City Marathon in 2008 \u2014 participating in each one since, and only once without juggling. What\u2019s more: Everyone in his family juggles \u2014 and Hirschowitz plans on joggling this marathon for a second time with his 50-year-old son Barak, one of his three grown children.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou want your kids to follow your footsteps in some way \u2014 this isn\u2019t exactly what people think about,\u201d said Hirschowitz.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shes_running_for_all_those_she_lost_this_year\"><\/span>She\u2019s running for all those she lost this year<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16468361\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img class=\"wp-image-16468361 size-nypost-large-desktop-uncropped lazyload\" alt=\"Kellie Alberici\" width=\"662\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-kellie-alberici.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=300 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-kellie-alberici.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-kellie-alberici.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-kellie-alberici.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=662 662w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-kellie-alberici.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1324 1324w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 662px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span>After facing several personal losses and hardships this year, Kellie Alberici is taking on the marathon.<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Tamara Beckwith\/NY Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Despite suffering multiple personal losses this year, Kellie Alberici will run her first marathon on Nov. 1 to show others that no hurdle stands too high.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor me, the marathon was a way to prove to myself that I wasn\u2019t going to let anything stop me,\u201d said the 29-year-old Forest Hills resident. \u201cI want to show people you really can do anything you set your mind to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In February, Alberici registered to run the marathon as part of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/secure2.convio.net\/mskcc\/site\/TR\/RunsWalks\/FredsTeam?px=4075710&amp;pg=personal&amp;fr_id=3432&amp;_ga=2.44676644.1239727913.1602713811-1947729578.1593384112\">Fred\u2019s Team<\/a>, Memorial Sloan Kettering\u2019s marathon program, to raise money for cancer research. At the time, her mother, 63-year-old Sue Alberici, was battling the disease and receiving treatment at the cancer center. In March, everything changed.<\/p>\n<p>That month, her 69-year-old uncle, Addie Alberici, died of cancer. Several weeks later, a close friend, Joe Lewinger \u2014 a colleague at the Mary Louis Academy in Jamaica Estates, where Alberici had previously studied \u2014 died of COVID-19 at age 42. On May 4, Alberici\u2019s mother lost her battle to cancer.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pullquote left\"><p>\u2018I think I\u2019m gonna definitely be crying.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>All the while, Alberici was furloughed from her job at ZogSports \u2014 and laid off in June. That month, the in-person marathon was canceled.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was a string of awful things that were h<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ening at the time,\u201d said Alberici \u2014 now a physical education teacher at the Mary Louis Academy \u2014 but she realized that she could still pursue a marathon. \u201cI felt like I owed it to my mom and my friend Joe and my uncle .\u2009.\u2009. it gave such purpose to the running. I felt like I was doing this for other people.\u201d Alberici added that she continues to fund-raise, having brought in more than $7,000 to date.<\/p>\n<p>Along with a friend, 31-year-old Katie Hannon, the two began training \u2014 and will run the virtual marathon together. On Nov. 1, beginning at 9 a.m., the pair will run their roughly five-hour, slightly longer 26.7-mile course, dubbed \u201cSue\u2019s Marathon\u201d after her mother, from Nassau County into Queens. Besides passing by the homes of family members, they\u2019ll run past Lewinger\u2019s home in Middle Village, Alberici\u2019s mother\u2019s grave at St. John Cemetery in Queens and finish in front of her parents\u2019 home in Glendale. More than 50 friends and volunteers will join in, handing them water and even holding out a tape for them to cross the finish line.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think I\u2019m gonna definitely be crying,\u201d said Alberici of her run, \u201cbut I think it\u2019s mostly going to be happy tears \u2014 thinking about finishing it in honor of the people we\u2019ve lost.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shes_completing_her_42nd_consecutive_NYC_Marathon\"><\/span>She\u2019s completing her 42nd consecutive NYC Marathon<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16468373\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img class=\"wp-image-16468373 size-nypost-inline-default lazyload\" alt=\"Connie Brown\" width=\"300\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-connie-lyke-brown.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=300 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-connie-lyke-brown.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-connie-lyke-brown.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-connie-lyke-brown.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=600 600w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span>At age 76, Connie Brown is ready to take on her 42nd consecutive marathon.<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Connie Lyke Brown<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In her younger years, Connie Brown would run up and down the basketball court during <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a>s \u2014 and swim laps until someone had to tap her on her shoulder to say, \u201cYou\u2019ve already done your mile.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At age 76, she\u2019s still going the distance. Brown will run her 42nd consecutive New York City Marathon on Nov. 1 \u2014 keeping to a course of loops within 8 miles of her home in Sarasota, Fla. That sky-high number makes Brown the event\u2019s leading woman \u201cstreaker,\u201d or someone who has completed 15 marathons in a row.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m so appreciative of the fact that I can still do this,\u201d said Brown, who works as a real-estate broker.<\/p>\n<p>The Brooklyn native, who later lived upstate in Putnam County, got her start in 1978, after becoming involved in a running group in 1976. She completed her first three marathons before moving south in the summer of 1981 \u2014 then returned to New York each year to fit in another race while visiting family.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd eventually I realized I had a streak \u2014 I never really thought about it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>In earlier years, there were fewer runners and far more men than women participating. Another standout aspect: running through then-seedy neighborhoods, with \u201cdrug addicts, alcoholics cheering on the side of the road,\u201d she added. Later, at the 2001 marathon, participants wore shirts with images of friends and family who died on 9\/11.<\/p>\n<p>If there\u2019s one thing that\u2019s remained constant through it all, she said, it\u2019s the spirit of the spectators.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat I notice the most is how much they\u2019ve been able to keep it the same type of experience,\u201d she said, adding that the day\u2019s overall theme is one of support.<\/p>\n<p>On Nov. 1, Brown will begin her trek at 3 a.m. to avoid the Florida heat, with a goal of finishing within six hours. She aims to finish \u201cfeeling good,\u201d and plans to keep the energy going for years to come.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs long as I\u2019m blessed enough to keep going, I\u2019m gonna go,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"This_front-line_worker_just_wants_to_finish\"><\/span>This front-line worker just wants to finish<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16468387\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img class=\"wp-image-16468387 size-nypost-inline-default lazyload\" alt=\"Angela Wint\" width=\"300\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-angela-wint.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=300 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-angela-wint.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-angela-wint.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-angela-wint.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=600 600w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span>Angela Wint, a hospital medical assistant, said training for the marathon \u201cwas such a stress reliever.\u201d<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Stefano Giovannini<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Angela Wint was the final recorded finisher of the 2017 NYC Marathon, her first-ever race, and she\u2019s not letting COVID-19 stop her from participating in the historic 50th-anniversary event.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was psyched to do the marathon,\u201d said Wint, a 46-year-old medical assistant at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou have no control during this time \u2014 I don\u2019t know what happens tomorrow \u2014 but you have control of the run.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Training for the big race was a way to keep her sanity during the emotionally draining pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had to do something, and the running helped. It was such a stress reliever,\u201d said the East New York resident, who\u2019s running on Nov. 1 with the group Black Girls RUN!<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would get off work and go out for two hours, sometimes just walking,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019d decompress from the day, run it out and get the aggression out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While the training has been going well, Wint isn\u2019t hung up on her time. \u201cMy only goal is to finish,\u201d she said, whose previous finishing time was 8:44:21.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been looking forward to this since 2017. Even if it\u2019s not how I imagined it, I\u2019m still doing it. It\u2019s not a washout.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hes_running_in_on_all_fours\"><\/span>He\u2019s running in on all fours<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16468401\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img class=\"wp-image-16468401 size-nypost-large-desktop-uncropped lazyload\" alt=\"Devon Levesque\" width=\"662\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-devon-levesque.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=300 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-devon-levesque.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-devon-levesque.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-devon-levesque.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=662 662w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-devon-levesque.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1324 1324w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 662px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span>Devon Levesque demonstrates a \u201cbear crawl\u201d as the marathon approaches.<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy of Devon Levesque<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Devon Levesque has been bear-crawling for fun his whole life.<\/p>\n<p>Now, the 28-year-old fitness guru is keeping up his playful childhood pastime for 26.2 miles.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s planning to complete the marathon on all fours on Nov. 1, starting in Brooklyn and ending in Central Park, to help raise awareness for mental health.<\/p>\n<p>The health and wellness advisor and former partner at Performix House started training for his first marathon in 2019 in honor of his father, who committed suicide when Levesque was a teen.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pullquote right\"><p>\u2018This drives me more to help people not to keep things bottled up.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>While he was disappointed that the pandemic forced the official marathon to cancel, the chiseled athlete insisted that addressing mental health issues now is more important than ever.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis drives me more to help people not to keep things bottled up,\u201d said Levesque, who so far has <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/fitops.org\/bearcrawl\/\">raised<\/a> $100,000 for FitOps, which helps veterans fight mental health through fitness.<\/p>\n<p>The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/devonlevesque\/?utm_source=ig_embed\">social media sensation<\/a>, with some 427,000 Instagram followers, will crawl on hands and knees with his back parallel to the ground as he adjusts the traditional marathon route and meets fans along the way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s zero chance I won\u2019t finish,\u201d said Levesque, who will embark on his journey at 5 p.m. and estimates it will take him 24 hours to complete.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ll have a margarita when it\u2019s over.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hes_not_letting_a_traumatic_brain_injury_get_in_the_way_of_his_dreams\"><\/span>He\u2019s not letting a traumatic brain injury get in the way of his dreams<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16468407\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img class=\"wp-image-16468407 size-nypost-inline-default lazyload\" alt=\"Mauricio Blandino (far right) found that running gave him &quot;a second life&quot; after receiving a traumatic brain injury (TBI).\" width=\"300\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-maurice-blandino.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=300 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-maurice-blandino.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-maurice-blandino.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-maurice-blandino.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=600 600w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span>Mauricio Blandino (far right) found that running gave him \u201ca second life\u201d after receiving a traumatic brain injury (TBI).<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Maurice Blandino<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For some people, every step can feel like a miracle.<\/p>\n<p>But for Mauricio Blandino, who has a traumatic brain injury (TBI) from a fall down a flight of stairs nine years ago, that\u2019s especially true.<\/p>\n<p>The 63-year-old jeweler from Jackson Heights was never a runner until he heard an inspiring speech from Achilles International, an organization that pairs disabled people with guides in athletic events.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRunning gave me a second life,\u201d said Blandino, who still suffers balance and coordination issues.<\/p>\n<p>Those haven\u2019t stopped the avid runner from completing a triathlon and 11 marathons in the years since.<\/p>\n<p>With his trusted guide, he plans to run the virtual NYC race in Central Park starting at 7 a.m. on Nov. 1.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe know where all the bathrooms and the water fountains are,\u201d he joked, noting that the support from the streets to motivate him will be missed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe training with my wonderful Achilles coach, support runner and friend Anthony, has given me a set of goals to aim for, something that\u2019s so important during these times,\u201d said Blandino.<\/p>\n<p>To prepare, he\u2019s completed grueling hill workouts and long runs week after week \u2014 all while masked to stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI will have so much to be thankful for when we reach the end of our run at the sight of the finish line,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI hope this gives hope and the sense of possibility for other challenged individuals,\u201d he said, adding that this marathon will have added significance because of this year\u2019s tests. \u201cIt will be the most meaningful one.\u201d\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2020\/10\/16\/the-wildest-most-inspiring-runners-in-the-nyc-marathon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#The wildest, most inspiring runners in the NYC Marathon&#8221; The first Sunday of November means only one thing for New Yorkers: marathon day, with its tinfoil-strewn streets, cheering fans in all five boroughs and a palpable energy as exhausted but proud finishers flood the city. This year the NYC Marathon turns 50, but instead of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":91092,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/marathon-trio-index-1.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[75999,1545,70344,76118,14642],"class_list":["post-91091","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-10-16-20","tag-coronavirus","tag-coronavirus-in-ny","tag-new-york-city-marathon","tag-running"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91091","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91091"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91091\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91092"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}