Chilean Miner Takes to Streets for Marathon

[IDemo]

Source: Associated Press

NEW YORK - A Chilean miner who jogged miles underground while waiting to be rescued joined some of the world's best marathoners and thousands of other runners in the New York City Marathon on Sunday.

Edison Pena started off in Staten Island at 9:40 a.m., hoping to cover the 26.2-mile-course through the city's five boroughs in six hours. By 11:12 a.m., "The Runner" - as his fellow miners had nicknamed him - had covered about 9 miles, cheered on by spectators as he made his way through Brooklyn. About an hour into the run, a grimace crossed his face as he slowed a bit. But he kept running.

"First, I want to run this marathon, but secondly, I'd like to motivate those people who aren't running the marathon to do so in the future," he said before the race through a translator, jumping up and down to warm up. "I also want to especially motivate young children and youth to run because running makes you free."

The 34-year-old was among the 33 miners rescued last month after spending 69 days trapped 2,300 feet underground by a cave-in. An avid runner, he jogged several miles every day through tunnels.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/national/7283561.html

[kestrel91316]

1. How very cool and uplifting.

[LiberalFighter]

2. From what I gathered he has never ran a marathon or practiced a marathon.

I don't recall the length that he has ran but I don't think it was more than 13 miles.

[IcyPeas]

3. pretty amazing story. .....

really, thinking about the months they were trapped - here I was (and probably some of you too) sitting here watching tv, surfing the net and this guy was running in a collapsed mine.