| Running
the Marathon—22nd Time Anything
in Life is Possible
Dr. Stephen Wertheimer, an orthopedist from Los
Angeles, is reflective on the eve of his 22nd marathon.
by
Stephen A. Wertheimer, M.D.
 I
was a non-athlete most of my life, a bookworm as a child.
When I went into practice at the age of about 31, I took
up bike riding. Endurance riding for 100 miles attracted
me the most. As my practice grew, the time I could devote
to biking decreased so I started jogging. I couldn’t even
jog 100 yards! I started to build up to greater distances
very slowly until I could finally do 2 miles. It was a revelation
that I could do this.
I
advanced to a 5K, 10K and finally the New York City marathon
in 1978. Then, it was in my blood! I have now run 34 marathons:
22 in New York City, 4 in London, 3 in Portland, Oregon, 2
in San Francisco, 1 in Vancouver, 1 in San Diego and 1 in Greece.
I’m lucky there’s a new ruling: if you run 15 New York City
marathons, you don’t have to be in a lottery. You are automatically
in when you apply.
As
a result of marathon running, I have a different image of myself.
As a non-athlete I can do something most people of my age can’t
do. Running is also a big stress reliever. It can be a help
for a child who is having difficulties in school. The lesson
learned is that if you keep plugging away, you’ll make the
finish line.
I
believe running is an example of how you can succeed in life
by perseverance. Almost any goal is possible.#
Education
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