F.Y.I. NEW YORK TIMES: Marathon "Plodders" Count, Too

You may remember a few weeks back when the venerable NY Times wrote a piece bemoaned the increase in “stragglers” now participating in the annual New York Marathon.

Apparently, the average marathoner is now running slower than in years past — finishing thier 26.2 miles far later than those front-page appearing champs.

While we understand it must be difficult for ace-runners to tolerate the stragglers, perhaps we should remember that for many participants, the New York Marathon is not merely physical act — but a literal act of courage and survival.

Such is the case of runners Maria Davis (right, above) and her good friend Renee Mancino (left).

Davis — a former model and Hip-Hop promoter — contracted HIV in 1995 and nearly died three years later. During the early HIV battles that almost claimed Davis’ life, Mancino (a big-time pastry maker) visited her good friend and promised her that if she survived, the two of them would run the Marathon.

This year they did — completing the arduous course at the ripe old age of 50 (Davis) and 60 (Mancino) and despite suffering from some serious medical conditions including Maria’s Peripheral Neuropathy (a nerve disorder which causes debilitating tingling from the knees to feet) and Renee’s heart condition, which will soon require surgery.

And their times — 7:46 for Maria, 9:02 for Renee — are certainly respectable.

Maria came to the Marathon via Harlem United — which helped house her family as she battled HIV and other serious social/medical conditions. She’s now living on her own and — as we can see from the pic above — active and vital.

So why should “plodders” be allowed to run along side the swift and stealth? Because it’s often the slowest runners who’ve traveled the longest distances to reach the finish line!