A Pennsylvania Amish man caught people's attention when he ran by them in the Harrisburg Marathon wearing his religious community's traditional clothing including a long-sleeved shirt, pants and suspenders. He ran the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) long-distance race in about three hours and five minutes without wearing sneakers, and was about one minute short of the Boston Marathon qualifying time for his age group.
Leroy Stolzfus is a 22-year-old resident of the Gordonville township in Lancaster County. He explained to PennLive that he ran too fast at the beginning of the race, which almost caused him to "crash" at mile 15. Stolzfus claimed that his long-sleeved shirt and non-athletic shoes were not a factor.
The Amish man shared that he felt no pain during the race. Someone once told him that 20 percent of running is about training, and 80 percent is about mental focus, according to People. His mind-over-matter skills helped him to avoid thinking about any pain in his legs.
Stolzfus explained that he runs about 20 miles (32.2 kilometers) per week and when he is tempted to sin. His brother-in-law introduced him to the type of exercise, according to Newser. The Pennsylvanian shared that he trains more often now than he did in the past.
Stolzfus remembered that running two or three miles was arduous when he started the activity. In 2012 he ran his first full marathon.
The running fan is interested in competing in an ultramarathon (longer than a traditional marathon's distance), and hopes to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Stolzfus shared that running has made his life better.
Today's marathon race is named after the Greek Battle of Marathon that took place in 490 BCE. The legend is that after the Greeks defeated the Persians, a runner ran non-stop to Athens, announced the good news, and then died due to being worn out.
Here are some tips to train for a first marathon: