What happened over the weekend: Patrick Makau's record; Milwaukee's aspirations; Sinai race
Happy Monday. Here's what's been happening over the last couple days:
A new world record
Patrick Makau has taken the world marathon record down by 21 seconds.
Haile Gebrselassie lost the race against time on Sunday when Patrick Makau shattered his marathon world record and ended an era of two decades dominated by arguably the greatest distance runner in history.His lungs seizing up and struggling for air after more than 27 kilometers (17 miles) of the Berlin Marathon, Gebrselassie finally quit shortly after kilometer 35.
By then, Makau was more than two minutes ahead — on his own and on the way to the German capital's landmark Brandenburg Gate and a new world record.
Wisconsinites do it their way
In Milwaukee, runners are trying for a somewhat less glamorous record this year.
A group of 62 runners is trying for a Guinness World Record at next weekend's Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon.They plan to tether themselves together with a long rope and carabiners attached to their belts.
They're hoping to raise $75,000 for the rehabilitation care for runner Jenny Crain, who was hit by a car in 2007 while training for the trials before the Beijing Olympics.
MS marathoner
This guy runs a lot.
Life has taken long-distance runner Patrick Finney down many paths, but few have been so rewarding as the one that led him across the finish line on Sunday at the Bellingham Bay Marathon in Washington state.It was there that Finney, 48, of the Dallas suburb of Grapevine, achieved a personal milestone and made history.
"I am the first person with multiple sclerosis to complete a marathon in all 50 states," he said triumphantly, in a phone interview with Reuters moments after finishing. "It's been an amazing journey, and I'm on top of the world."
Run for Sinai
The seventh annual Race for Our Kids was part of last weekend's local schedule, and they did indeed run it, as detailed below by Joe Burris.
Baltimore resident Sean Harris has grown accustomed to seeing doctors and staff at the Children's Hospital at Sinai; they've provided care for his 3-year-old son, Sean Jr., who in March was diagnosed with a brain tumor.On Sunday morning, Harris and his extended family took part in Sinai's seventh annual Race for Our Kids. The family met up with pediatric oncologist Yoram Unguru, who is currently treating Sean Jr.'s brain tumor.
It turned out to be a family gathering — of wives, siblings, aunts, cousins, children, siblings and children. Sean Sr. said even some of his co-workers showed up to take part in the event. Both families said that the event gives each an opportunity to see the other outside of a traditional hospital setting.
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