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The Chilean Miner! | Haile Gebrselassie & Paul Tergat
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A Race Like No Other
Chilean Miner, Edison Peña, to Run at the 2010 New York City Marathon
By Sharon Ekstrom
Edison Peña cut down his knee-high mining boots with a pair of pliers and began to run. And with the light of one headlamp guiding his way, he ran in the darkness in the 30° Celsius temperatures. "When I ran in darkness, I was running for life."
While every marathon is filled with inspirational stories from its participants, the 2010 New York City Marathon offers a standout for the November 7th race. While many marathoners struggle through training and face agony and frustration; one unlikely runner faced such adversity in his life, that it motivated him to run his first marathon to take on yet another new challenge. As news broke that thirty-three miners were trapped underground in Chile, the world was worried for these men and hopeful about the rescue attempts.
Martin Hak for MarathonGuide.com: Mary Wittenberg and Edison Peña
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For 69 days there was no telling what fate would have in store for Peña as he was trapped 1-1/2 miles below the surface. Peña explained his motivation for running three to six miles per day: "I was running to show that I wasn't just waiting around. I was running to be an active participant in my own salvation...I was running because I was also contributing to the struggle for our rescue. I also wanted God to see that I really wanted to live."
Destiny may have played a large role in the rescue of Peña and his colleagues; but when word spread of the man who ran daily in the mine tunnels, the organizers of New York City Marathon were inspired and wanted to celebrate Peña as a VIP guest. But Peña had other plans in mind. Despite a slight knee injury from being in the mine, this athlete was eager to run his very first marathon at Sunday's New York City Marathon, expecting a finish in the six hour range.
When asked about being a hero, Peña remained humble. "People say that we're heroes, but I don't think we are. It's just what destiny had in store for us. We had a very slim possibility of surviving, and we did and here we are."
New York has given Peña a warm-hearted welcome. Upon deboarding his plane he was met by his countrymen and also by a special guest: World Marathon Record Holder Haile Gebrselassie. Peña, besides impressing us by his spirit and endurance, also chose to amuse the press with a near-perfect rendition of Elvis' "Return to Sender."
After the song, Peña closed the press conference with these words , "I'd like the gentlemen and ladies of the press to kindly promise that you're not going to rip me apart in your stories if I can't stand the pain in my knee and can't finish the race. So, you know, show me some mercy, guys."
Coverage Homepage
Post Race: Men's Race |
Women's Race |
Complete Searchable Results
Race Day: As It Happens - Live Coverage
Pre-Race:
Men:
Men's Preview & Starter List |
Men's Athlete Bios
Women:
Women's Preview & Starter List |
USA Championships Preview |
Women's Athlete Bios
Head-to-Heads: Elite Athlete Past Matchups
Extras:
Pace Calculator/Pace Guide |
Videos (Athletes/Archival/More...)
Additional Interviews:
The Chilean Miner! | Haile Gebrselassie & Paul Tergat
More News:
Press Releases |
News
Featured Book/Movie:
Run For Your Life |
A Race Like No Other
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