*Editor's Note: This article was written prior to the 2009 ING NYC Marathon. Matthew Reeve completed the 2009 ING NYC Marathon with a time of 4:23:36.
Thousands will head to the Big Apple this weekend to run the annual ING New York City Marathon. It is the world's largest marathon and part of the prestigious World Marathon Majors series.
Some will run for pride. Others will run for glory. Matthew Reeve will run for charity.
Reeve, the oldest son of the late Christopher Reeve, will run the NYC Marathon to raise money and awareness for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and spinal cord injury research. He will wear bib number 1275 for the 1.275 million Americans who live with spinal cord injury.
Over the past few months, Reeve has trained with the help of New York's La Palestra facility to take on one of his biggest challenges to date: his first marathon.
"I wasn't a runner," Reeve said. "I actually hated it. I thought it was nuts. I lived near the finish line and every year I'd see these guys crossing the finish line. Why would anyone want to run? It's just sort of absurd."
Now Reeve said running is something he will continue to do even after the marathon is over.
"People said, 'You're gonna get addicted. You're gonna love it,' Reeve said. "That took a while to happen. But I do enjoy it. It's not quite the love affair, but I will definitely continue to run after--maybe just not as intensely."
Matthew Reeve Running Facts
-
Running Method:
Pose Method -
Running Shoes:
Tried three pairs,
currently in Adidas -
Favorite Running Song
on his iPod:
iPods not allowed in
the race so no iPods in
training; Would pick
"Achilles Last Stand"
by Led Zeppelin
Through the training process, Reeve has dealt with many of the motivational struggles all runners face. He has had to make time for running in between multiple commitments, including his graduate studies at New York University and duties as a member of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Board of Directors.
"I'm supposed to run six days a week, but I haven't been able to follow it as strictly and I'd like," Reeve said. "Recently it's been homework. When you are struggling and everything hurts and you're tired, you just want to get it over and done with. But then I remind myself why I'm doing it and who I'm doing it for. I tell myself to just put one foot in front of the other."
Reeve started out hoping to raise $10,000 for the foundation and surpassed his goal. Now he hopes to raise $26,200--$1,000 for every mile of the marathon. To make a donation, visit his Team Reeve page.
"I looked at it as a challenge to run a marathon," Reeve said. "It was never on my to-do list. I'm glad it got on there indirectly, and I'll be able to cross it off pretty soon hopefully."
Ready to run? Register for a marathon in NYC.