Never Say Never Again: Marathon Version

Back around 1982, I worked on the financing for a James Bond film called Never Say Never Again. The title was an "in joke" since the movie starred Sean Connery as Agent 007, this after he had sworn never to do another Bond film.

The reason I bring this up is that I just committed to run the 2009 New York Marathon on behalf of Ohel. In 1995, upon finishing the New York Marathon and realizing how stupid it was to do a second marathon, I promised MHW that I would never do one again. I wonder if I have to do hatoras nedarim?

After finishing my fifth Alyn Ride and knowing that I wouldn't be going back next year, I decided that I didn't want to give up the approximately $25,000 that I've been able to raise each year for tzedakah. I figured that I could raise a like amount of money if I did the marathon and made the mistake of expressing that thought to the hanhalah at Ohel. The next thing you know, I'm in.

Since I still prefer riding my bike to running and have no intention of giving it up, I will be training in a wholly unconventional way. My plan is to run during the week and do very long rides on weekends. I will, of course, throw in an occasional half-marathon to train for the full marathon but I have no plans to do the kind of long runs that one is supposed to do before a marathon. I believe that if I can ride hard for seven hours, I can run at a 9 mile pace for four.

Anyway, that's my position and I'm sticking to it.