5: Beating the Family Record!

The last time anyone in my family ran a marathon was in 1915, when my father Joseph's mother Lilly's father Abraham's sister Yetta's daughter Betty's husband, Albert Goodwin, got the bug. You think I'm kidding? I'm not! I've got my family's history going back to 1776, with the birth of Rubin Rotsheyn, and not a single other soul before or after Albert (or Al, as he liked to be called) has taken on the challenge. I'm not just running to prove something to myself; I'm running to set a new family record!

Running marathons was in great fashion in the Jewish community in New York City around 1915. My cousin Al would have been about 17 then. He may have participated through an athletic club in his neighborhood. That part I don't know. The prize for winning the marathon that year was a trip to San Francisco - to run the San Francisco marathon. There was already a marathon culture starting in the U.S.A. and first, second and third generation immigrants were fueling the growth.

The interesting thing about the New York City marathon in 1915, in particular, was that due to poor weather conditions on the scheduled race day, the date had to be moved to Washington's birthday. With this, the route had to be foreshortened from 26.2 miles, down to 20, but still went from the Bronx down to City Hall.

So, going strictly by mileage, one might note that Al and I are already neck-in-neck! (Watch your back, Al!) Of course, I might allow a few points off my standing considering I have access to a number of modern advantages. Things like, say... SNEAKERS! Also, Gatorade, my iPod, body glide, orthotics, compression shorts, I mean, even a Sport Bean would have helped the guy... Think about it. There was no such thing as technical fibers; they were running in wool, cotton and leather.

I'm attaching photos of Al's finisher's medal. On the front it's marked, "Modified Marathon," which speaks to the 20 mile distance. You can also see that The Evening Post is the event's title sponsor. (Their brand presence might actually be more prominent than ING's for this year's NYC marathon! Nice work, marketing department!)

Then, on the back, you can see where Al scratched his own name into the medal, and the year. There's also the word, SURVIVOR! Can you imagine the bragging rights at that time? I'll bet he enjoyed regaling the ladies with stories of his journey, and teasing his mother with threats of running a second marathon, "Oh Albert no! Once is enough! Please! Now, don't hurt yourself while you're passing me that kugel."

I haven't thought much about bragging rights as I've been training. I haven't worried about impressing others. I mean, what does anyone else care if I run a marathon? Lots of people run marathons. In fact, it seems sometimes like everybody I know has run at least one marathon!

Mostly I'm just doing this for myself, to see what it's like to exceed my own expectations. A tiny part of me hopes, though, that there are such things as angels; and on Sunday afternoon, somewhere up in the Bronx around mile 20, Albert will whisper down from the heavens into my ear and say, "Well done my dear. It's about time..."




Photo credit: Randy Parada. (Thanks, Randy!)