By Rachel Block
But Andy Randazzo and Christine Corwin of Baldwin are taking their workouts many steps further in the sweltering summer heat, training to run a competitive marathon ‹ 26.2 miles ‹ to raise money for cancer research.
The two runners ‹ who have been friends since their days at Baldwin High School ‹ are preparing for the renowned Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., in October, where they will raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training.
"Seventy-five percent of every dollar raised goes directly to patient care," Corwin said. "Blood cancer is the number one fatal disease for children 12 and under. These cancers affect young people, unfortunately."
Founded in 1976, the Marine Corps Marathon has long been known as the "People's Marathon." More than 40 charitable organizations are taking part this year, ranging from the Alzheimer's Association to the American Cancer Society, and Randazzo and Corwin said that running to help a charity is a great way to train for the race.
The two runners are hoping to raise about $6,000 between them, and they have Web sites for people who want to make donations. Randazzo explained that the Team in Training group provides trainers for the runners, and in return, runners secure sponsors. "They set up these teams of coaches and mentors that train anyone who wants to prepare for marathons, triathlons or cycling races," Corwin said. "The trainers are amazing."
Randazzo, 35, a married father of two who owns Hitstate Design Group, an advertising and marketing firm, said he had always toyed with the idea of running a marathon. Corwin, who was already planning to run the Marine Corps event, suggested that he join her. For Randazzo, it was not only a way to raise money for a great cause, but to honor the memory of his sister-in-law's brother, Julian Arechaga, a Marine sergeant from Baldwin who was killed in Iraq last October.
"I don't know anything about marathons," Randazzo said with a laugh. "I one day just decided I wanted to run one ‹ I don't even know why. I told my wife, and she said, 'What?'"
Corwin, a teacher, said she has known about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for some time, because her father has taken part in bike rides to raise money for it. "I knew they were a great charity and organization, and I was looking into doing [a marathon] with them because the money goes to such a great cause," she said. "It's such a supportive network of people, so I knew right away that I'd have support."
The two have been training rigorously for the Oct. 28 race. They often run as far as 10 miles at a time in the summer heat, and their mileage will increase as the event nears. "Training is ridiculous," Randazzo said. "I played some sports in high school ‹lacrosse and football ‹ but I wouldn't consider myself an athlete. I'm in my fifth week of training now and it's pretty intense; this past Saturday I ran eight miles."
He said that the trainers give runners a strict regimen. "This Saturday I want to run nine, then during next week I'll start out with four miles on Monday instead of three, and so on ‹ it keeps going up until you get to the point where you're practically running 20 miles."
Though this will be their first full marathon, Corwin has been running longer than Randazzo, and has completed two 13.1-mile half-marathons. "I run a lot ‹ four days a week ‹ and I do upper strength exercise about two days a week," she said.
Randazzo has already raised about $1,000, and Corwin has raised about $2,000. Both of their families will be in Washington to support them. "I went to the University of Maryland, so I have a lot of friends to meet up with in the D.C. area, which I'm looking forward to," Corwin said. "And my husband and kids are coming down, and probably my parents and one or two of my sisters."
Randazzo is optimistic that he will go the distance, though he is hoping for a little help from his family, he said. "I told them to stay in the very beginning because I don't know if I'll make it all the way," he joked. "My brothers and sisters will be there, too, cheering me on."
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