By Nicole Falco
"The crowds actually will you to finish the run more than anything else," Klerer said. "The entire course is filled with people always giving you encouragement...the sights, the sounds, the bands playing on the street."
Klerer, a member of the Valley Stream Rotary and Chamber of Commerce, completed his ninth New York City Marathon on Nov. 3, finishing in 4:10:45. The 48-year-old Valley Stream businessman says it's his slowest time; he clocked his best time in 1980, crossing the finish line in three hours, 32 minutes. Still, last Sunday he was the 11,635th runner to finish out of almost 31,000 who started the five-borough run -- all the while trying to ignore a tender knee.
"It's satisfying, but it's very painful," Klerer said the next day. "It's almost like having a baby. When you finish the run you don't want to think about [another marathon], but if you asked me now if I'll run next year I'd say, 'Of course.'"
Rodgers Rop of Kenya, the overall winner, came in at 2:08:07 and Joyce Chepchumba, also of Kenya, was the first woman to finish at 2:25:56, 29th overall.
Klerer began running to supplement his daily weight-training regimen. As one mile became two and two lengthened to four, Klerer realized he was slowly evolving into a distance runner.
"Running is a lot like life itself," he said. "You have to work hard at it and have the determination, willingness and desire to accomplish a goal and have nothing else come before it."
After a serious car accident in January 1996 left him with a broken back, Klerer almost lost all hope of ever being able to run again. "I couldn't even lift my daughter," he recalled.
Klerer's excellent physical condition is probably what helped him recover from the injury and get back on the road. Though he missed the '96 marathon, he was able to train for and finish it the following year.
While recovering from his injury, Klerer, a Bellmore resident, met another runner, Barry Wilansky, also of Bellmore. Wilansky introduced him to Kathy Adwar of Merrick and, in turn, Adwar introduced them to her next-door neighbor, Steve Makowski. The four runners, who call themselves the Hokey Pokies, have been training together ever since. All four ran in Sunday's marathon.
The Hokey Pokies typically run 50 miles a week. They meet in the pre-dawn darkness and, depending on the season, usually complete their run in time to catch the sunrise. "We always pride ourselves that we're finishing a 10-mile run and most people are still sleeping," Klerer said.
It's that kind of pride that has prompted the Hokey Pokies' spouses, including Klerer's wife, Barbara, to joke about their "crazy obsession" with running when they all get together for dinner.
JH
