In the final days before New York City's marathon, most runners visualize themselves pushing pass obstacles -- the infamous 'wall' where one runs out of steam, potential rain, stomach upset.
But for ex-Marine Jonathan Mendes, the biggest hurdle for this Sunday's TCS New York City Marathon will be his age. Mendes is 93. In fact, the day after the marathon will be his 94th birthday.
Sunday will mark Mendes' 13th go at the biggest marathon in the world and his 15th time tackling 26.2 miles on his feet (he has run the Marine Corps Marathon in metropolitan Washington twice). And while all this might sound like a major feat to some, it is simply about good planning and self care, says Mendes, who ran his first marathon at age 57. This Sunday will mark his last marathon, at the insistence of his children and grandchildren.
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The widower whose squeaky clean Upper East Side Manhattan apartment reflects his disciplined ex-Marine lifestyle said he eats a big breakfast, a moderate lunch and a big dinner. He eats lots of fish, vegetables and fruits, he said. He used to run regularly in nearby Central Park until his doctor told him his joints were taking a beating. Now, he walks two miles before breakfast and about two miles after. Twice a week, he works with a personal trainer at the gym in his building, he said.
His quick step and his quick wit belie his age.
While the majority of runners and walkers completing a marathon build up their endurance by logging long runs or walks of many miles on the weekends, Mendes said he does not. Taking care of himself daily is what gets him across the finish line.
'Just as important as exercising and maintaining your weight is diet,' he said.
The retired colonel who served in the Pacific and in Korea said that while he proudly sports his college weight of 150 pounds, he wasn't always the image of health.
'Forty-seven years ago, I was smoking more than a pack of cigarettes a day,' said Mendes, who also ran his own investment firm.
But then his doctor scared him with stories about the 'black sticky lungs' seen during autopsies of smokers, and told Mendes he wouldn't live long if he kept it up with the cigarettes. In the meantime, a neighbor was pressuring Mendes to join him for a run around Central Park's reservoir, a favorite of runners.
'I went with him and I loved it,' Mendes said of the 1.57-mile circular dirt path. 'It was good exercise and I could do it.'
By day two, Mendes found he could outrun his neighbor. He was a natural.
Of the neighbor, now dead for a few years, Mendes said, 'That fella changed my life.'
Two years into the new lifestyle, Mendes decided to run the New York City Marathon. That was in 1977, seven years after the race was founded by the late Fred Lebow. In those days, Mendes ran with a group that traveled the world called the Marathon Pasta Club and he was friends with Lebow, sometimes having lunch with him.
Over the years, he has mellowed. His fastest marathon was 4:13:29 in 1980 at age 59. He expects to finish this Sunday in about eight hours.
Mendes is ready. Like any good retired Marine, Mendes had his clothes and accessories neatly folded in a corner of his bedroom, ready to go. There was a shirt from the Marine Corps Marathon, a Dartmouth baseball hat, a pair of Nike moisture-wicking socks and hard candy for when he needs a surge --- oh, and a piece of paper listing the phone numbers of friends and family he was to call from the race course.
But for the most part, Mendes said, there is no special trick. You take care of yourself then do the race.
'You just keep going,' he said.
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Entities 0 Name: Mendes Count: 15 1 Name: Marine Corps Marathon Count: 2 2 Name: Jonathan Mendes Count: 1 3 Name: Korea Count: 1 4 Name: New York City Marathon Count: 1 5 Name: Upper East Side Manhattan Count: 1 6 Name: Nike Count: 1 7 Name: New York City Count: 1 8 Name: Washington Count: 1 9 Name: TCS New York City Marathon Count: 1 10 Name: Caroline Wozniacki Count: 1 11 Name: TCS Count: 1 12 Name: Marathon Pasta Club Count: 1 13 Name: Lebow Count: 1 14 Name: Dartmouth Count: 1 15 Name: Pacific Count: 1 16 Name: Fred Lebow Count: 1 17 Name: Marine Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1zLKgoJ Title: Finish Line? For Older Runners, It's When They Say So Description: Joy Johnson was not afraid of dying. Well into her ninth decade, she was happy and healthy, rarely visiting a doctor unless it was for a checkup. Even then, the staff members would gather to watch Johnson run on a treadmill as they marveled, mouths agape.
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