Few of us will ever run a full or half marathon. Not because we are unable to do so with enough training but more so because the idea of putting one foot in front of another for miles seems extraordinary, and appears to be undoable. It is a a full-size venture.
My nephew Yechiel Rosenzweig, however, saw past the bigness of a marathon, and on Jan. 27 ran the Miami half marathon (13.1 miles).
It all started a few years ago, when Yechiel would join his eldest brother, Mayer, who jogged in the mornings. But he could only keep up with Mayer on his bike.
Soon enough, the running bug hit Yechiel (otherwise know as ‘Bud’), and he began training on an elliptical machine. Then he started running through the streets in the Clanton Park area of Toronto. Two miles lead to three, and then to four and eventually to 10.
As time passed, Bud’s mentor and chavruta (Torah learning partner), Udi, “a friend who is like family,” and a runner, told him about the Miami marathon and challenged him to run it with him. Yechiel accepted. “If not for Udi, I would never had done this,” he said.
So on the morning of Jan. 27, Yechiel joined 10,000 other runners at at the starting line – the American Airlines Arena, home of the Miami Heat basketball team.
For those few ever-so-long seconds before the gun went off, Yechiel took in the excitement. He was nervous but pumped. “I love it all. The streets were blocked. So many people were cheering me on – I just wanted to run. I had lots of energy,” he said.
Bang! The gun went off. Yechiel and Udi took off. They ran through Biscayne Bay, returning to Venetian Causeway, across a series of artificially made islands and then back on the Miami side of the bay. I saw the pictures of Yechiel running. He was smiling. I know him. I bet you he smiled the whole time.
“I loved it,” he said. “The whole thing was amazing.”
Yechiel ran to raise money for a non-profit organization called Chai Lifeline (chailifeline.org), an organization that helps children suffering from cancer and other illnesses, as well as offering support to the children’s families. He raised the $3,600 required, and more, and was one of the youngest runners in this group.
Yechiel’s family is tight. Encouraging and loving. Both bubbies supported him throughout his training and the run. Yechiel told me one of the greatest things about the marathon was working with his brother, Mayer, to get ready for the run and then seeing him and his fiancée, Sarah, on the sidelines.
“Mayer came down on the Thursday night. It was unbelievable. Without him, it wouldn’t have been nearly as good. Mayer told me what to eat and to drink a lot. He said not to worry, that everything would be great.”
Throughout the 13.1 miles, Yechiel felt strong. Like a young warrior with one singular thought in mind – he knew he would finish the race. After two hours, 14 minutes and 39 seconds, Yechiel and Udi did. Pretty good, eh? A 10-minute mile! The young runner, together with his Torah learning partner, did it!
Mayer and Sarah were at the line to congratulate Bud. Soon enough Chavie, his mom, called and said, “Are you okay?” She was in tears when she told me, “I was just so proud of Yechiel, his determination, commitment and ambition.”
“Yechiel is the youngest in the family, and we learn so much for him. I have a lot of admiration for my son,” she said.
“I felt accomplished,” Yechiel said. My next goal is to run the same marathon but in a better time.”
Yechiel Rosenzweig, 14 years old, a successful half marathon runner, and my nephew. What a nachas, eh!
[email protected] or see blog avrumrosensweigideas.blogspot.com. Sderot/Congo?
