1. Edward Norton
New York Marathon 2009
Time: 3:48:01
Not everyone gets a chance to train with the Maasai warriors. Yet, Edward Norton hopped a plane to Kenya to join the members of the African tribe, known for its speedy runners, to learn a thing or two about long-distance racing. "It's very difficult. It has its plateaus,” he told Huffington Post. “Getting to 12 miles, you're like, this is ridiculous, I'm never going to get to 26. Then you get to 15 and you think you're never going to get to 18. Then you get to 20, and you're kind of in striking distance." The extensive training left the actor with shin and Achilles pain. After a moderate start during the marathon, Norton overcame the hurdles with a jolt around mile 18, finishing without further impediments. In gratitude to his unconventional coaches, Norton helped raised money for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, an organization that protects east African grasslands and encourages sustainable development in the area. He described the entire experience as “phenomenal.”
