4. Ethan Zohn
New York Marathon 2011
Time: 4:20:46
Ethan Zohn is a true survivor in every sense of the word—the former soccer player completed his second marathon while battling Hodgkin's lymphoma. “The type of treatment I had, and the buffet of meds I am on, have a debilitating effect on my body,” he told MensFitness.com at the time. “There was a time when I couldn’t even walk one New York City block. Psychologically, this killed my spirits. But the day I could jog a mile [again] was one of the best days of my life.” Zohn loosely followed the traditional 16-week training schedule, incorporating cross training activities like Warrior Fitness Boot Camp, cycling and yoga at least twice a week. The best part about running the race? Guiding friend and blind athlete, Aaron Scheidies. “With every step, I was running on behalf of something that is much bigger than me,” he said. This super athlete has already signed up for the 2013 Boston Marathon, which he’ll run to benefit Grassroot Soccer, a global community that fights against HIV/AIDS. How can you not root for this guy?
