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Saturday, November 3, 2007 12:00 AM

How Oprah ruined the marathon

America's competitive spirit has been wrecked by feel-good amateurs like Oprah whose only goal is to stagger across the finish line.
By Edward McClelland

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  • Saturday, November 3, 2007 10:57 AM

    Awww, c'mon

    Nova last week had a program about a group of 12 people who were basically sedentary but, with training and careful assessment by exercise physiologists, ran and finished the marathon. They weren't elite runners at all but each of them had motive and support.

    The marathon is like a horizon. You don't expect to make it to the horizon when you start but you start with a goal to be the best physical specimen you can be. Even if you take six hours to run it, the benefits stay with you all your life.

    Karen

    —midnight04 Read midnight04's other letters

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