NEWS S TA R T I N G L I N E S
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THE RUNNING M E N TA L I S T Oz Pearlman is making a name for himself as a performer. Oh, and he’s a pretty good runner, too. INTE RVIEW BY A LLIS ON PAT T ILLO
Magic and mentalism was a natural fit for Oz Pearlman. Running wasn’t. The magic, and his passion for performing, were undeniable from the moment he saw it for the first time, through making card-trick demonstration videos in college, moonlighting as a magician after days working in the technology and services department at Merrill Lynch, and eventually captivating audiences from private parties and Presidents to recently finishing third on season 10 of “America’s Got Talent.” Oz (pronounced Ohz—the “o” is long) ran cross country for one season in high school and quit because “it was not my thing,” he says.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF MARATHONFOTO
Given his 2:31:04 finish in the 2015 New York City Marathon, which he ran for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, it’s apparent that the 33-year-old performer who lives in Manhattan’s West Village has now found his stride. (He’s won several marathons and has PRs of 2:23:52 for the marathon and 1:09:34 for the half marathon.)
WHEN DID YOU START RUNNING? In 2004, my older sister decided to run the New York City Marathon. I ran 7 miles of it with her and decided I wanted to try a marathon too. So I ran the Philadelphia Marathon a month later. I finished [in 3:22:02], but it was not a pleasant experience. It was a death march, with lots of walking at the end.
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Click here to see how other celebs fared at the NYC Marathon.
Oz Pearlman finished this year’s New York City Marathon in 2:31:04.
11/17/15 2:04 PM