JONAH RUHM:
Raising $10k for the 2018 Boston Marathon
written by MEGAN HARRINGTON photos provided
AS
of press time, Jonah Ruhm, a Saratoga native, just crossed the finish line of the 122nd Boston Marathon. Jonah battled freezing rain and relentless headwinds to finish in 4 hours, 15 minutes, and 23 seconds. And while his training and race time were impressive, Jonah took things a step further. Motivated by a family friend’s struggle with cancer as well as the 2013 marathon day terror attacks, Jonah set the goal of raising $10,000 for charity. Jonah is fundraising for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s marathon team and is just dollars away from his goal. Marathon running is a new endeavor for Jonah, but luckily athleticism runs in his family. The recent Syracuse University graduate explains, “I haven’t been a runner my whole life, but I’ve always been very active. I enjoy hiking, skiing, basketball, football, and I played lacrosse in school.” A few years ago, Jonah became interested in weight lifting and bodybuilding. However, after he tore his meniscus, his parents (who are lifelong runners), suggested he take a break from lifting and try running. Jonah slowly ramped up his training and about a year ago, he completed his first half marathon alongside his parents, Mike and Penny. It was around this time that the idea of running Boston started to turn into a reality.
says, “From that moment, I vowed to run the marathon some day and help others.” Jonah’s fundraising began in December and his official training kicked off in January. When it came to training, Jonah says he listened to his body rather than following a rigid plan. He explains, “I concentrated on increasing mileage by 10% each week and really focused on the long run.” Jonah primarily trained in and around his home in Middle Grove/Greenfield Center, but he also logged many miles at the Saratoga Regional YMCA, in SPAC, or near Skidmore. Jonah recognizes the challenges of the marathon race, so his primary goal was simply to finish with a secondary goal of around 4 hours. Training wasn’t always easy, but Jonah says, “When boredom set in or the miles felt tough, knowing that others were out there donating to my cause really kept me going.” Race day was Monday, April 17, but Jonah will continue raising money for Dana-Farber throughout the spring and summer. For more information, visit: www.rundfmc.org/2018/jonahruhm
The Boston Marathon has always held special meaning for the Ruhm family. A few years ago, a close family friend, Barb Richmond Morand, passed away from breast cancer. Before her death, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston treated Barb. And in 2013, Jonah’s mom fundraised and ran as part of the team. 2013 was also the year of the tragic Boston Marathon bombing and as he waited for his mom to cross the finish line, Jonah witnessed the horror of the blast. Luckily, the Ruhm family was safe, but Jonah saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SPRING 2018 | HEALTHY SARATOGA | 63