This Brooklyn Hero Is Returning To The NYC Marathon After A Stroke
BROOKLYN, NY — Park Slope local Larry Lewis was planning to run his 34th consecutive TCS New York City Marathon in 2018, but less than a week before the race, he suffered a stroke that impacted the whole left side of his body.
He went from having a marathon finish time of 3 hours and 25 minutes to relearning how to walk.
But this Sunday, Lewis will make his official comeback to the TCS New York City Marathon, this time in an aerodynamic racing chair with a running partner provided by the New York City-based adaptive running nonprofit Achilles International.
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“Overcoming this stroke and getting back onto the running circuit to inspire others — That means a lot to me,” the 67-year-old triathlete told Patch.
Lewis is one of 26 marathon runners on Team Inspire, sponsored by the nonprofit New York Road Runners.
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Lewis and his Achilles partner will navigate the 26.2-mile course in tandem, with the guide pushing the racing chair and Lewis expertly coaching the whole way. He and his running partner have been practicing in Prospect Park every weekend leading up to the race.
“Fortunately, I still remember the entire course by heart, so that works to our advantage,” Lewis said.
Lewis grew up in Buffalo and moved to Brooklyn in 1983, where he worked in port management and as a triathlon coach.
He and his wife lived in Sunset Park, right near the 4th Avenue stretch of the marathon route, before moving to Park Slope.
“It is going to be pretty exciting to run through Sunset Park, which is where it all started for me,” Lewis said. “This is my comeback race.”
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