Think You're a Gunner? This Lawyer Finished 7 Marathons in 7 Days
So you think you're a gunner? It looks like you might have some competition in Sarah Ames, a Chicago Lawyer who recently managed to finish seven marathons in days despite having a full-time workload.
So next time you're thinking you're feeling a little tired and lazy, keep Ames in mind.
World Marathon Challenge
Ms. Ames now belongs to a small club of people who have successfully completed the second-ever World Marathon Challenge (WMC) -- an event composed of seven marathons spread over seven continents over the course of seven days. Each of the competitors to this event are required to run the standard 26.2 miles that makes up a marathon, hop onto airplane, land and then do it again six times.
If you're wondering about the effects of jet-lag, muscle fatigue, and massive temperature fluctuations, well that's the entire point. Since WMC is only in its second year, this means that Ms. Ames is one of thirty people in the world to have completed this event so far.
Losing Her Passport
One can only imagine the sort of tight schedule Ms. Ames had to keep on her trip. But she managed to keep on track despite the fact her backpack had been stolen -- along with her passport. With only two hours to spare, she was able to use her dual citizenship with Germany to secure another German passport so she could legally board her next flight to Madrid. Ever heard of getting your American passport in that kind of time frame?
Chicago BigLaw
Ms. Ames is a 47 year old partner with Quarles & Brady LLP, a BigLaw firm stationed in Chicago but with offices in Arizona, Florida, Washington, and D.C. She primarily advises German-speaking clients who do business in the U.S. She claims that she had difficulty squeezing in training time for her marathons because of her full-time work.
This wasn't the first time she'd ever run a marathon, either. Not counting her completion of the seven marathons making the WMC, she'd already completed an impressive 39 other marathons. However, she humbly states that she "doesn't run them for time," noting that her average completion time is 6.5 hours.
Related Resources:
- BigLaw Partner Sets World Record By Running 105th Marathon in a Year (ABA Journal) (2008 News Piece)
- ABA's Proposed Rule Changes Close Bar Pass Rate Loopholes (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- A Lawyer's Guide to HTGAWM Season 2, Episode 11: 1L Psych Ward (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- DC Is the 20th Jurisdiction to Adopt the UBE (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)