chabad rabbi peretz chein ran this year's cape cod marathon
Chabad Rabbi Peretz Chein has always told the Brandeis University students he ministers that “Judaism is about going beyond yourself.” Less than two weeks ago, Rabbi Chein went beyond himself on a physical level and ran the entire Cape Cod Marathon.
Last autumn, while strolling through New York City, he chanced upon the city’s annual marathon in progress. “I could do this,” he thought.
“A year from now, I’m going to run a marathon,” he told those assembled at his house for Shabbat a few days later. He wanted to inspire others to try to accomplish what might seem impossible. “I’m going to live by example,” he said.
Nevertheless, Rabbi Chein was daunted. “I said to myself, ‘what did I just do?’”
Over the year, he battled knee strains to work up from three miles to five, then seven, then 10, then 12. He alternated between a route through his Waltham neighborhood and stints on the family treadmill, relieving the machine of its usual duties as a clotheshorse.
The final weeks were the most difficult, he said, due to the demands of the new school year and the necessity of scheduling his training around the High Holidays. But even some holiday mandates proved advantageous to his regimen: during the week of Succot, Rabbi Chein would stock the Chabad Succah with sustaining food and drinks, run several miles, stop by the Succah to “refuel,” and then run several more.
And on Sunday, Oct. 29, family and friends bearing encouraging signs and kosher refreshments cheered Rabbi Chein across the finish line.
Since then, he has revisited the theme of “going beyond yourself” in a recent Dvar Torah. “But this time, I said it with a greater authority,” he said. “Having experienced it, I know that it requires very hard work, discipline and commitment. But the reward is priceless.”
“A year from now, I’m going to run a marathon,” he told those assembled at his house for Shabbat a few days later. He wanted to inspire others to try to accomplish what might seem impossible. “I’m going to live by example,” he said.
Nevertheless, Rabbi Chein was daunted. “I said to myself, ‘what did I just do?’”
Over the year, he battled knee strains to work up from three miles to five, then seven, then 10, then 12. He alternated between a route through his Waltham neighborhood and stints on the family treadmill, relieving the machine of its usual duties as a clotheshorse.
The final weeks were the most difficult, he said, due to the demands of the new school year and the necessity of scheduling his training around the High Holidays. But even some holiday mandates proved advantageous to his regimen: during the week of Succot, Rabbi Chein would stock the Chabad Succah with sustaining food and drinks, run several miles, stop by the Succah to “refuel,” and then run several more.
And on Sunday, Oct. 29, family and friends bearing encouraging signs and kosher refreshments cheered Rabbi Chein across the finish line.
Since then, he has revisited the theme of “going beyond yourself” in a recent Dvar Torah. “But this time, I said it with a greater authority,” he said. “Having experienced it, I know that it requires very hard work, discipline and commitment. But the reward is priceless.”
1 comment:
Very cool!
He sounds like a awesome rabbi.
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