Walk, Don’t Run!

For Betsy Cohen, every step of a marathon has a purpose.

Her goal isn’t to be the first to reach the finish line or even to keep pace with the main pack of runners. Self-reflection is the point for Betsy, who chooses to walk rather than run the courses.

The Maitland resident’s marathons (62 to date) have taken her to all seven continents, with Antarctica being her most recent destination.

“The marathon is Mother Nature in meditation,” says Betsy, 59. “I find a good sense of peace. You don’t know yourself until you do a marathon, but you have 26.2 miles to find yourself.”

All Around the World

Betsy’s journey into the world of marathons began in 2001 in honor of her daughter Madison, a leukemia survivor. Betsy describes her mental and physical state during the hours it takes to walk a course as an evolving combination of discomfort, toughness, and resilience.

Despite the challenges and pain that came with undertaking her first marathon, Betsy felt compelled to do another, and then another.

“It’s contagious,” she says. “You can’t just do one.”

She completed the last leg of her seven-continent sprint about two months ago in Antarctica. It was a bit of a marathon just getting there. Betsy flew to Buenos Aires, Argentina, connected to the city of Ushuaia, and then boarded a ship that sailed across the Drake Passage to King George Island in Antarctica.

Once Betsy arrives at a starting line, there is no internal clock ticking down to a set time.

“As long as you get to the finish line, you can walk, you can crawl,” she says.

Mind Over Matter

During the first eight miles, Betsy’s focus is on controlling her pace and energy and pushing her body and mind toward a sense of achievement. She listens to music on her earbuds while enjoying her surroundings and occasional conversations with people along the way.

Exhaustion and weariness start to kick in during the next eight miles, requiring a more focused effort. That’s when Betsy focuses on her surroundings and the spectators for a boost.

“They cheer us with musical instruments and posters, and they hand the participants candy and fruits,” she says. “The spectators really make a difference and take care of us, and that makes me feel encouraged to push beyond my physical pain.”

During the final miles, Betsy relies on her own willpower and envisions crossing the finish line and making her family proud. She also concentrates on a well-known motivational phrase used by long-distance runners: Marathons are 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical.

Without the need to meet any time constraints, Betsy has been able to experience precious moments along the way, like marveling at the beautiful but steep hills in Tuscany, Italy, that challenged her endurance, and admiring the contrast of dirt and snow in Antarctica. She also made friends on the marathon courses, bonding as they achieved their goals.

Every Step She Takes

For each challenge, Betsy feels blessed to have the support of her family: husband Harvey, daughter Madison, and son Parker. In addition to racking up marathon medals, Betsy is active in Central Florida’s Jewish community, serving on Congregation Ohev Shalom’s board of trustees and the Jewish Community Relations Council. She is also involved with SPARK, the women’s division of the Jewish Outreach Initiative of Orlando.

In November, Betsy plans to walk in her 63rd marathon, this time in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Some of Betsy’s friends consider her marathon globetrotting to be a bit of a crazy obsession. Most prefer to take the easier route, sticking to planes, trains, and automobiles instead of walking or running to experience a new locale.

But they miss out on the very thing Betsy cherishes most: the sense of accomplishment she feels with each step forward.

“There is something about the endurance, the persistence that makes it satisfying,” she says. “Every marathon is a testimony that I am blessed with health and courage.”