Would You Run A Marathon On A Dare?

One man did just that.

Some runners complete marathons for charity or to see how far they can push themselves. One man completed a marathon because someone dared him to do it.

With no training whatsoever, Joe Vanden Avond, a 21-year-old student from the University of Wisconsin, completed the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon last May. The feat was part of a bar-room dare. Vanden Avond was offered a bottle of vodka and a bottle of Kahula if crossed the finish line.

In an interview with The Globe and Mail Web site, Vanden Avond stated his derision to running.

“I just loathe running,” he admitted. “I guess playing basketball or football or whatever it is, I feel like there’s a competitive edge to it. I don’t feel like I could ever be a good enough runner to be a competitive marathon runner.”

Vanden Avond went on to note that he had planned on “winging it”.

His training? A 2-mile Turkey Trot race six months before the marathon.

For More: Globe and Mail