NEW YORK — A veteran from Tallmadge, who made headlines in April after he crawled across the finish line at the Boston Marathon, completed the New York City Marathon on Sunday — a feat he calls an “achievement of a lifetime.”
Micah Herndon, who battled cramps and pain to honor his three fallen friends in April, did it again on Sunday. In 2010, he survived an IED explosion in Afghanistan.
"It was a combination of feelings. Really the past seven months just been day in day out living and training and just trying to give my best performance yesterday," Herndon said on "Good Morning America" Monday.
Even though his Boston Marathon race time didn’t qualify him for a spot at the New York City Marathon, organizers surprised him with a spot in the NYC marathon.
In New York, he defeated his Boston time by 33 minutes. He finished his fourth marathon through all five boroughs in 3 hours and 5 minutes.
"Really a combination of things -- blood, sweat and tears, we just had a little baby girl, so that's taking up some time," Herndon, 32, said about what went into reaching this milestone.
Running became his therapy after he struggled to reintegrate into civilian life. With every race he competes in or trains for, Herndon runs for those who are not here today.
“I run in honor of them,” Herndon told News 5 media partner at the Record-Courier. “They are not here anymore. I am here, and I am able. I am lucky to still have all my limbs. I can still be active. I find fuel in the simple idea that I can run. Some cannot."
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