Runner Christopher Shultz accomplishes cancelled Italian marathon at home in Key West

Like countless others around the globe, 44 year-old Key West-based entrepreneur/restaurateur Christopher Shultz had other plans for this past Sunday, March 29, which were preempted by the global COVID-19 health emergency. On Tuesday, March 24, he and wife Livi Shultz were supposed to have departed for Italy to visit family and run in marathons – the Rome Marathon for Chris and a 5k for Livi. In a Facebook post on Livi’s page Shultz wrote, “We saved, we dreamed, we planned, and I trained. …20 weeks of training, running, rowing, massage, lifting, planking, sweating, yoga, annoying my friends by talking about working out all the time, skipping parties and beers, eating weird vegan meals, vitamins, supplements, stretches, gels, pain, agony, and lots and lots of running. … Alas, the world changed in a few weeks and now there is no race. Every race canceled, even the rat race. But… As they say: life goes on and so will we. …So, yeah, I’m running my race. Sunday the 29th at 6am. It won’t be in Rome, there won’t be crowds and medals and cheers, and it won’t matter. It will be around the island, as many times as it takes, by myself. My Livi and LooLoo will be there at the finish line (our house) with a kiss and a beer and that’s the only medal I need. There are 26.2 miles out there ready to be taken. They are mine and I am going to go get them.”

Shultz began his solo marathon at exactly 6:00a.m., and finished at 10:30a.m., covering 26.2 miles in a total time of 4 hours, 30 minutes.

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