The New York City Marathon is the largest in the world. Over a million people have finished the race since its first running but this year’s run is special for two very specific reasons for our Jobson family. On November 6, 20/20 Executive Editor CHRISTINE YEH and Frames Data President TOM LAMOND joined a record 51,388 finishers crossing the finish line, both wearing sport sunglasses during the race. They detail their runs here brilliantly.

Lamond: “I’ve never run a marathon (or any race) where there are cheering crowds for 26 miles! I especially appreciated that so many people had food to give me. If you ever go to cheer a marathon, and you hand out orange slices or bananas, you’ll make a friend for life.

“I wore WILEY X STYLE GRAVITY first and foremost for the optics. The clarity and contrast enhancement help enormously, and you need all the visual help you can get. Just like running shoes, your eyewear needs to fit right and be comfortable for the long haul. I also really like the style—I love the way they look, especially with blue iridescent lenses.

“I began running marathons two years ago and have run 10 so far. In addition to road marathons, I also do trail ultra-marathons and have done a couple of 30-milers and a 50-miler. My inspiration is my little brother, who runs ironman races of 100-plus miles. If anyone needs a good running route in Brooklyn, send them my way. I’ve racked up over 2,000 training miles in the last two years.”

Yeh: “I went into this marathon with a strained knee injury I sustained running a half marathon three weeks before. My knee wasted no time acting up—I was in pain by mile three. I tried not to focus on the pain and ran much slower than I normally would have. Half of running is mental; if you convince yourself you can’t keep running and finish, you won’t.

“This is my second NYC Marathon; I continue to be blown away by the spectators—those cheering for their loved ones and people who came out just to show their support and had so much fun doing it. I wore my name above my race bib, and I heard my name called a few hundred times. People ask me why I want to run a marathon, and these are the reasons why. The medal is a shiny and pretty reward at the finish line but the experience alone is worth a million times more.

“I wore OAKLEY STYLE RPM Rx sunglasses the entire race, and it not only shielded my eyes from sun glare, but it helped me see clearly what was up ahead on the course as well as contributing to my overall marathon experience—seeing and hearing the thousands of spectators cheering us on and absorbing their energy. I love my Oakleys but this year, I’m also looking to expand my sport sun collection and give other sport sun brands a test run—Kaenon, Nike, Wiley X, bring them on!”

Tom… Christine… 20/20 salutes you.  
—James J. Spina
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