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May 10, 2008 4:39 pm US/Eastern
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Mary Wittenberg Runs For Children's Health
CBS 2HD Celebrates The CEO, Mother And Athlete
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Whether its the start of the world's greatest marathon, or the famous run up the Empire State Building, the New York Road Runners Club is the largest running organization in the world.
It started with 47 members in 1958, and grew to 40,000 members holding 55 races a year, 50 years later. One of the reasons for its success is 44-year-old former Olympian Mary Wittenberg, the club's first female president.
"This is the greatest job in the world... I think because this is the greatest sport in the world..because it has a professional omponents...Athletes..for others it is a sport for life," Wittenberg said.
Wittenberg left a successful legal career to run, no pun intended, the organization for runners.
She took over in 2005 from the charismatic and passionate Fred Lebow. Now the multimillion dollar organization is now steering it's own course in the world of running.
"We want to build an international running center in New York...Running is a social movement..everyone should be running..we preach running as a way of a life...Walking as a way of life," Wittenberg said.
She who juggles CEO status, raising two small children, and her own grueling run in Central Park every morning before sunrise.
"A great run sets the whole day up for success..the morning it was 20 degrees...It's a perfect start today because you are moving and feeling so much alive," Wittenberg said.
"It impacts mind and body..it's a constant reminder..you are lucky to be alive."
Wittenberg has big dreams for the club..and it's role in children's health. She says ideally she would like to see a day when every child is running as part of their school day.
"If we can do that..we can eradicate obesity and diabetes...We will have kids that are doing better in school more focused and had more confidence and more goals," Wittenberg said.
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