Estonian journalists run New York marathon on two continents

More than 60,000 runners from over 150 countries took part in the New York City Marathon on the first Sunday of November, including Estonian journalists Kristjan Pihl and Märt Belkin, ERR reported. Pihl ran the 42.2-kilometre course in Manhattan, while Belkin completed the distance virtually on his own in Tallinn.

Belkin, 32, is an investigative journalist who has covered politics and business for major Estonian newspapers. He said sport and running had long been difficult subjects for him, describing himself as an overweight child who enjoyed reading and did not expect sport to bring him joy.

Last February, Belkin and colleagues at Eesti Ekspress won the Bonnier Prize, one of journalism’s most sought-after awards. A difficult period in his professional and personal life followed, culminating in the loss of his job and mental health problems. Belkin said he realised he had deep depression, in addition to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which he had known about for several years.

He began taking antidepressants in May and recalled that, after a difficult first week, he woke up one morning wanting to go running. Running became a hobby and a way to cope with everyday concerns. He also lost a significant amount of weight and gradually increased his distances, running close to 200 kilometres in June, more than 300 in July and over 500 in August, he said.

After initially registering for a 10-kilometre Tallinn road race, Belkin went on to run both the 10-kilometre event and a half-marathon at the same meeting, with about two hours between them. The training led to an overuse injury, and he still has a noticeable limp when running.

Belkin chose to take on the New York Marathon through its official virtual option. Participants register, complete the same distance during the week before the race and log it in an app; they can also register to receive a medal.

For his Tallinn route, Belkin selected a point for each kilometre linked in some way to the United States or to well-known Americans who have visited Estonia. The route included a monument on Pirita Road to inventor and parachutist Charles Leroux, and Kalev Sports Hall, where US saxophonist Charles Lloyd performed with his quartet in 1967.