Running for a cause

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Ashley Skillman
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  Legend has it that in 490 B.C. a Greek soldier named Pheidippides ran 24.85 miles from the Greek town of Marathon to the great city of Athens to deliver a message for all Athenians.

That message was of "Niki" (victory) and marked the unexpected Greek victory in the Battle of Marathon, the first Persian invasion of Greece according to the Athen's Marathon Web site.

As a result of Pheidippides' legendary undertaking, marathons of all kinds are held across the world every year, and Liberty warrior Staff Sgt. Robert Abato, 48th Communications Squadron postal specialist, will join Pheidippides (metaphorically speaking) by running in the London Marathon on April 25.

"This has been a dream of mine for a very long time," said Sergeant Abato.

An inside look at his training regimen, based upon tremendous commitment and personal discipline, is enough to make anyone believe in this dream of his.

"To begin preparing for the marathon, I decided to look at this as a science," he said. "I reviewed a lot of workout and dietician plans, then created a very disciplined plan of my own."

Sergeant Abato said his standard training routine includes a lot of running, (a staggering 35 to 40 miles per week to be exact) and a large amount of cross training.

"You can't just run, you have to do a lot of upper body strength [training] as well."

"Right now, a good work out for me is typically three hours long. I used to run for distance, but now I run for time since I know my body better and understand my limits," he said. "Some days I'll run faster, some days I'll run slower, but I always run for a certain amount of time."

Diet also plays a crucial role in Sergeant Abato's training.

"You gotta take in carbs at the right time, take in protein at the right time, hydrate a lot and cut down on a lot of things people typically like to eat, " he said.

With all of the training and preparation required to run a marathon, some people might ask why anyone would want to run one.

For Tech. Sgt. Everton Hixson, 48th Communications Squadron assistant postmaster, watching Sergeant Abato train for a marathon has motivated him to take part in one of his own.

"I've had it on my list of things to do before I die but now it will be sooner rather than later," he said.

This is wonderful news for Sergeant Abato, who avidly recommends others make this their 'ultimate goal' as well.

"A marathon is one of those things that if you can do it, do it!" he said.

There are many reasons to run, but to him, the London Marathon is more than just a race or claim to fame. For starters, it's conducive to the type of lifestyle he wants to live.

Most importantly though, the marathon enables him to fulfill one of his greatest passions: spreading awareness.

As the largest fundraiser in the world, the London Marathon supports a multitude of charities every year and ultimately raises awareness for a variety of worthy causes, he explained.

For his entrance into the marathon, Sergeant Abato chose to run on behalf of SPARKS (Sport Aid and Medical Research for Kids), a charity that helps other parents across the world take care of their children's needs.

"As a father of two very young girls, I'm inspired to help other parents have healthy children," he said. "I understand the struggles parents can face and realize my children may also be in a bind someday."

The opportunity to help just one child's life is reason enough for Sergeant Abato to run 26.2 miles.