Bed-Stuy's NYC Marathon Runner: Dordy Jourdain

Name: Dordy Jourdain, executive director of the Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA

Age: 45

Hometown:  Haiti

How long you've been running:

I've been seriously running for six years, but I've always been into athletics. This will be my fourth marathon. When I was 35, I said I'd run one by the time I was 40, I made it by 41. 

Why are you running:

I'm running for myself, for the love of running! It's a great time to think and clear your head. As painful as running can be, it's also relaxing and therapeutic and a great personal challenge. It's just you and your legs and your lungs and your mind. 

What inspires you:

It's a challenge, 26.2 miles!  Also, I want to beat my previous time of 4:49 and get down to under 4:30. I work all year to be able to do this, so that's motivation! Also, when I'm at these marathons, and I see people who are amputees, blind, some in wheelchairs, even the elderly. That's inspiring; that makes me move.

Training routine:

I run 5 days a week at least 6-8 miles. On Saturday or Sunday, I do long runs, around 10-13 miles. Around now, September, I'm at my peak doing 45-50 miles per week and then I'll begin to taper back down. 

Other tidbit:

I went to Haiti about three weeks ago with the Rockland County Haitian Relief Campaign. Though I was born in Haiti, I left when I was five years old and I hadn't been back since the age of 10. We went to provide support and training in first responder skills for Haitians in the event of another natural disaster. In addition to first responder skills, we worked on things like using natural resources, like trees, to make splints and basically trained them to react early to help save lives. We also visited orphanages, hospitals and schools to see what kinds of support we could lend and what sites we can support and help once we were back home in New York.