Pounding The Pavement

Was that a truck that just passed you during
the Los Angeles Marathon? Nope, it was
former U.S. sumo champion Kelly Gneiting.

For those of us who have tried, running a marathon is no simple task. It requires training, determination and a special kind of athlete to complete the course without throwing in the towel.

Kelly Gneiting is not your typical athlete. The former U.S. sumo champion's daily diet could feed an entire colony in Uganda for a week.

But not hunger, shin splints nor anything else could stop the 400-pound Fort Defiance, Ariz. native during the Los Angeles Marathon last Sunday.

As Americans continue to look more and more the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, Gneiting proved that there is hope. While he didn't set any land-speed records – finishing in 9 hours, 48 minutes and 42 seconds – he did become the heaviest person to ever finish the 26-mile race.

That's right, world. We may not be the quickest or most athletic people to lace up the tennis shoes, but when it comes to matters of weight, there is nobody better.

Ironically in this video from espn.com, Gneiting appears to have actually passed some other runners. One can only imagine the shock that ensued shortly thereafter when they realized it wasn't a semi truck on their heels but a man. That sight alone would be enough to make most runners wave the white flag.

To Gneiting's credit, he should be applauded for his effort. It's easy to pick on somebody who is overweight, but that determination is probably what made him a great sumo champion. It also appears that he's trying to do something about his weight – which is fantastic news.

So while people all across this land sit down to their Big Macs and extra cheese pizzas, maybe it's time for more people to follow Gneiting's example. If nothing else, generally there is a great spread of food at the end... just as long as you beat the sumo champions across the finish line.