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At 88, he went 26.2!
Eighty-eight year-old venture capital heavyweight Alan Patricof was the oldest NYC Marathon runner this year, out of 47,839 participants. And the financier raised more than half a million for charity with his epic achievement.
The adventurous octogenarian, who has said he’s “determined to live to be 114,” crossed the finish line in just over 8 hours and 50 minutes, wearing a shirt that proudly proclaimed his age.
“I feel a great sense of satisfaction that I set out to complete the marathon,” Patricof tells Page Six. “Even more importantly, I wanted to finish to be somewhat of a role model for older people… to know if they set out to accomplish something and try hard enough, they can achieve anything. You are never too old to conquer your goals.”
Patricof ran four marathons in the ’70s and ’80s, including one with Achilles — which encourages those with disabilities to take part in athletics — as a volunteer teamed with a participant in a wheelchair.
He says he decided to run again this year after watching friends in 2021 at the NYC Marathon’s 50th race.
“When they passed me by I said, ‘God damn, I am going to do Burning Man and the marathon next year.’ I intended to walk-jog it, but in the course of training, I think it’s safer for me to complete it if I do it just walking,” he told us before the race.
He added of his 26.2-mile feat, “It’s not a casual stroll. It’s probably a 17 or 18 minute pace.”
Patricof walked with his son, movie producer Jamie Patricof, who told him, “‘I am going to walk with you, and if necessary I’ll carry you across the finish line,’” he said.
But Patricof made it on his own steam.
To prepare, Patricof trained with a coach three days a week, telling us, “We [meet] between 6:45a.m. and 7:15a.m…. and run for an hour-plus, and do intervals and hills. Then every weekend I do between 8 [miles] and 15 miles… on either Saturday or Sunday.”
If that’s not enough, he also worked out on an elliptical machine.
Patricof, who just published the memoir “No Red Lights” in May, noted how “exciting” the race is thanks to cheering New Yorkers.
“The adrenaline helps you all along the way,” he tells us, explaining he had friends and family on the sidelines, even though he may have been finishing when it got dark.
The marathon offers a way to track runners precisely via its app, with Patricof telling us, “10 or 20 seconds [off] is enough to miss somebody, but if you are walking like I am, that won’t be a problem.”
The financial titan used the race to raise more than $500,000 for Alzheimer’s charity Caring Kind, which supports individuals and families affected by dementia.
“My wife had Alzheimer’s for 12 years, that’s why I wanted to do this,” he tells us.
His late wife Susan, a noted philanthropist who worked with the International Rescue Committee and founded the Susan Patricof Head Start Center in Harlem, passed away in January.
He also attended the desert festival Burning Man this year, which can have high temps and dust storms.
“Why do people climb mountains? Because they’re there and they’re challenging. I had heard about Burning Man so much, why not find out for yourself,” he told us of his decision to attend.
Patricof, who also attended hippie fest Burning Man this year, is working on setting new goals.
Getty Images for East Hampton Li
Patricof, who also attended hippie fest Burning Man this year, is working on setting new goals.
Getty Images
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