Marathon runner completes race despite intestinal damage

After running for about four hours straight, every part of senior Adam Jacobs' body hurt. \nJacobs ran the 26-mile Philadelphia Marathon Nov. 20, driven by not only his personal ambition but the support of Zeta Beta Tau, the fraternity of which he is a member, and its philanthropic project that Jacobs initiated and named "Race to Protect Human Rights."\nThe project initially involved fund-raising prior to the race to benefit Human Rights Watch, the largest nonprofit human rights organization in the United States.\nJacobs and ZBT sent out letters asking for donations on behalf of Human Rights Watch and raised almost $5,000 from corporate donations, as well as those from Comedy Central's Dave Attell and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" band leader Max Weinberg.\nNonetheless, their beneficiary changed in early October when Hurricane Rita struck.\n"It really hit home," Jacobs said. "A member of ZBT is from New Orleans."\nThe fraternity, then, was able to raise almost $2,500 for relief efforts, making its sum for "Race to Protect Human Rights" about $7,500.\n"My original goal was never this much," Jacobs said. "Some donations are still arriving."\nThe charitable venture received much press coverage, especially because of celebrity involvement. News articles appeared in the Indiana Daily Student as well as Jacobs' hometown newspaper in Manalapan, N.J. Jacobs and his project were also featured on a National Public Radio weekend news report in August shortly after he began raising money.\n"It was helpful to have media coverage," Jacobs said. "It motivated the guys (of ZBT) to go out and collect more money."\nJacobs has been a runner since 2002 and had planned on participating in the marathon even before the fund-raising commenced. While interning in New York City this summer, he learned of Human Rights Watch and was taken by the organization's dedication to promoting global human rights, which inspired the philanthropy.\nJacobs said he had full support from both his fraternity brothers and his friends and family while preparing for and completing the race. ZBT sponsored his trip to Philadelphia, even covering costs of a hotel stay there.\n"My little brother snuck on and ran the last 100 yards with me," Jacobs said. "The last two miles, there was a lot of support."\nNonetheless, Jacobs encountered obstacles. During an intensive 16-mile training run for the marathon, he injured his large intestine. His doctor attributed the damage to dehydration, and Jacobs was forced to cease training for weeks. \n"I may not have run the race if it weren't for my desire to fulfill what I set out to do," Jacobs said.\nJacobs said he even considered just walking the race, but he was able to continue training and run it, though his time was 30 minutes slower than for what he had trained.\nHis suffering wasn't wasted, he said. He recalled a "runner's high."\n"You can't understand it until you experience it," he said.\nJacobs said after having been part of such an emotionally and physically demanding project, he's ready to take it easy for the rest of the winter. He said he'll continue to run but not long distances.\nWith regards to philanthropy, he hopes ZBT's completion of the "Race to Protect Human Rights" project will inspire others.\n"The smallest idea can really blossom and help someone," he said. "It is extremely rewarding."\nDonations to "Race to Protect Human Rights" can still be made by visiting www.active.com/donate/protecthumanrights.