Airdrie’s intrepid Death Valley marathoner has returned to Canada with a story to tell, and having raised a few bucks for the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
Giovanni Macagnino, who recently successfully completed treatment after doctors removed a cancerous lump in his throat last year, finished the full 42 km Death Valley Marathon on Feb. 1 with a time of four hours and nine minutes.
“I was hoping to get under four hours as a personal aim, but finishing was the main goal,” he said. “It was a really tough marathon, and I'm not sure why. Maybe because I am still recovering from cancer.”
Macagnino admitted he is probably being a little hard on himself as that four hours and nine minutes actually beat his last “healthy” marathon time in Calgary last year.
“So I'm still happy,” he confessed. “And we raised, you know, ultimately the whole point was, even though it was a kind of a bucket list marathon for me, we raised (about $1,400) for Alberta cancer research.”
Macagnino said the tarmac of the road was grinding and tough on his body during his run, causing a lot of pain. However, the lonely desert horizon views were everything he had been dreaming of when he went down to California to compete.
“From a personal perspective, I accomplished that thing I was looking for. At various times, (it was) just me and the road, and nobody else but me– and looking off at this road ahead going off into the distance … It was just me in the road and the distance; so I wanted to experience that. So I got that.”
Macagnino said the marathon served as a transition ritual for him signifying his return to a normal life of health, work and family after a year of trial.
“I think also I proved to myself that the cancer hasn't affected me enough that I can't do these things,” he said.
Macagnino is grateful to all who supported him; especially his wife Karen, who made the trip down to Death Valley with him and suffered with him through his past year.
“She was there when I crossed the line, and I did break into tears and hug her when I crossed the line,” he said.
Macagnino is also thankful to all who donated to the Alberta Cancer Foundation to support his run, and is leaving his donation website open until the end of the weekend (Feb. 16) for anyone who wants to make a last minute contribution.
“Thank you for every donation,” he said, “whether it was $10 or $100.”
The donation link can be found at fundraise.albertacancer.ca/fundraiser/6006030.
There is a decimal glitch on the website, but Macagnino confirms the amount raised as of press time on Feb. 12 was $1,432.
