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Marathons

Present Perfect Progressive

Date: Mar 28 2012

Themes: Health, Sports

Grammar: Present Perfect Progressive

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Intro

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Taking a jog to get a little exercise is one thing. To run marathons, you have to train for weeks and be in great shape. Marathons are 26-mile races. They take place in cities all over the world, and often raise money for a good cause. Running marathons takes strength, endurance, and determination. Find out if Marni has what it takes to be a marathon runner.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Devan

Marni: Man, I am so pumped.

Devan: Why?

Marni: Well, I’ve been training for this marathon. And man, I totally ran six miles, and I’m running faster, and I’m just feeling better. I’m pretty excited.

Devan: Is this gonna be your first marathon?

Marni: It is. I’ve been really pushing myself. I’ve wanted to do it forever, and this year I finally just made that resolution. I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna train, and I’m just gonna go for it.

Devan: Well, make sure you pace yourself, ‘cause you don’t want to hit a wall while you’re running, ‘cause it’s a really long run.

Marni: Twenty-six miles, I know. So I’ve been doing these six-miles increments, working up to doing the half marathon, and then doing the full 26 miles.

Devan: So how are you preparing? Are you trying to eat healthier? Are you doing cross training with other sports, or are you just running?

Marni: I’m doing it all. Everything you just said. I’ve been eating super well, limiting my carbs in the evening. I have a few friends I’m training with too, so that really helps to boost morale.

Devan: Are you running a marathon that’s for a good cause?

Marni: Yeah, I want to run in the spirit for my grandmother who died of breast cancer, so yeah.

Devan: Well, that’s got to be motivating too then.

Marni: Yeah, absolutely. I think it’s a super good cause. But, you know, I guess there was sort of this selfish reason why I wanted to do it as well, just to prove to myself that I could actually do it.

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Discussion

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Marni is feeling excited about running her first marathon. She has been training hard and getting in shape. She can run six miles, but is still working her way up to the big 26-mile run.

Devan tells Marni to pace herself when she runs the marathon. Otherwise, she might get exhausted and not be able to finish. Running marathons takes endurance.

In order to prepare for the marathon, Marni is eating healthy and running with friends. She is running the marathon to help raise money to fight cancer because her grandmother died of cancer. But she also wants to run the marathon for herself, as a challenge.

Have you ever run a marathon? Would you like to? Do you enjoy big challenges?

Comments

1 through 20 of 39
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mandzhi

Russian Federation

I haven’t run a marathon yet, but i made a resolution to do it in a year or year and a half. I’ve been starting running 5 month ago, and now i run only 10 km, but i know you should to train step by step to increase your distance, because you should to have a lot of endurance to finish marathon. Now i participate in running competitions and challenge myself.

It’s also important to have special sneakers for running and know how to run correctly, because running can hurt your body especially your joints

Staisy

Russian Federation

It is interesting lesson for me as I have got some new words and terms.

I am fond of jogging too but of course I am not ready to run a marathon distance. I admire people who are able to do this especially for a good cause.

DominikLi

China

It’s a pity that I have never run a Marathon,but I hope one day I can do it.Run…is one of my hobby,although it will be a big challenge,I will still looking forward to have a try in the future:P

Nina__smith

Australia

i love running,i’m a runner too

VOLTS

Brazil

Well, run a marathon is my goal. i like to run 5 days a week I alread ran 14 milles in a special day.

It’s really fun to run specially if u use a smartphone with you while u are running. You are able to track your way, take your average speed, register your heart rate, how many calories your body burnt by a smartphone just using a proper softwear. Besides that u can download those things, including all pictures u shot during the race, in a website like this:

http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/JoaoHamilton/cd28nmdn1hh1468a .

Most important thing which make to run a great pleasure, it is the background. Running a race like Atacama desert Marathon in Chile or Netherland Marathon would be amazing, that would blow my mind.

Radhwan

United Arab Emirates

i lik to run two

ola33

Japan

I would run 10 km for a million dollars. Just give it to me :))

kukuka

Ukraine

I do enjoy big challanges but I hate running. So, I guess I wouldn’t do it even for a good course, even for a million dollars I wouldn’t run more than 1 kilometer.

GIULLIANA

Peru

well, I´ve never been in a maraton, howevver I´d like to join in it once day, because i do jogging everyday in mornings, i think it could be a huge challenge, and i coud fell actually proud of myself

thrill_seeker

Poland

oh, i have never run a marathon but actually i just would like to do it. this is big challenge and it also might be fun

KTL

India

oh marathon, i don’t think i can run long way, i never gone for jogging

but marathon is good atleast if cops follows you.. lolll

mujahidkhan

Pakistan

pl3xipl4y

Sweden

I strongly believe that swimming, biking and running is one of the most “natural” sports, where the level of talent and hardwork is more important than the equitment itself (the bike sport can be discussed in this case). But still anyway, many people says that I have talent in triathlon, but I need to be out there every single day training harder and harder than my teammates if I really want to be successful. And also its important to recover as well. Therefore when I am not training I usually study (studying economics and political science in the uni), watching movies, playing chess or just be in bed sleeping few extra hours. I don’t like to run in the city all day shopping, since all my expenses goes to the sports and my bike cost around 6500 US dollar. But I’m lucky to got sponsored with half the cost from the bike shop :) I’m that good!

Irene Forever

Ukraine

I’ve never run a marathon because I don’t like running for a long time. It’s very difficult for me and I feel bad while doing it.

I prefer doing aerobics, dancing, swimming, riding a bike and hiking. Nevertheless, if a marathon could do benefit to the people in need, I would run it.

As for big challenges, I’m not a gamer in life, therefore I just live and enjoy each achievement that makes me happy and fell upset because of something going wrong.

i love life

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

Frankly I am with this topic, Honestly we need such like this actions , Really when you are suffering from some disease you need to other support .

ten years ago I participated in marathon for relief life of the children who are still suffering from the negative life because of occupation.

We need each other, I guess our lives contains many examples talk about

ola33

Japan

In Canada, many marathons are run for a good cause.Terry Fox, a Canadian, with one leg amputated ran a marathon for a good cause, to raise money for the cancer research. He didn’t make it, the disease took him, but since then an annual Terry Fox run has been held in his comemmoration and all the other people who fell victim to this terrible disease. Over C$500 million has been raised in his name.

Ahshan

China

marathon is too long for normal person,jog is ok for everybody.

julito

Argentina

Anja, hehehehehe, let me share my story, I thing that we both have to come back to the GGB, my beisbol cap got loose and ended up in the ocean down below. Somebody told me: this is a sign that you have to come back again. let´s see what the future has in store for me.

julito

Argentina

Talking about bridges., I have had the incredible experience of crossing the Golden Gate on foot in San Francisco. That day the weather was fine ,clear sky ,nor misty or windy. Guys , i wish I could do it again.