After Sunday's marathon, we checked in with Harris, Adrienne and Ben to see how they fared on their 26.2 mile journey. Here's what they had to say:

Harris Beber: "One blister, two painful knees and 6 hours and 44 minutes later..."

"It took a little running, a little walking and a llttle limping," Harris said about finishing the marathon in just over 6 hours and 44 minutes. With strained tendons making his run harder with every step, Harris had to push through the pain to acheive his goal of passing through the finish line. It was frustrating -- when I was running I felt so good, but eventually the pain was too much. Even walking a distance was extremely painful."

Harris, who originally planned to raise $4,000, but kept fundraising toward a goal of $6,000, eventually surpassed the $6,000 mark. The funds will go toward different research projects by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

Harris said he'll consider running another marathon -- albeit with proper training. During the race, Harris got a boost from fellow 1st-timer, Adrienne, who urged him to keep going.

Adrienne Press: "I completely broke up at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. I was very moved--it just brought up a lot of stuff and there were all of these people cheering for me. It was a much more emotional moment than I had anticipated."
 
''My goal was to finish and that's what I did," said Adrienne, who finished the marathon in 6 hours, 53 minutes and 16 seconds. A five-year Hodgkin lymphoma survivor, Adrienne raised money for cancer research -- an effort that is part of her daily life.  Adrienne found support from other teammates and her older sister, who ran for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
 
Adrienne knew that the lymphedema (excessive fluid) she suffers in her legs would make running the marathon a difficult endeavor, and it was certainly a challenge she met Sunday. "There were interruptions in my training, and because I didn't have enough consistent and long runs, I was out there for a long time. My legs got really heavy and that made running harder."
 
Of course, Adrienne isn't writing off future marathons, though. Like Harris, she plans to train longer. And Sunday's efforts certainly paid off. Fred's Team raised more than $3 million dollars for cancer research at Sloan-Kettering.
 
"I find it very inspiring to see all the different fundraising charity groups out there on the course," Adrienne said. "Running for a cause is very inspiring. I would encourage anyone who is afraid of [running a marathon] to make that part of their commitment. It makes the challenge that much more meaningful and gratifying."

Ben Simmons: "Anyone can do it, as long as you're properly prepared for it. It was a fantastic experience."

Before yesterday's marathon, Ben set a goal of completing the marathon in under 5 hours -- and he reached his goal, crossing the finish line in just under 5 hours.  "My biggest concern was that I'd never run more than 20 miles," he said.

Of course, Ben's success wasn't without its own challenges. "I got a little winded around First Avenue, but for the last part I actually felt pretty good." Ben's friends, and family (in from his native U.K.) were scattered around the course, in addition to supporters from his cause -- the Achilles Track Club.

And the best part of the course?  "Seeing the finish line."

[Watch My 1st Time: The ING New York City Marathon]

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