"The Long Run" Autographed By Matt Long Giveaway: Day 11

In 2009, I was training for my first half marathon and I just starting getting Runner's World in the mail. I opened up the magazine and read Matt's story called "A Second Life". I was amazed by this man. He was a NYC fire fighter who woke up on December 22, 2005 to meet his friends for a run. Matt was an in great shape, he had run numerous triathlons, marathons, Ironmans, and just qualified for the Boston marathon. This was during the first days of the Transport Workers Union strike and Since there was no other way to meet his friends, he hopped on his bike.

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What Matt didn't know that day, was that he would almost lose his life. While riding, he was hit by a twenty ton bus making an illegal turn and his bike "sliced him open like a can". He needed sixty eight units of blood 10-11 hours after the accident and was in the hospital for five months. Every bone in his left leg was broken, the right side of his pelvis was shattered, as well as his right shoulder and severed multiple arteries. He would endure over forty operations and the doctors weren't even sure he would walk again, let alone compete.

Matt's book describes his intense and painful recovery and how he was able finish the NYC marathon three years after the accident. This story is incredible and I'm not lying when I say that I read it at least once a year. This year marks the tenth year anniversary of his accident.

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Matt founded the non profit I Will Foundation, a non-profit organization established to help people, with the will to work hard, overcome adversity and challenges caused by life altering illness or traumatic injury. He is also a motivational speaker.

You can order Matt's book at Amazon or you can enter to win a personalized autographed book here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Make sure you follow at least one of Matt's social media accounts AND one of mine to be eligible to win.


Good Luck!