Stranger’s finish inspires runner to complete first marathon

Þorsteinn Haukur Harðarson completed his first marathon in the Reykjavik Marathon last Saturday, after being inspired by a man with two prosthetic legs, mbl.is reports. He ran the 42-kilometre race to raise money for the Píeta organisation.

“If someone had told me three years ago that I would one day run a marathon, I would not have bet the house on it,” Þorsteinn said.

Þorsteinn has cerebral palsy affecting his left side. He has dealt with physical difficulties throughout his life following a brain haemorrhage at birth. He had also been overweight and was not taking good care of himself until three and a half years ago.

In January 2023, he bent down to pick something up for his son and was unable to stand again. His left leg had given way under his weight and the strain.

The injury was not permanent. After being admitted to hospital, he was warned that his health would deteriorate unless he made changes. He spent four weeks at a health and rehabilitation centre in Hveragerði, where he began exercising and gradually discovered running.

He started cautiously, running 10 kilometres in the Reykjavik Marathon in 2024. The following year, he completed the half marathon and expected that to be his greatest achievement.

After that race, he watched other runners cross the finish line and took in the atmosphere. He then saw a man complete the marathon using two prosthetic legs.

“He became such an inspiration to me that I decided on the spot to try the marathon in 2026,” Þorsteinn said.

Preparing for the race required determination because of his physical limitations. He said he had to protect his left side, while about 80 per cent of his strength came from the right side.

The race itself was extremely difficult. Strong headwinds affected the final section, his headphones ran out of power, and he was in pain, wet and cold.

“I did not feel joy when I crossed the finish line,” Þorsteinn said. He later went swimming and used a steam room, where the warmth brought the emotions to the surface.

He said he felt great pride after completing the marathon, describing it as the result of three years of relentless work.

Þorsteinn chose to support Píeta because his friend Michael Newberry died by suicide two years ago.