Chilean miner runs New York Marathon

NEW YORK, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Edison Pena, the so-called Running Miner who was among 33 Chilean miners who survived being trapped underground for 69 days, ran the New York Marathon Sunday.

Wearing a brace on his left knee, Pena finished the 26-plus miles in 5 hours, 40 minutes, the New York Daily News reported.

Pena, 34, breezed through the first half of the marathon in 2 hours, 7 minutes. Pain in his knee and exhaustion slowed him to a walk for much of the second half, during which he stopped for ice packs and treatment for leg cramps, the Daily News said.

His tenacity and endurance elicited cheers from the crowds lining the route.

"I came to the U.S. to run this marathon, and I did it," Pena said. "I struggled with my myself. I struggled with my own pain, but I made it to the finish line."

While trapped in the mine, Pena said he would run up to 6 miles a day to stay mentally tough and prove to God his desire to live, the newspaper said.

"Running a marathon and being trapped in a mine are two very different experiences," Pena said. "I felt great in the marathon ... felt great with all the support I was getting. In the mine, I ran alone."