Renewed Strength and Purpose, One Step at a Time

A throng of noisy spectators were assembled at the entrance to Central Park, imploring runners to stay strong for the final two-mile stretch of the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon. Mauricio Blandino spotted his own family members among them as he shuffled past, but he was almost too tired to acknowledge them.

“By this time I had shortened my stride, my cadence had become more rapid, I’m cramping, hurting like hell,” Blandino recalled. “It felt like I was running in place, not covering any distance at all. I saw my brothers and sister there, but I could barely look up. I don’t even remember if I smiled.”

By the time Mauricio reached Columbus Circle, all thoughts of a four-hour finish had evaporated. Coach Anthony Bonamassa, Mauricio’s trainer and guide runner from Achilles International, urged him to sprint the final two-tenths of a mile, but Mauricio couldn’t make his body move any faster. He crossed the finish line in survival mode, relieved to finally be done but convinced he wouldn’t be happy with the result.

After a brief fight to catch his breath, Mauricio asked Anthony for their time. Anthony hesitated.

“3:40,” he said.

“Cut the shit! What was our time?” An incredulous Mauricio thought he heard wrong.

But he heard right; 3:40:12 was the time, a new personal record for Mauricio Blandino. He was 62 years old.

Coach Anthony wasn’t surprised by the result. He had seen Mauricio’s relentless dedication over and over in practice.

“I drew up a pretty extensive plan to train him on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. I kept data and metrics of everything we were doing to show him the progress he was making,” Anthony said. “He was absolutely committed to the entire thing and was enthusiastic about it, so he was the perfect student in that regard.”

The 26.2mile distance was nothing new to Mauricio; he had completed multiple marathons by 2019. At the time of this writing, his marathon count has risen to 23. But 3:40:12 still stands as his all-time PR, a well-deserved reward for uncommon endurance, a transcendent kind of perseverance that doesn’t simply materialize after a 90-day training plan.

June 25, 2011 was a day like many others. Mauricio stopped in at his childhood home in Queens to visit his elderly mother and help take care of whatever tasks needed to be done around the house. One moment he was headed up the stairs with a load of laundry. The next moment he was tumbling backward, hitting his head violently on the way down.

While the fall was jarring, Mauricio didn’t think too much of it. Dismissing it as nothing more than a painfully unfortunate accident, he went about his normal routine. After a few days, however, some unsettling symptoms began to manifest.

Persistent headaches, trouble with balance and coordination, and difficulty seeing prompted him to visit the hospital. It would be a month before he could return home.

His symptoms were caused by a subdural hematoma, a potentially life-threatening buildup of blood and cranial fluid creating pressure on the brain. Mauricio immediately underwent a bilateral craniotomy, a procedure where portions of the skull are removed in order to drain the fluids and relieve the pressure. Then, the skull is reassembled, like an exceedingly delicate medical jigsaw puzzle.

After a successful surgery and lengthy recovery period, Mauricio was finally discharged, thankful to be alive but dreading to confront his new reality.

“I came home with the shunts still intact and my head still bandaged. I avoided looking in the mirror,” Mauricio recalled. “Even afterward, I avoided looking in the mirror. I did not want to see myself. I didn’t want to see the injury.”

Prior to his accident, Mauricio had spent decades in the jewelry business, working at all levels of merchandising, manufacturing and design. Now his life centered around the Brain Injury Rehabilitation program at Mount Sinai. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, neuropsychological appointments, follow-ups with the neurosurgeon—the endless treatments were necessary but exhausting.

“I became an angry person, angry at the universe. I knew I had to keep going but didn’t have the mental energy,” Mauricio admitted. “I was just going through the motions.”

But after a year of this laborious routine, a glimmer of hope and possibility finally appeared. In desperate need of peer support and personal interaction, Mauricio was referred to the Brain Injury Association of New York State. At one of their monthly meetings, athletes and guides from an organization called Achilles International gave a presentation that altered the course of Mauricio’s life forever.

“Two athletes and several staff members from Achilles came and introduced the program. Allan Tyson was one of the athletes. He was talking about all these marathons and Iron Man triathlons he had done. He also had a brain injury, and physical exercise had helped him immensely,” Mauricio remembered. “I was paying close attention to what they said because my doctors had been pushing me to take my physical therapy outdoors.”

A week or two later, he was doing just that. Along with a group of peers from the Brain Injury Association, Mauricio attended his first Achilles workout. He was amazed to realize that even though disability was what brought all these people together, no one seemed alienated or burdened by their challenges.

“I’m witnessing such a variety. There were visually impaired people, amputees, kids with autism, adults with brain injuries,” Mauricio observed. “And everyone is just moving on with their lives, excited about their accomplishments and talking about the next race. They’re being paired with their guides and just having a jolly good time.”

Mauricio hung back initially, somewhat reluctant to draw attention to himself. But soon he was paired up with his own guides, going on slow, painstaking walks along Central Park’s Bridle Path. Eventually, the walks became longer and steadier. He gradually introduced jogging, his pace increasing as he gained strength and confidence. By the end of 2014, Mauricio had represented Achilles NYC in two different 5K charity events.

Allan Tyson, having taken notice of Mauricio’s progress, came up with a half-marathon training plan for him to follow. Mauricio agreed, treating it as merely the next level of his recovery process. Later in 2015, the half-marathon training plan mysteriously grew to full. Mauricio went right on following, elated with his restored energy and body control but still not thinking in terms of competition.

“Allan was patient with me because he had been through a difficult recovery process himself. But he pushed and motivated me as well,” Mauricio remembered. “I listened closely to what Allan was saying. I wanted to learn how I could benefit from exercise the same way he did.” 

Eager to put his training to the test, Mauricio signed up for the Staten Island Half-Marathon that September. Only concerned with covering the distance, he maintained a steady jog for the 13.1 miles, crossing the finish line with a group of his new Achilles friends.

With the NYC Marathon only two months away, those same friends urged Mauricio to put his training to work once again. Ultimately, he couldn’t resist the peer pressure.

“Achilles receives bibs from the New York Road Runners for its athletes, and everyone was doing it, so I said ok,” Mauricio explained. “I wanted to be part of the group now. Whatever happens, happens.”

Teamed up with guides Susan Graham and Kseniia Sukach, Mauricio tackled the speed workouts, hill repeats, and long runs that prepare athletes to withstand the rigors of 26.2 miles. When race day finally came, he approached the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge relaxed but focused, not fixated on a time goal but anticipating an unforgettable experience.

He would not be disappointed. Mauricio crossed the finish line at 4:38:07, a time that exceeded his wildest expectation. But the sense of accomplishment was immeasurable, the end of this race marking the start of a new life journey.

“All the spectators, the immense sound of everyone cheering. It’s like a street festival,” Mauricio fondly recalled. “And crossing that finish line? Wow! Empowerment to the tenth power. It’s like I suddenly had this solid platform to stand on, and I’m still standing on it.”

Mauricio continued his involvement with the Brain Injury Association of New York State, ultimately becoming chairperson of the NYC chapter. He’s spoken to audiences of neurologists and other medical professionals about the need for a more holistic approach to the treatment of TBI, emphasizing the profound impact of physical activity and community connection. His marathon career has taken him to Boston, Chicago, London and Berlin. He’s sat down for countless interviews with professional news outlets and amateur podcasters. His message is always consistent.

“Any situation in life that knocks you down hard, you have to be able to accept helping hands. It’s not weakness. There are stubborn people out there who won’t accept help, and it just stagnates their development.”

Where would Mauricio be without the brain injury association, without the rehab center at Mount Sinai, without Achilles?

“I don’t dwell on that thought because it would not have been a nice direction. I would’ve survived, but I never would have found this pleasure, this sense of accomplishment and empowerment.”