Ryan Reynolds Takes On NYC Marathon

You would think that after recently marrying Scarlett Johansson, Ryan Reynolds would not be willing to take another long walk anytime soon, let alone run a marathon.

But that's just what the 31-year-old actor is doing, as People.com reports that he confirmed his participation in the Nov. 2 NYC marathon in a letter on the Huffington Post.

He described the preparations for the big run as "horrifying," writing, "I am not a runner. I am a running joke. Waking up at 4:30 a.m. and jogging anywhere from 11 to 23 miles has been nothing short of horrifying."

While sitting on the sidelines in previous years, Reynolds was impacted as he saw "guys coming in to finish with bleeding nipples. . . . People were crying. People were limping, hobbling, screaming, crawling. But most importantly, people were experiencing a sublime rapture that I couldn't even hope to understand."

As if the pure sincerity of the participants wasn't enough inspiration, he also has a personal reason for joining the cause, writing that his running is "on behalf of my Father, Jim Reynolds, who's spent the last 15 years in a life or death struggle with Parkinson's Disease."

Reynolds writes that he signed up for the Marathon after meeting with Michael J. Fox, and uses humor to get through the vigorous training.

"Not since the discovery of Junior High School has a torture been so effective. It's my hope the story of my father combined with my own goal of becoming the first person in history to sob uncontrollably for 26.2 miles straight, may inspire you to give something too."

After asking for donations to the cause, and while keeping a sense of humor, Reynolds invites people to "come down and watch. Feel free to bring a smile, automated defibrillator, or a fresh set of nipples."