Nandhini: A race in the space sunitha willams
Nandhini: A race in the space sunitha willams:
A race in the space sunitha willams
A race in the space sunitha willams
210 miles above Earth, Expedition 15 crew member Sunita Williams attempted something no other astronaut has ever done. She ran the Boston Marathon while in orbit
Williams circled Earth at least twice, running as fast as eight mph but flying more than five miles each second, as she completed the Boston Marathon on a station treadmill. Her official completion time was 4:23:10 as she completed the race at 2:24 p.m. EDT Monday.
Williams ran under better weather conditions than her Boston counterparts. In Boston, it was 48 degrees with some rain, mist and wind gusts of 28 mph while station weather was 78 degrees with no wind or rain with 50% humidity.
The Boston Athletic Association had issued Williams bib number 14,000. The bib had been sent electronically to NASA, which had forwarded it to Williams. She’s a Needham, Mass., native and says her reason for running the marathon is simple. “I would like to encourage kids to start making physical fitness part of their daily lives. I thought a big goal like a marathon would help get this message out there.”
Regular exercise is essential to maintaining bone density while in space for astronauts. “In microgravity, both of these things start to go away because we don’t use our legs to walk around and don’t need the bones and muscles to hold us up under the force of gravity,” Williams said.
No one knows that better than Steve Hart. For two years, he’s been Williams’ flight surgeon. “There are specific challenges to staying healthy while in space. Sunita wants to make fitness the hallmark of her expedition stay. She wants to educate and motivate others about being physically fit in general.”
Williams ran under better weather conditions than her Boston counterparts. In Boston, it was 48 degrees with some rain, mist and wind gusts of 28 mph while station weather was 78 degrees with no wind or rain with 50% humidity.
The Boston Athletic Association had issued Williams bib number 14,000. The bib had been sent electronically to NASA, which had forwarded it to Williams. She’s a Needham, Mass., native and says her reason for running the marathon is simple. “I would like to encourage kids to start making physical fitness part of their daily lives. I thought a big goal like a marathon would help get this message out there.”
Regular exercise is essential to maintaining bone density while in space for astronauts. “In microgravity, both of these things start to go away because we don’t use our legs to walk around and don’t need the bones and muscles to hold us up under the force of gravity,” Williams said.
No one knows that better than Steve Hart. For two years, he’s been Williams’ flight surgeon. “There are specific challenges to staying healthy while in space. Sunita wants to make fitness the hallmark of her expedition stay. She wants to educate and motivate others about being physically fit in general.”
Williams, an accomplished marathoner, has been training for the marathon for months while serving a six-month stint as a flight engineer on board the ISS. She runs at least four times a week, 2 longer runs and 2 shorter runs.
Image to left: Flashing a thumbs up sign here, astronaut Sunita L. Williams, Expedition 14 flight engineer, circled Earth at least twice as she participated in the Boston Marathon. Image credit: NASA
Image to left: Flashing a thumbs up sign here, astronaut Sunita L. Williams, Expedition 14 flight engineer, circled Earth at least twice as she participated in the Boston Marathon. Image credit: NASA
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