Here’s how you run a marathon

How much do I love Neil Patrick Harris?  Answer: A lot.  Doogie Howser.  Barney Stinson.  Dr. Horrible.  I have a wee (huge) celebrity crush on him.  So when his alter-identity Barney decided to run the New York Marathon I was watching. 

According to Barney you don’t train for a marathon, you just run it.  Especially if you have a gambling problem and someone bets you $50 bucks that you can’t do it.  Side bar: it’s a comedy so we are suspending our disbelief, but technically Barney was able to run the NY marathon last minute – he decided the evening before – by running under a friend’s bib.  Said friend couldn’t run when a petroleum jelly on his nipples incident (this is a boy thing that I thankfully do not have to deal with) led to a broken toe.  The rest of us mere mortals have to buy a $15 lottery ticket in early March and hope for the best, knowing full well that international applicants have almost zero chance of getting in the NYC marathon unless they sell their home and buy their way in through an approved travel affiliate.

But back to the race.  Suspending disbelief a bit more, Barney easily runs and finishes the marathon in a decent time (time not specified, just that it was surprisingly good), even with an, ahem, pitstop along the way (if you know Barney you’ll know what is meant by “pitstop”).  After much gloating, medal showing off, and $50 collecting he decides to take advantage of a race perk – free subway (the method of transportation, not the place Jared eats to lose weight) for the day.  

And this is where the comedic magic begins.  Words can never convey the brilliance of this scene.  I won’t even try.  Okay, I’ll try.  This physical slapstick style comedy is rare today, but awesome when it works.  During his free ride his legs seize and he is unable to get up from his subway seat.  In his horrified words, “my legs don’t work”.  The attempts at standing are … wait for it … legend-ary (that’s a Barnyism for those who don’t watch HIMYM).  This scene, as he collapses to the subway floor, left me weak from laughter.  Naturally a pregnant women, wounded child, and old lady (who hilariously calls him a douche) all board the subway and he can’t get up to offer his seat to any of them.  Unable to move, he rides to the end of the subway line.  Apparently you never, ever want to see the end of the subway line.

The morning after my fist marathon I became trapped on a toilet.  I absolutely could not get up.  My brain told my legs to stand but legs would not (could not!) listen.  Suffice it to say I was thankful to have Husband close at hand.  If you’ve ever run a marathon and suffered for it the next day, watch this episode.

Ref: How I Met Your Mother, Season 2, Episode 15 “Lucky Penny”, original airdate 2/12/2007.