Lee Bong-ju Joins 'Run for Life' for a Special 5km Recovery Run

Marathon legend Lee Bong-ju receives a warm welcome from the 'Run for Life' crew.

On the 9th episode of MBN's special 30th-anniversary variety show 'Run for Life,' airing today, Lee Bong-ju makes a guest appearance to participate in a '5km Recovery Run' at Donggang, Jeongseon, Gangwon Province.

On this day, Deputy Director Lee Young-pyo surprises the 'Run for Life' crew by announcing, “We will be doing a '5km Recovery Run' while enjoying the beautiful scenery of Donggang.” Following this, Sean introduces a special guest, saying, “To fully enjoy today's 'Recovery Run,' we have invited a special guest, former national marathoner Lee Bong-ju.”

Amidst a warm reception, Lee Bong-ju shares his struggles, saying, “I suffered from dystonia for four years, which was like living in hell.” He reveals, “I always relied on my wife and found it hard to walk even 100 meters alone. Back then, my wish was to run even for 30 minutes by myself.”

He continues, “I couldn't even sleep properly lying down,” but thankfully, he adds, “Through consistent rehabilitation, I have recovered about 70-80%.” In response to his story, Yang Joon-hyuk expresses admiration, saying, “I heard it was almost an incurable disease, but overcoming it and running again is incredible. Truly a triumph of the human spirit!”

Lee Bong-ju announces, “On September 6th, the 'Donggang Marathon' will be held in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, and today we are here to experience the course in advance.” However, sudden heavy rain pours down, and the 'Run for Life' crew, including Sleepy, worries, “It always rains when we film.”

The 'Recovery Run' featuring Lee Bong-ju in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, can be seen on the 9th episode of MBN's 'Run for Life,' airing tonight at 8:20 PM.

Ryu Ye-ji, TenAsia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr