Joe Amabile plans to run the New York City Marathon on Nov. 1, about three months after surgery to remove a brain tumor. The Bachelor Nation alum is returning to distance running with a more cautious approach than in previous marathon preparations, according to azcentral.com and The Arizona Republic.
A return shaped by recovery
Amabile was diagnosed with a grade 2 IDH-mutant diffuse astrocytoma and underwent surgery on Aug. 5. NYU Langone describes the tumor as roughly blueberry-sized and reports that it was successfully removed. In the run-up to the race, Amabile told the Arizona outlets that his runs are shorter and slower than in earlier training cycles. He has said he hopes to finish, while recognizing that completing the course is not certain.
The marathon is a personal goal during a recovery that will continue well beyond race day. NYU Langone says Amabile is expected to have MRI scans every three months for several years and take vorasidenib long term to reduce the risk of the tumor returning. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved vorasidenib in 2024 for patients 12 and older with certain grade 2 IDH-mutant astrocytomas or oligodendrogliomas following surgery. That general approval describes the drug’s approved use; it does not, by itself, establish details of any individual patient’s care.
Exercise and recovery are individual
The National Cancer Institute notes that brain or spine tumors and their treatment can affect how the body feels and functions, and includes exercise among its physical-health self-care measures. That broad guidance does not establish what level of activity is appropriate for Amabile after surgery; his reported plan is to take a restrained approach as he returns to running.
A separate case offers a point of comparison, not a forecast for Amabile. UC San Diego Health reported that Dr. Sunny Sharma finished the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 13, 2024, two years after surgery for an acoustic neuroma. The different condition and much longer interval between surgery and race make the cases distinct; one person’s experience cannot predict another’s recovery.
