The road to the New York marathon: Bill Rancic partners with Timex for a cause

MANILA, Philippines - There’s a good chance you may have seen, heard, or read about Bill Rancic. A multi-faceted man, Rancic entered public consciousness with his historic win on the very first season of the famed reality show, The Apprentice. After which, he went on to pen two successful books titled You’re Hired and Beyond the Lemonade Stand. Succeeding as a young entrepreneur, he then took over as a co-executive producer and co-star of his own reality show, Bill and Giuliana, with his wife.

“I’ve learned that a successful business person has the ability to recognize an opportunity and has a willingness to seize it. Similarly, it’s important to have confidence in your convictions and to stand by your idea or vision even when others may doubt you. I continue to embrace those challenges and to find new ways to make a difference,” Rancic says when asked about the biggest lesson he’s learned from his Apprentice days.

As if all this wasn’t enough to beef up his already handsome résumé, this year, Rancic went on to engage in a special run for the famed ING New York City Marathon.  Last Nov. 3, as the celebrity brand ambassador of his wife’s charity Fab-U-Wish, Rancic teamed up with Timex in support of its cause in raising awareness against breast and ovarian cancer. Joining the biggest one-day sporting event in the world, Rancic was called on last to join the race with a special mission. For every runner who shakes his hand, Timex will donate one dollar to the said charity.

“It was a pretty big challenge, even as I was just beginning my training for the New York City Marathon with the help of Timex. I’ve programmed my mind and body to, hopefully, pass about 25,000-30,000 people on my way to the finish line,” the 42-year-old father to one-year-old son Duke says. At the end of the race, Timex will be donating $30,000 to Rancic’s wife’s charity, no small thanks due to his impressive effort.

“I’ve always loved running. In fact, one of my first dates with my wife was going out for a run. We have some of our best conversations on our runs, and we have sorted out some of our most important family decisions running side by side,” Rancic shares. “I have always loved to run but was never very serious about training. My first marathon I did in my late 20s because of a friendly bet, so I barely trained before that race.  For my second marathon in Chicago, I started to get more into the sport and enjoyed those longer runs. Now I can say with confidence that I am a runner,” he adds.

For the New York Marathon, Rancic trained closely with nationally recognized Timex Multisport Team athlete Chris Thomas, who has developed a specific training program for him. “In preparing for this, I had to ensure my body stays healthy while I’m putting in my roadwork.  I’m tracking all of my runs through my Timex Ironman Run Trainer 2.0 watch to make sure that I’m on pace and prepared for race day,” he says. “The marathon training plan is definitely intense, but I enjoy the daily focus and commitment. My Timex trainer also recommended that I get sports massages to loosen my muscles after my long runs. Those are definitely helpful.”

The new runner’s device from Timex helped Rancic with topnotch features that aided him in tracking his progress during preparations and especially in the actual race. The timepiece showcases a crisp, easy-to-read display and an intuitive user interface that keeps all of its features conveniently packed in small, better-fit water-resistant case.

With his wife Giuliana as the biggest motivator and cheerleader, he religiously woke early in the morning for a three-hour daily run to track his progress. “It’s challenging managing my training routine while balancing time for my family and for work. Now that we have a son, our priorities have shifted and Duke always comes first. But being active is a big part of family time too. Giuliana and I often put baby Duke in the jogger and take him for a hike or run around the neighborhood.”

While in top form these days, Rancic admits he did not have any special diet in preparing for the marathon. “I’m in great shape now that I am running up to 18 miles a day, but it’s funny, my appetite has definitely increased tremendously since I started training. I’m eating things that I never usually eat, like cheeseburgers and desserts, but I burn the calories so quickly with my training plan that I’m still keeping off the weight,” he says.

But for his training plan, the key is finding the perfect timing device. “After training with my Timex Ironman Run Trainer 2.0, I don’t think I will ever run without it. I never used to track my heart rate or pace, or have a device to remind me to take my GU. It’s like a coach on my wrist, and it makes me accountable for every workout, while also ensuring that I’m prepared to achieve my goals for the marathon.”

At the end of the race in New York’s Central Park, Rancic was gleefully welcomed and greeted by wife Giuliana, founder of the charity for which he participated in the race. With an unofficial race finish at 4:57, it goes without saying that this latest venture for Rancic has given him a whole new direction.