Marathon Man

Tony Cerminaro has accomplished a lot during his running career. The 86-year-old Jermyn, Pa. resident has participated in 115 races and 100 marathons, including the New York City Marathon and the Boston Marathon. If that wasn’t enough, he also won his age group at the Boston Marathon in his 60s, 70s and 80s, and holds the national record for runners over the age of 80.

“My favorite moment was winning the senior division at the Boston Marathon,” Cerminaro says. “A lot of people don’t even get to run the Boston Marathon, let alone win a medal. That one was special.”

Cerminaro’s list of accomplishments are even more impressive considering he didn’t start running until he was 50 years old. He began when a friend asked him to join him for company. When the same friend asked him to sign up for a 10K, he said yes and his love affair with running commenced.

“I just fell in love with running. I enjoy the camaraderie and training with a goal in mind. I’ve been lucky to do so many races,” Cerminaro says.

Although running is a great form of exercise, Cerminaro admits the high-impact sport has taken a toll on his body. He has suffered from knee pain and even fractured his hip.

“I’ve had my share of running-related injuries. Fortunately, I’ve had great doctors who have been able to treat me and get me back to training,” he says.

At the height of his training, Cerminaro was running up to 60 miles a week and biking 10-30 miles a day. He also had a Total Gym and a stepper for days he couldn’t run. He says his training could be intense, and he suffered his first running-related injury over 20 years ago when he tore his medial meniscus.

“I talk to a lot of people who don’t want to have a knee replacement because they think it will be a hassle, but I tell them it is well worth it. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without the knee replacements.” - Tony Cerminaro

Cerminaro saw Paul Metzger, MD, orthopedic surgeon with Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute in Dickson City. He had a successful minimally invasive procedure to repair his meniscus and was back to running within a few weeks. However, as he got older, his injuries intensified, and the recoveries took longer.

He injured his other knee and had a similar procedure a few years after the first and fractured his hip, which required surgical repair and longer recovery. When the arthritis in his knees increased to the point he could no longer run, Dr. Metzger suggested Cerminaro see Harry Schmaltz, MD, orthopedic surgeon with Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute in Dickson City.

“When Tony couldn’t run, he switched to biking and was a very accomplished cyclist, but I knew it couldn’t replace his love for running. I told him a knee replacement could help him find his way back to running,” Dr. Schmaltz says.

By the time Cerminaro saw Dr. Schmaltz in December 2022, he was having pain with nearly every movement – walking, biking and running. He told Dr. Schmaltz his goal was to do one more race, the Steamtown Marathon.

“It was obvious both of his knees were shot, and he needed new ones right away. He had severe arthritis, which was impeding his ability to move freely. Even though he couldn’t walk very far because of pain, he was in great shape,” Dr. Schmaltz says.

Cerminaro had his first knee replaced on Dec. 30, 2022. He went home the same day as surgery and had a physical therapist come to his home for the first few weeks before starting outpatient physical therapy. He threw himself into his recovery and did so well he had his second knee replacement just a few months later on March 13, 2023.

“I was very happy with the results. I was able to do things without pain that I hadn’t done in years,” Cerminaro says.

Dr. Schmaltz says that Cerminaro was the perfect candidate for knee replacement and wasn’t surprised by his recovery.

“He was very motivated and had a goal in mind. I have no doubt that we will see him running in the Steamtown Marathon,” he says.

True to his word, Cerminaro is now training for the Steamtown Marathon on Oct. 8. He says this one is especially important.

“I’ve always loved this race because it’s my hometown. This may be my last race, so I want to make it count,” Cerminaro says.

While he isn’t running 60 miles a week, Cerminaro is training with some light running and biking. He says he knows he wouldn’t be participating in the Steamtown Marathon if it wasn’t for his knee replacements and the help of Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute.

“I talk to a lot of people who don’t want to have a knee replacement because they think it will be a hassle, but I tell them it is well worth it. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without the knee replacements,” he says.