I think Ryan Reynolds might be a bit of a liar. After insisting that he's not a runner and that he'd be lucky to cross the finish line in last weekend's New York City Marathon, Ryan completed the 26.2 mile run in three hours and 50 minutes, which comes out to around a 8:45 mile (if my math is correct).

At the finish line, he told reporters that he was pretty excited to still be standing and explained that seeing Michael J. Fox around mile 20 caused him "to gain about 15 pounds in goosebumps" and gave him the motivation to push through the last few miles. He ran as a part of Team Fox in honor of his father, who suffers from Parkinson's Disease and raised over $80,000 in contributions for the cause.

"I thought a lot about my father and Michael and the 500,000 other people afflicted with this awful disease in the United States alone," Ryan explained, adding, "I ran for those who can't."

This guy is every bit my idea of a Fit Celeb -- his mind, heart, and body are all in good shape. However, don't expect to see Ryan do it again any time soon. He has been quoted as saying, "I would sooner be prime minister of the moon than run another marathon."

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Ryan Reynolds has been an observer of the New York City Marathon in past years, and says he was amazed by the "guys coming in to finish with bleeding nipples ... People were crying. People were limping, hobbling, screaming, crawling. But most importantly, people were experiencing a sublime rapture that I couldn't even hope to understand."

Add to that statement the fact that Reynolds, who has described his early morning runs as "nothing short of horrifying," has chosen to run the marathon after speaking with Michael J. Fox in an effort to raise money for Parkinson's Disease, which his father has battled for the last 15 years, and whoa -- he's starting to sound awfully serious. Did his recent marriage to Scarlett Johansson rid him of his funny bone? Nope, not at all. The funnyman wrote the following:

"Not since the discovery of Junior High School has a torture been so effective. It's my hope the story of my father combined with my own goal of becoming the first person in history to sob uncontrollably for 26.2 miles straight, may inspire you to give something, too. ... [C]ome on down and watch. Feel free to bring a smile, automated defibrillator, or a fresh set of nipples."

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Sufferers of Parkinson's Disease may soon have a once-a-day patch to help with the treatment of their condition. A clinical trial shows that the new "patch" is a safe and effective treatment for early Parkinson's disease.

The patch's actual name -- transdermal rotigotine -- will be sold under the brand name Neupro -- and it's already sold in Europe by manufacturer Schwarz Pharma. The patch's effectiveness -- according to the leader of the clinical trial -- is that it provides a continuous, steady delivery of an effective Parkinson's drug.

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Although this is a little off-topic for Fitness -- but not for health -- the possibility and controversial nature of stem cell research is hitting new fever pitches, as actor Michael J. Fox has been featured in a new pro-stem cell campaign to lobby for the legalization of this type of research.

Fox, who visibly suffers from Parkinson's Disease, has taken up the celebrity fight that late actor Christopher Reeve championed until his death just over two years ago. Stem cells have the *potential* to help alleviate pain and suffering through making medical advances possible, but recent studies show that Americans are just about evenly split on the issue.

Although talk show host Rush Limbaugh accused Fox of basically being a poster boy for stem cell research by not taking his medications -- and therefore visibly showing signs of his disease -- Fox defended political ads he filmed for candidates who support stem cell research ahead of tight congressional elections.

Fox added that he did not want to be pitied because he suffers from Parkinson's disease. I'll ask in this post -- who is for stem cell research funded by the government of the U.S.? Why or why not?

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