On a bus on the way to Staten Island for the start of the New York Marathon on Sunday, I sat in the back next to a man named Oliver. It was 5:15 in the morning, and everybody had a lot of nervous energy, so we all got to talking. Oliver was a very nice man.

This was Oliver’s ninth New York marathon. I was a lot more impressed by this fact than he was. The real goal is apparently 15. People who run 15 New York Marathons are known as “streakers” and are inducted into The 15+ Club; one man, Dave Obe...