Gender: Male Goal Type: Boston Qualifier Running Accomplishments: I ran a 10K when I was 9 years old. I finished dead last, but was handed a blue ribbon for being the only one in my age group to run. I've always had a stubborn streak. Looking back I remember feeling that there was no way I could be the "faster" kids my age who were running the 5K so I decided to do something no one else was doing. I never ran another race again - but I've always thought in the back of my mind that I had the ability to endure.
In May (08) my wife and I decided to participate in the fundraising and training activities of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. As of this posting, I am two weeks away from running my first marathon - the Detroit Free Press. Short-Term Running Goals: My first goal is to finish the Detroit Marathon in under 4 hours. Since I've never run a distance race (since I was 9), I figured this would be a good benchmark to gain experience and make some life changes to put me on the right track. Since May I have lost at least 23 pounds of fat and I have gained the unsolicited admiration of many associates. It's energizing to hear people talking about me behind my back.
My next goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I have not determined a time frame to meet this goal, yet. However, I feel a sense of motivation to meet the goal before I am given the extra 5 minutes due to my moving into the next age category. Personal: The picture I've included is my family. I'm the guy with the stopwatch around his neck. That was me about 15 fat pounds ago! | 
