BOSTON (WHDH) – The Boston Marathon is just three weeks away, and one runner in this year’s field is getting ready to run the marathon with a new twist.
California native Loren Zitomerksy plans to run the Boston Marathon backwards to raise money and awareness for epilepsy – a cause that he holds close to his heart.
“I’m running backwards in memory of my brother, Brian, who passed away from epilepsy at the age of 7,” Zitomerksy said in a video.
Over the last 20 years, Zitomerksy and his father have helped raise more than $275,000 to raise awareness for the neurological disorder.
“I’m trying to open up the conversation about epilepsy,” he told 7News on Monday.
After qualifying for the Boston Marathon, Zitomerksy said he wanted to use his new platform to get people talking. He started looking for things he could do, and see if he could set any records.
That’s when he discovered a 2004 record: running a marathon backwards in less than 3 hours, 43 minutes and 39 seconds.
As you can imagine, training his body to run in reverse hasn’t been easy.
“I know it’s going to be so hard to run it in an 8:30 pace for the Boston marathon, but I’m going to give it my all,” Zitomerksy said.
With the help of a spotter, Zitomerksy trains for one of the biggest marathons in the world.
As he enters the homestretch for training, just weeks before the Boston Marathon, Zitomerksy, remembers the reason behind his rare run – his brother, Brian.
“His memory and his soul lives on in these people, and that’s why I’m doing it,” he said.
Zitomerksy’s family, and thousands of people from around the world, will be there to cheer him on. Visit his website to learn more.
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