Have you caught the bug?

There’s a sickness going around, and I think I’ve caught it.It started about two years ago when the Canton Marathon announced its inaugural event here this June.
And its been spreading ever since, seemingly faster by the day. The running scene has exploded throughout Stark County as race day nears, and the enthusiasm is tremendous.
Runners and non-runners alike have caught the bug. People who would have never even considered doing a marathon (or, ahem, a 10K) now have set it in their sights.
In this issue of About, we wanted to put a face to this marathon that long has been anticipated in Canton. We wanted to find out who is running — and why.
We set out to find 26 marathoners, one for each mile they will each conquer in the upcoming race. What we discovered was a community of runners of all levels who are eager to support our community — and accomplish a big goal.
And do they ever have some amazing — and truly inspirational — stories to tell.
Take Shelly Contie. Shelly was hit by a car while jogging five years ago. She sustained a broken femur, cracked pelvis, broken tailbone and more —  and was told she may never run again. Yet she’s running the marathon — with a 12-inch titanium rod in her leg.
Hard to not find some insane motivation in that, right?
Or how about Gary Spehar. Gary ran his first marathon at age 40. He’s now 59 and has timed out his marathon schedule to make his hometown Canton Marathon his 100th marathon. (Yes, 100!)
I could go on — there are as many stories of inspiration as there are runners. Some are running to raise money for a cause, some to honor a lost loved one, others as a way to conquer health issues or beat their personal best.
Several of the marathoners we featured in this issue told me that they caught the bug. The infectiousness just seemed to ooze from each of them. I’ve certainly got 26 more people to root for come race day.
 While our focus in this issue is on those running the full 26.2 miles, there’s something in the Canton Marathon for all levels of runners. Even me.
I’ve dabbled in a handful of local 2-mile and 5K events in the last few years. But recently I’ve found myself toying with the idea of taking on the 10K race or maybe a leg of a marathon relay team. I told you it was a sickness.
I’ll see you at the finish line.

Best,