Saturday's Road Runner Akron Marathon will be the 36th marathon this year for Dana Casanave
View full sizeRunners begin their long slog during last year's Road Runner Akron Marathon. This year's race is Saturday.AKRON, Ohio — Dana Casanave admits there have been times when she wonders what she got herself into by promising to run 52 marathons in 52 weeks.
"There definitely have been moments where I've doubted my sanity," she said, laughing.
But then the 29-year-old mother of three from Leesburg, Va., thinks of those she's running to help -- South African children affected by HIV/AIDS -- and it's not hard to step to the start line as she will Saturday morning for the Road Runner Akron Marathon.
It will be the 36th marathon she has run this year.
"It's an opportunity to do something I love to change a lot of children's lives," Casanave said.
Just about two years ago, Casanave was preparing for the Marine Corps Marathon in the fall in Arlington, Va., when she searched the event's website for a charity that could benefit from her efforts.
She was drawn to 2540.org, dedicated to devoting attention and resources toward saving children in South Africa from the devastating impacts of poverty and AIDS. The group takes its name from the biblical verse Matthew 25:40, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
Although the money she raises through donations benefits the organization as a whole, each race she runs with one specific child in mind. In Akron, she will run for a 10-year-old boy named Duma, one of nine orphan children being raised by their grandparents.
"It's very personal," Casanave said. "You're not running for your time. You're not running for yourself. You're running for somebody else.
"Everyone has a gift to give. Hopefully this will inspire people to find out what they can do to give to others."
A number of race participants will join Casanave in using the race to benefit others. There are at least 136 runners registered to fight hunger in Akron, 90 participants registered to run in support of the Stephen A. Comunale, Jr. Family Cancer Foundation and 47 participants registered to support the Church at Stony Hill's foster care mentoring program.
Rookie report: A year ago, Chuck Gough, 53, of Cuyahoga Falls weighed 330 pounds, took a dozen medications, including insulin, and walked with a cane. Today he's preparing to run his first marathon after bariatric surgery helped him drop 135 pounds.
"I'm a little nervous," said Gough, who is no longer diabetic and cut his medication costs from $100 per month to $12 per month. "But I'm excited. It has been a long hot summer, and I'm looking forward to putting on my shoes and running 26.2 miles."
Gough took part in the Marathon Training 101 workshop offered through the University of Akron and the Road Runner Akron Marathon. His longest run to date has been 21.5 miles.
Big crowd: Organizers are expecting 13,000 runners, including more than 1,800 in the marathon. There were 3,473 registered for the half marathon, 5,615 for the five-person relay and almost 1,300 for the kids relay. Runners can register at the Health & Fitness Expo at the John S. Knight Center at the University of Akron today.
TV coverage: Time Warner Cable will air coverage of Saturday's Road Runner Akron Marathon beginning next Thursday on Local On Demand Channel 411.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mschmitt@plaind.com, 216-999-4668