Posted: September 10, 2007

Athletics: Counting Down To The 30th Anniversary Lasalle Bank Chicago Marathon

30 Inspiring Stories in 30 Days The fourth of 30 runner stories features Jeff Langton, a 53-year-old residential builder who has found physical and spiritual strength in his marathon training. This year he celebrates his 30th wedding anniversary by challenging himself to qualify for the Boston Marathon at The 30th Anniversary LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. WHO: Jeff Langton AGE: 53 OCCUPATION: Residential Builder HOMETOWN: South Rockwood, Michigan PREVIOUS MARATHONS: 5 RUNNER STORY: Jeff Langton is best known in his hometown for his contagious smile and his willingness to offer a helping hand. When his father passed away a few years ago, he was overwhelmed with family and friends who wanted to help him through this difficult time. The gift he found most useful was their promises to pray for him and his family. Jeff felt a need to give back to those who helped him get back to his life by dedicating his workout time to them. He comically refers to it as his “R and R” time; the letters standing for running and rosary. Whenever he went for a run, he prayed for those who might be suffering from illness, loss, or financial strain. A wonderful side-effect came with it – he was improving his health and gaining physical strength. His family was proud of Jeff’s dedication and it wasn’t long before his nephew, Mike Dobberstein, challenged him to a race. While most nephews might have a sprint to the end of the block in mind, Mike was thinking bigger, tougher, and more demanding. He wanted to train and compete in the 2005 Milwaukee Marathon. Jeff accepted and they both managed to finish the race in less than four hours. They had barely finished the race when Jeff’s nephew upped the ante and suggested they try to qualify for the Boston Marathon. They set out to run the 2006 Cleveland Marathon; Mike qualified, Jeff did not. Jeff was now motivated to succeed and he once again trained – this time for the Columbus Marathon. He failed again. He now had just two weeks to prepare for the Detroit Marathon. He blocked out the pain and met the goal he had set with his nephew. With his family behind him, Jeff and his nephew ran in the 2007 Boston Marathon. Even though Jeff thought he was done with marathons, he continued to run and pray at home. He was talking about his experience with the marathons at a wedding and found himself face-to-face with yet another opportunity to compete. A friend enthusiastically shared with him that this year marked the 30th anniversary of The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. Jeff‘s heart beat little faster. This year he and his wife Donna will celebrate 30 years of marriage. The following morning Jeff ran 12 miles and determined that he needed a new goal. He would run in the Chicago Marathon and will strive to do it in his best finish time yet. RACE INFORMATION: The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon will celebrate its 30th anniversary on Sunday, October 7, 2007 as 45,000 participants advance to the start line, embarking on the culmination of 45,000 personal journeys. Along with the massive field of recreational runners, the 26.2-mile course will welcome a full field of world renowned professional athletes drawn to the flat, fast, urban setting and the potential to break world and national records. Since the inception of its charity program in 2002, The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon has generated more than $27.5 million for a variety of charitable causes including $9.5 million in the 2006 event alone. Registration for the race opened on January 1, 2007 and closed when it reached capacity on April 18. Jeff’s story and all previously released runner stories are available at ChicagoMarathon.com. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest