SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — To get through a half or full marathon, you need a purpose, especially if it’s your 113th time doing so.
“I have a number of autoimmune diseases and was told id never run again,” said Gretchen Shoenstein, a half marathon runner.
Shoenstein runs a half marathon almost every month to prove to herself and her doctors that she can.
“Every single time I take a step, I'm in awe that I'm out here and that I get to do this at all,” Shoenstein said.
RELATED: LIST & MAP: Street closures this weekend around Rock 'n' Roll Marathon course route
Army Veteran John Lamb, 73, is also surprised that he’s able to keep running.
“This is tough for me. When I go through that start line, I'm going to be thinking, why are you doing this,” Lamb said.
The answer: he’s doing it for cancer patients at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Over the last eight years, Lamb raised $107,000 toward their cause.
“I’ve seen the sacrifice that these kids and families have gone through,” Lamb said.
Marathon winner Chris Frias is running for a similar cause after losing his parents and coach to cancer within the last year.
“The pain and suffering I feel is a tribute to what they’ve been through to keep pushing through,” Frias said.
Among these runners are more than 20,000 stories and 20,000 reasons to support each other all the way to the finish line.
RELATED: Rock 'n' Roll Marathon celebrates 25 years in San Diego
“A lot of people cheering me on. I know a lot of people on the street in Normal Heights. Some of my friends were on a bike and going to every corner,” said Kibron Elias, half marathon winner.
“I don’t know this guy, but he was on the course with me. We became friends out there, probably around mile 5 or 6.”
