Running the New York City Marathon has been a decadelong goal for Tom Guetzloff, who remembers watching the race when he lived in Connecticut. On Sunday, the West Virginia State University chemistry professor will finally live out his dream.
Having run 16 marathons this year is a feat in and of itself, but Guetzloff said completing his 17th on Sunday will be one of his biggest accomplishments.
"It's one of the most prestigious marathons in the world," he said.
The race, which runs through New York's five boroughs, is the largest marathon in the world. More than 50,000 runners navigate the 26.2-mile course, which starts in Staten Island then cuts through Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Manhattan before ultimately ending in Central Park.
"When I started running, I said 'I have to run this,'" Guetzloff said.
That was more than a decade ago.
In 2003, Guetzloff's wife Christine died after battling a sickness for more than two years. Her dying wish was that her husband would live a healthful lifestyle, which Guetzloff said was what inspired him to start running.
He's since run 50 marathons in 38 states, well on his way to finishing his goal of running in each state.
Guetzloff said he's run close to 2,000 miles this year alone.
That's all been in preparation for Sunday.
"It's a very difficult race," Guetzloff said.
But large races aren't foreign to Guetzloff, who already has run the 45,000-runner Chicago Marathon.
"This one has way more people," he said. "When you're running with that many people, it's like you're running with the bulls."
Because there are so many runners, Guetzloff said there will be little room or opportunity to move up or back in line or change his pace.
"You have to run your 26.2 miles pretty much at the same pace," he said.
Thankfully, Guetzloff said, the race is set up so runners are grouped by how fast they run and sent out in waves of 1,000.
While competing against the sheer number of runners is challenging enough, Guetzloff said his biggest concern for Sunday is getting to the race.
"It's a logistic nightmare," he said, adding that he'll need to leave hours in advance in order to get to the starting line. He said he's staying in Staten Island to make that easier.
Getting to this point has been years in the making and possibly helped along by luck.
Being the largest marathon in the world, the New York City Marathon draws thousands of interested runners. Because of this, entrance is determined through a lottery.
Guetzloff said he started trying to gain entry to the race six years ago, but gave up after years of failure.
He tried again this year.
"When I got in, I was so happy," he said, later adding that he made sure his schedule would accommodate the race. "I said, 'I'm going no matter what it takes.'"
Guetzloff started training 18 weeks ago, running between five and six miles each day. He runs anywhere from 12 to 20 miles on his weekend runs. He also has run marathons in recent weeks to ready himself for Sunday.
Running is more than a pastime for Guetzloff though.
"They're all unique," he said. "They're special."
Guetzloff said each race requires training and discipline, and that each one has helped him get through difficult times.
"They make you feel so good," he said, describing the rush of emotion and energy he feels when running. "When you lose someone, it gets you through it."
By running, Guetzloff also is fulfilling more than his late wife's dying request. He's making good on dreams of his own.
"I'm traveling the country," he said of his goal to race in every state.
While the finances of running in 50 states has been the only thing slowing him down, Guetzloff said he will probably complete his goal in the next two years with a final race in Hawaii.
Coverage of the New York City Marathon will be broadcast Sunday on ESPN 2 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
It typically takes runners between four and five hours to finish the race.
Reach Samuel Speciale at sam.speciale@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-7939 or follow @samueljspeciale on Twitter.