MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) Mixed in between the thousands of runners in this year's Myrtle Beach Marathon are real people, running with a sense of pride that cannot be shaken.
These runners have set their mind to overcome life-changing obstacles in order to cross the finish line one more time.
One of those runners sat down with WMBF News Reporter Meghan Miller to explain why his story is a simple one of perseverance.
It's the 15th anniversary of the Myrtle Beach Marathon, and a special group of 18 people can say they've competed in every single one of those races - that's 393 miles of running!
Each athlete has a story of strength and determination, but this year, one runner's race is about beating the odds.
"When you hear your footsteps out there in the morning...There's no noise out there but you and your footsteps," reflects runner Bobby Bruce.
It takes a special kind of person to find peace in running 26 miles on a cold Saturday morning.
But to Bruce, it's a way of relaxing. "When I can run, it's my own little world. It's peaceful. I can think things through and it's a little time for myself."
Bobby Bruce's love affair with marathons started 250 races ago. From Maine to Florida, he's won some of the nation's biggest marathons.
"When I was running strong for those 30 years, I felt like I was invincible. Like I was running away from sickness, old age and everything else," states Bruce.
But just after the 2003 Myrtle Beach Marathon, he couldn't run away from an unforeseen health diagnosis.
Bruce had a hidden heart condition, that didn't take a double or triple bypass to fix. Doctors had to operate on six of Bruce's arteries at one time.
"I had no symptoms of it. They told me I should have experienced some chest pain, shortness of breath, and I never experienced any of those symptoms. The more I ran, the better I felt," he confirms.
Nine years later though, he's still competitive as ever - just at a different pace.
"Right now I'm cautious. I run comfortable; if I'm tired, I walk some. That's what I do," Bruce adds.
When pounding the pavement gets the best of him in this year's marathon, Bruce's daughter will be just a stride away.
"She and another friend kind of watch to be cautious so I don't go too fast, and I'm so excited having her beside me run," smiles the marathon man.
For Bruce, the extra help isn't a sign of weakness, but a sign of perseverance when he crosses the finish line.
"It's fantastic," says the proud father. "We hold our hands up and really feel good about it."
Bruce says his story is the perfect example of why you need to keep close tabs on your health, even if you're an avid athlete.
He hopes to keep running the myrtle beach marathon until his body no longer allows.
Copyright 2012 WMBF News. All rights reserved.
Bobby Bruce's love affair with marathons started 250 races ago.
From Maine to Florida, Bobby Bruce has won some of the nation's biggest marathons.
When pounding the pavement gets the best of him in this year's marathon, Bruce's daughter will be just a stride away.
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