Charities have had a huge impact on the number of participants at marathons over the past five years. Many runners have found that tying their marathon aspirations to helping someone can have a profound effect on their lives. The Detroit Free Press Marathon and the Multiple Sclerosis Society joined forces over twenty years ago to raise awareness for this crippling disease that attacks the central nervous system. Its one of the major causes of disability in adults under 65.

MSAMS — Marathon Strides Against MS team formed through the inspiration of Zoe Koplowitz, a marathon runner from New York City who has MS. Six years ago in Detroit, Tony Robino was captured by her zest for running and formed a team that has now become the model for twelve other groups nationwide. Through his recruiting efforts runners have more than tripled the yearly fund raising total before the team was organized.

In Detroit, three other runners have been key players in helping to raise the level of support for the understanding of MS. Jim Keskeny, who has required the use of a wheelchair since 1981 because of MS, began raising money to find a cure when he was wheeled through the Paris Marathon in 1988. This year he hopes to raise his total fund raising contributions to $100,000. He now uses a relay of cops to push him around numerous races in Michigan including the marathon.

Jim Soter, who has run all but one or the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank International Marathons, has been involved with raising money for MS for eight years. He has seen the MSAMS team grow to a core group of 55 members and found that they give him support in a variety of ways and helped to improve his running. According to Sorter, "Being part of MSAMS has given him a purpose far greater than just running the marathon." For several years he has regularly visited and connected with people who have MS through the "Sole Mate" program.

Dave Dwornick has raised money for MS every year since 1983. For him MSAMS has meant being part of a team, sharing a common interest and drawing on the support of a group to realize short and long term goals. He encourages runners that can't run the entire marathon to support MS through participation in the marathon relay.

Tip of the Week: Early morning runs can be a very peaceful time to get in your daily run and its practice for the early morning races.

Contact Doug Kurtis at Detroit Free Press, 600 W. Fort St. Detroit, 48226

or [email protected]