BOSTON -- The countdown to the Boston Marathon is on -- it's less than a month away.

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Runner Among Elite In Marathon

NewsCenter 5's Pam Cross said that a handful of elite athletes were in the area Thursday continuing their training. One of them has a hard time actually seeing the road, but poor sight isn't likely to slow Marla Runyan down.

"For the next three and a half weeks, I can think about what it's going to feel like, what it's going to look like," Runyan said.

You can feel Runyan's passion for running -- even when she's sitting still. She's 34, from Oregon, used to run sprints and short distances, and competed in the Sydney Olympics. She since has switched to long distance. Last fall, she placed fourth in her first New York Marathon.

"It was a positive experience all around. It left me wanting to run another marathon, which is why I'm here," Runyan said.

Runyan won the last Tufts 10K, but she got her first feel for the marathon course Wednesday and said that she's not too worried about Heartbreak Hill.

Runyan has Stargardt's disease. She's legally blind with only murky peripheral vision. She handles it, like running, by staying positive.

"If I even think in that term, I'm going to slow down," Runyan said.

Runyan spent part of Thursday giving a pep talk to the 72 John Hancock employees who will also run the marathon.

"I want to continue to improve and create some memories for myself -- in this sport that I love," Runyan said.

She said that she's proud to be an elite American female runner.

"I'm definitely running for my passion as a distance runner and for myself, but I'm also very proud to be an American to run for my country," Runyan said.

Related Resources
Complete 2003 Boston Marathon Coverage