(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- As the Chicago Bank of America Marathon approaches, one man prepares to share his passion for running with people who have disabilities.
At 71 years old, Peter Kline of Washington state has run more than 100 marathons. But his biggest accomplishment, he says, are the races he's completed with rider athletes.
"Many times, they don't get to do things, they aren't included, they're looked on differently,” Kline told WBBM Newsradio. “So, for them to get out there and get the adulation of running with a crowd, it's just a tremendous experience.”
This year, Kline will be running the Chicago Marathon with friend and rider athlete Peter Ruiz, 40, a Chicagoan who has spina bifida. It will be their third Chicago Marathon together, Kline said.
"It's never a matter of, ‘Are Peter and I gonna be able to finish the race?’” he said. “But it's always the challenge of doing it and having fun doing it. So, my motto is 'Get to the start line, enjoy the process and enjoy the finish line, but don't worry too much about your time.’”
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon kicks off in Grant Park on Oct. 8.
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