Runners at The Hartford Marathon Foundation's race for more than the finish line
More than one thousand runners laced up their sneakers earlier today for the Old Wethersfield 5K and 10k.
For Middletown resident Joshua Berger, he didn’t just celebrate crossing another finish line, he celebrated losing 200 pounds and gaining a new love of running.
Just fifteen months ago he weighed 370 pounds. As of today he weighs 170. It’s a 200-pound difference he says has changed his life.
“I just realized that I can do more,” Berger said.
Once he began running he says he was hooked. In just over a year running has become more than just a way for him to stay active.
“I got nominated for inspirational athlete for the Hartford Marathon Foundation, which I am thrilled about being part of,” Berger said.
Berger is taking part in the Hartford Marathon Foundation’s All the Way series, a three-race challenge bringing runners to communities all over the state.
“Folks have run with us in Middletown. They ran with us in Simsbury and in Old Wethersfield to finish the third of their events,” Elizabeth Johnston, Marketing for the Hartford Marathon Foundation, said.
Johnson explained how the impact of Sunday’s race goes beyond the finish line. The Hartford Marathon Foundation also collected non-perishable food donations for Hartford Public High School’s food pantry program, as well as Ava’s Way, an organization advocating for people with neuro-developmental disorders.
Berger said he hopes he can inspire others with his story and transformation.
“If you feel you can’t do it, you absolutely can,” Berger said.
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