A Runner with Promises to Keep
James Lehouiller
With his 40th birthday approaching, James Lehouiller knew he had to make good on a promise. A friend of his agreed to donate $10,000 to charity if Lehouiller ran the ING New York City Marathon by the time he turned 40. Lehouiller would get to select the charity. But if Lehouiller didn’t run, he would donate $5,000 to his friend’s favorite charity. To Lehouiller, it sounded like a win-win. “The great part,” he says, “is that the winners’ take will be donated to charity.”
Although he’s never been a runner, 39-year-old Lehouiller signed up for the 26.2-mile ING New York City Marathon challenge, and on July 18, he began to train, using the Official NYRR ING New York City Marathon Training Program. To his surprise, he looks forward to his running as breaks from the everyday. Staying on track has meant running in Hong Kong, Dubai, and San Francisco—cities he’s travelled to for work.
Lehouiller has joined Team Korey, part of Team Hole in the Wall , which supports summer camps for children with cancer. It was an easy choice: The son of the friend Lehouiller made his pact with had Wilms’ tumor when he was very young (he’s been in good health for years since). “It seemed like fate,” says Lehouiller. “I feel fortunate to join the team.”
