Cancer Survivor Is Preparing To Run His 600th Marathon

Tom Perri has run marathons in all 50 states, multiple times. He runs an average of 36 races a year, sometimes even on consecutive days.

Now, the 60-year-old from Maple Grove, Minnesota is about to run his 600th marathon in Fargo, North Dakota.

This is an amazing feat for anyone, but for Perri it’s even more incredible. The last 100 marathons that Perri has run, has all been while he was battling cancer.

Perri was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in 2019. He has since had his prostate removed, undergone 38 rounds of radiation, and has been on drug therapy.

Perri said he wouldn’t let cancer tell him what he can and can’t do, so he never let cancer take away his love for running.

He has been running since he was a kid and continued to run track throughout high school.

When he was diagnosed with cancer, he realized he had a choice: he could either let life go by or he could continue to live life like he always has, just a little slower.

Perri decided to do the latter.

While he was recovering from radiation, he would run with his neighbor’s dog Otto. They would run a block together and walk when he got tired. Otto even kept him company on the couch and helped get him through some very dark days.

As he grew stronger during his recovery, he began running more. The track in Fargo was his best time, so that’s what made him decide to run his 600th marathon there.

But for Perri, it isn’t just about running the marathon for himself. During the race, he likes to help others achieve their own personal goals. He would cross the finish line but then keep going back to help other runners pace themselves to the finish line, then he would go back again and help more.

“It makes me feel wonderful. Because running has never been about me and I tell that when I talk to high school groups and all that,” he explained to USA TODAY. “I don’t want people to remember me. Oh yeah. You know Tom. He did 600 marathons or 2000 plus races or he’s in the hundred thousand mile club or he’s got all these stats. That’s not what I want to be remembered by.”

“I want to be remembered by, ‘Oh yeah, he got me a personal record at this race. He got me B2. He paced me on a race where I didn’t think I could even finish. And he came back out on the course and got me.'”

Hear more of Perri’s inspiring story in the video below:

Provide Mammograms

Support those fighting Breast Cancer at The Breast Cancer Site for free! →