It started with a short jog, once a week. Julian Gordon would lace up his running shoes and go for a brisk run in the Jura Mountains near his home in Switzerland. After a couple of years, he gradually increased his distance to 30k, but still continued to run just once a week.

When he moved to Lake Bluff, Indiana 24 years ago, Julian decided it was time to up-the-ante. He joined the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff run club and started participating in competitive running events. Julian soon realized that while he was never a fast runner, he had more endurance than most, pushing him to complete his first (and certainly not last) marathon in Chicago in 1991. Julian's track record now boasts a whopping 50 marathons, including 8 in Chicago. In September, Julian will take on the Hans Christiansen Anderson Marathon in Denmark and then pace the Chicago Marathon (for the ninth time!) shortly thereafter.

Ever a creature of habit, Julian enjoys waking up early (around 6AM) and completing the same 5 mile route through Lake Forest. He is constantly asking himself the question "Can I do more if I resisted the temptation to push too hard too soon?" as a way to stay motivated. And while we wish Julian the best of luck on future running endeavors, something tells us he certainly doesn't need it.