Silver State Marathon today

Nearly 1,000 runners and walkers, representing at least 30 states as well as Canada and England, will participate in one of four Silver State Marathon events this morning.

That's no surprise. What is unique, however,is some of the individual stories in an event that begins at 6 a.m. when the marathon entrants embark from Bowers Mansion. The half-marathon and 10-K runs start at 7 and the 10-K walk at 7:10.

Just consider that Jerry Dunn from North Dakota will run the marathon - one of 200 he plans to do this year. Matt Guzik from Montana will only be running his eighth of the year - he will wear No. 8 on his bib, by the way - but he is on a campaign to raise funds for various charities while running one marathon for each month this year.

"He started out with a goal to raise $1,000 a month for charities; now I understand he's raising $30,000 a month because people have heard what he's doing," Silver State Marathon Director Valentine "Ski" Pisarski said. "He's said the funds from this marathon will go to western states fire fighters."

Another interesting story is the entry of Victoria Herazo, now of Carson City, who has twice competed at the Olympic Games as a race walker but retired from competition after her 13th place finish at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Sacramento. She is entered in today's 10-K walk.