MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shoes on pavement and elbows swinging Cory Lowery will be one of the thousands of St. Jude marathoners running for a good cause this weekend.
St. Jude Marathon runners are gearing up for the big fundraiser this Saturday for child patients.
"I was really inspired by the hospital itself,” said Lowery, a St. Jude Hero. “I mean St. Jude being right here in our backyard, I just really wanted to get out and support the hospital."
This isn't Lowery's first round at the 26.2-mile trek. In fact, it's his seventh for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
"Before I started running the St. Jude marathon I had no running experience whatsoever,” laughed Lowery. “Running a marathon was something that was on my bucket list but I never took any steps to do it."
That was until his company Hyosung HICO, got more involved in community outreach for organizations like St. Jude.
"After I ran that first marathon I just fell in love with running, I just couldn't stop. So I find myself running about 5 marathons a year."
The gold-level hero has raised over $7,000 for patients.
Lowery said a co-worker and friend has a daughter who became a St. Jude patient, which strengthened his resolve to help fundraise.
He shared his favorite part of the race.
"Running through the St. Jude campus, because when you see all those patients and their families out there, they're cheering me on, people I've never seen."
And while the race for the cure doesn't end at the finish line, Lowery said it's the kids which keep him motivated before he crosses it.
"All those patients have a long road recovery ahead of them and myself having a long road of running,” said Lowery. “So it just helps me to get a little bit of what those families and patients are going through."
If you wish to help donate, click here.