"People thought I was crazy, but I always thought I'd run a marathon some day" said Nick, a graphic designer at NB Web Express and new marathoner, about running The 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. So how does a graphic designer go from the weekend warrior to a marathon runner? "Just being around other runners and hearing their personal stories and experiences, inspired me," said Nick of his decision to take on 26.2 miles. Nick had a pretty impressive running career; before he achieved marathoner status he had run several 5K's, 10K's and a few half marathons. But decided "If I could do a half, then why not do a full marathon?"

When Nick officially registered for the marathon, he knew there was no turning back. Once he went online and paid his registration fees, he knew it was time to be a part of something bigger and truly test himself, "I was really excited (after I registered), but at the same time, I knew it was time to get to work!"