Central Valley man traveling to 'The Big Apple' to check New York City Marathon off his bucket list

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Luis Hernandez has been moving for truthful overmuch of his beingness that the fig of miles enactment connected his feet can't beryllium calculated.

"It's been astir 20 years now," Hernandez said.

The joyousness helium recovered portion taking portion successful precocious schoolhouse transverse state and way and tract has ne'er faded.

"I inactive person that emotion for conscionable going retired there, training, trying to beryllium better, going for the extremity and getting the reward astatine the end," Hernandez said.

For Hernandez, those goals support changing, and the rewards get bigger.

And what's bigger than "The Big Apple?"

The New York City Marathon is happening connected Sunday.

Last year, with much than 55,000 participants, it became the world's largest marathon ever.

Despite welcoming truthful galore runners, it's not arsenic elemental arsenic conscionable signing up.

"It's truthful hard to get into. It's precise hard to get into for anyone," Hernandez said.

Runners indispensable beryllium invited, rise wealth for a foundation oregon get selected done a lottery system.

This year, Hernandez was 1 of the fortunate ones whose sanction was drawn to participate.

"It conscionable has that bucket database benignant of allure to it. Everyone wants to bash it, truthful I'm excited for that," Hernandez said.

For the past 16 weeks, Hernandez has been moving an mean of much than 60 miles each 7 days to prepare.

"There are casual runs, and past determination are hard runs. Then determination are agelong runs," Hernandez said.

While logging his miles, helium besides works full-time, and he's helping others scope their marathon goals arsenic a manager for Fleet Feet's marathon grooming program.

"Training with different radical keeps you accountable," Hernandez said.

With the contention conscionable days away, Luis is optimistic that each of his hard enactment is going to wage off.

He's shooting for a caller idiosyncratic champion of 2 hours, 45 minutes.

If helium accomplishes that, it volition suffice him for his adjacent goal, the Berlin Marathon.

"I person a large goal. I'm putting it retired there. I anticipation I get it. It's a pugnacious people due to the fact that of each the hills, but I deliberation I'm ready, truthful we'll spot however it goes," Hernandez said.

You tin travel on with Luis' advancement by tracking him virtually during the race.

You tin way him with his bib number, which is 7898.

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