To The Extreme: GlenOak grad to run in Sahara
GateHouse Media, Inc.
Brian Grossman calls Oregon home, but the GlenOak High School graduate hasn’t forgotten his roots. The 46-year-old is taking part in the Marathon Des Sables, otherwise known as the Marathon of the Sands. The week-long race, which begins April 8 in Morocco, has been dubbed the “Toughest Footrace on Earth.” During “Sahara Challenge,” Grossman will raise money for local kids through his nonprofit organization, Kids in the Game, which will launch in Stark County thanks to local donations. “While at GlenOak, I had this regular 5-mile run down 20th Street, by the Hall of Fame, Fawcett Stadium and then up the steps of the McKinley Monument, circling around, to do the ‘Rocky’ impression. … Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would ever run a race like this.”
Grossman’s journey, by the numbers:
7 Days. Grossman will race through the scorching Sahara Desert with 900 other participants from around the world. Grossman must pack his own food and supplies across the rough desert terrain. Grossman’s father, Rick, formerly of Plain Township, thought his son was crazy when he pitched the idea, “Son, that’s gotta be the dumbest thing …,” the junior Grossman recalls with a chuckle.
150 Miles. The race is the equivalent of nearly six marathons. Grossman expects to endure temperatures ranging from 40 to 120 degrees. Participants get one flare, in the event they become lost in the desert. If they use it, their race is over. “I’m not planning on getting lost, that’s for certain,” Grossman said.
30 Pounds. Grossman was overweight when he started training for the race 14 months ago. He lost the weight, training with runs of more than nine hours over various types of terrain. Once the Marathon of the Sands is completed, he says he’ll proudly scratch it off his bucket list.
29 Americans. Grossman is one of 29 Americans competing in the race this year. One local man is participating: Richard Davies of Green. Davies, an attorney, told The Repository in August he would compete to raise money for The Up Side of Downs, an organization for families like his, who are affected by Down syndrome.
$50,000 Goal. Grossman hopes to raise this amount for Kids in the Game, which is focused on empowering kids to reach their full potential through positive sports experiences. The organization provides financial resources to help low-income families, children who are physically or mentally challenged, and children who are considered at-risk. “It is our goal,” Grossman said, “to get them off the sidelines and onto the playing fields.”
COMPILED BY MELISSA GRIFFY SEETON
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