Each time Bryan Morseman feels pain during a marathon, he thinks about how that temporary discomfort compares to what his son is going through. That thought alone keeps Morseman's legs moving at a fast pace, knowing that whatever he's feeling doesn't come close to what his 1-year-old son Leeim Morseman is going through.
Leeim was diagnosed with spina bifida when he was still inside his mother Sarah's womb. Leeim was born prematurely and needed care from the hospital staff for weeks after he was born. Medical bills piled up as a result. It's unclear if Leeim will ever be able to walk.
For Morseman, running helps provide an answer. According to the Democrat & Chronicle (Rochester, N.Y.), Morseman competes in marathons to help pay for his son's medical costs.
And in March, Morseman, a lifelong runner, came through with three wins in only an eight-day span. That's a total of 78.6 miles Morseman ran.
"Every time I'm in a race I think of him and how my pain is nothing compared to what he has gone through," Morseman said. "He gives me the energy shot to pick me up and carry me through to the finish."
Morseman, a Western New York resident, won the Montgomery Marathon in Alabama (2:24:40) on March 14, the Tobacco Road Marathon in North Carolina (2:32:39) on March 15 and the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon in Virginia on March 22 (2:24:10).
The wins gave him $5,750 to go toward Leeim's medical bills.
"All three races really played out well and right into my hands," Morseman said. "But that said, with no one around me, I think I could've pushed myself farther and could've gone faster."
