If Janet McIntyre feels weakness in her legs or a pain in her side while she's running a marathon in Florida next month, she'll think of Liesl Winter.
The 3-year-old Pasadena girl was diagnosed with cancer when she was 6 weeks old and endured a year of chemotherapy before the disease went into remission.
"I thought if that little one can endure one whole year, I can endure this marathon," Ms. McIntyre said of her next-door neighbor. "She's been my inspiration."
Ms. McIntyre will join 33 other Maryland runners, including her husband, Stephen, in the 26.2-mile Walt Disney World Marathon on Jan. 8.
Each runner will be raising $2,000 for the Leukemia Society of America and will be dedicating the run to a child who has leukemia or another form of cancer. The run is expected to raise $85,000 for the Maryland chapter of the society.
The race will be run over a flat course just outside Epcot Center in the Walt Disney theme park. It begins at Epcot, then winds through the Disney/MGM studios and Magic Kingdom.
Mr. McIntyre is dedicating his run to 12-year-old Josh Soth, a student of George Fox Middle School who is recovering from leukemia. The McIntyres are about $500 short of their combined $4,000 goal.
For 16 weeks, the two have been in training, running three to four times a week and cross training at least one of those days.
On Saturdays, members of the Baltimore team to which the McIntyres belong meet at Fort McHenry with their trainer, Arnold Paskoff, to run longer distances.
Mr. McIntyre has two marathons under his belt, but this will b Ms. McIntyre's first attempt at what she hopes will be a 4 1/2 -hour run. A frequent five- and 10-mile runner, she completed her longest run, 17 miles, in October.
Annapolis team is being led by 69-year-old Ben Moore, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel who has crossed the finish line at 55 marathons in the last 19 years.
He said he signed up to lead the Annapolis team, which consists of about 10 runners, because he would be running for a good cause.
L "I think it's a great way for them to raise money," he said.
The Annapolis team will be accompanied to Orlando by an equal number of runners from the Annapolis Striders, who will be participating in the marathon, but not the fund-raiser.
Mr. McIntyre and Mr. Moore agree that running is a great way to meet people and have fun, but both say there are other benefits.
"It's just a way of keeping our bodies in shape as we get older," said Mr. McIntyre, a 43-year-old school vice principal.
Contributions can be mailed to the Maryland chapter of the Leukemia Society of America, 200 E. Joppa Road, Suite 102B, Towson 21286-3114, or call 825-2500.