A man from the Quad Cities is planning to do something no one in the area has done before: 34-year-old Jeff Hobbs, who was born with spastic cerebral palsy, plans to run the Chicago Marathon next month.
Spastic cerebral palsy makes it difficult for Jeff Hobbs to walk without jerking. But he's been running since high school and wants to reach a new milestone.
"Whether it's myself that I'm battling cp or whether it's somebody else, mile 16 is hard for everybody. It just comes down to your mental toughness to push through, and then when you throw it on top of all the people behind the scenes who've helped you get there, it's a team effort. and it means a lot to me that people that have really been here and really supported me, I want it as much for them as I do myself."
He's been training at Genesis Physical Therapy Center for the past six weeks, where he's the first person with spastic cerebral palsy to train for a marathon. Hobbs is training five times a week and hopes to inspire others.
The Chicago Marathon will be held on October 12th.