Josh Bray, 30
I manage a homeless day shelter in Elgin

I've been running for 4 years consistently after a dozen year hiatus. I ran XC in middle school and got 13th place every single race, hether there was 14 or 140 racers, I got 13th.

I started running because I signed up to do a triathlon and since it's kind of a key part of the race I figured I should start back running again. Like most people I remember watching the Kona Ironman as a kid and thinking, 'That looks like fun, I wonder if I could do that'. The race was awesome, it was a lot shorter than an Ironman though. It was in Florida at the end of August with a Gulf of Mexico swim. I was hooked immediately.

If I could no longer run, I would start wearing spandex and become a cyclist

My favorite run is one I have never been on before. We live on such a big planet and have such short lives, I really want to see as much as I can and appreciate the beauty of it all. Plus seeing new things helps distract the pain I am usually putting myself through while running.
I like to run with the sun blazing high in the sky. I was raised playing sports in Dallas, TX so I have a love for flat out hot weather which helps with the mental aspect in heat. There's also something purging about being out in the sun and sweating so much, it just feels right.

Something most people don't know about me is I'm an ordained pastor. In High School I was a weekend drunk and a few times during the week, every week, I would indulge in my 'love' for 40oz's of malt liquor. I also took any drug I could find as often as I could and still semi-function, usually more than a couple times a week. It was the only way I knew to hide from the pain we all experience in life. It took me to a point where I found myself sitting on the edge of my bed with my step-dad's .44 loaded, seriously entertaining the idea of ending it all. The thought of my little sister finding me afterwards is the only thing that kept me from going through with it. Shortly afterward, I visited my cousin in Rockford, IL for my Spring Break and saw him and other people excited about living a life sold out for God. One of those nights God showed me how much He still loves me despite my turning my back on Him by living for myself. I decided then to live for Him to the best of my ability, with His help.

My favorite thing to do after a hard workout is...EAT, suffer and EAT some more.

When I'm not running I like to enjoy life with my kids, 3 of them under the age of 5.

I am inspired by the studs in the Bible (ie: 2Samuel 23:8-21).

I used to be a total quitter. Running has been something that has helped teach me not to give up, but to fight until either I pass out or finish. The 2008 Rock Cut Trail series was great. I always took pride in that I had never walked in any race whether it was a tri or a run. That ended rather abruptly with the 15K in the series. There's no pride in not walking any more, just finish with a tired smile is all that matters now.

The local runner I most admire is Andres' Huizar (he's not really local, he lives in Elgin). Locally, would have to be all the Coyotes out there running aimlessly through the woods.

To push myself on a run, I think, "if other people can run faster, then so can I." I just don't remind myself that they have been running longer and more consistently than I have. About a month ago while running on a Sat. morning in the 'cut' w/ Hula (Brian Fastnicht) and Sally (Jim Simmons) I asked them how they both came to be able to run sub 20min 5k's. Expecting some type of training advice or running wisdom I have yet to obtain, being a 3yr newbie, I was disappointed when Hula responded with a 'no more questions allowed' type of response. Very simply and factually he said, "run faster". "Thanks alot", I thought to myself. I'm a very analytical thinker so his answer perturbed me more than anything. Run faster = Crash Harder. So this weekend going into the 5k I decided to embrace his advice and "run faster", even at the risk of having to sloth my way to the finish for the last mile. So, I did and bested (is that a word?) my PR by 1:09. Thanks Hula for the advice and thanks Sally for not expounding on his answer during the run.

My greatest running accomplishment is the winter Trail Series @ the cut. I was floating on endorphines for about a week. I left for TX about a week after the series ended and I wore my survivor shirt on the plane both ways. I think I might have even slept in it one night? I'm not one to wear shirts quite that loud but it was hilarious all the heads turning to try to read it as I walked through the airport.

My next goal is a sub 20 minute 5k.

My advice to other runners....EXPECT MORE!

I plan to run until I'm pushin' up daisies!