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Sports

Running From The Heart

Fairfield native James Yevich, who was born without hearing, will run 40 miles on July 18 to raise money for deaf people who are battling cancer

On July 18, five days after his 40th birthday, James Yevich will run 40 miles through five towns in eastern Fairfield County.

The Stratford resident and Fairfield native is doing it to help raise money for deaf people who are battling cancer,  including his friends Dana Mallory and James Bumbala, and hopes to start a foundation.

The 40-year-old Yevich, who describes himself as a full-time "Mr. Mom", was born deaf.

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A year ago, he told his wife that he wanted to complete a 40-mile run to raise awareness for a cause that he is passionate about. He has been preparing for his big day ever since, running five or six days while logging 40 miles per week.

His journey will begin in Fairfield at the ungodly hour of 4 a.m., and continue through the towns of Easton, Trumbull and Bridgeport. He expects to finish the equivalent of more than 1 1/2 marathons at his Stratford home between 11 a.m. and noon.

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"I don't know what my emotional and physical state will be," he said through an interpreter, "but it's important for me to focus on finishing the race and running to the end and never giving up because this always has been a dream of mine." 

Yevich developed a passion for running in high school after "accidentally" watching the New York Marathon on television and never gave up on his dream, even though a knee injury in 1996 forced him to virtually stop running for nearly a decade.

Like many kids, he loved playing football and baseball with his friends as a boy, and tried out for the JV football team  at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf in Washington, D.C.

A few days later, Yevich decided football wasn't the sport for him, quitting the team, but he noticed students running on the grass near the football field and became intrigued. Eventually, he became the captain of the school's cross country and track teams.

"During my last three years of high school, I practiced running every day for the entire year and excelled at this sport," he said. "The coach said that I could be a great runner and a competitor.  Ever since then, I had always wanted to run in marathons."

Yevich ran his first half marathons in 1991 and 1994, but suffered a setback two years later and didn't resume running until 2006.

In April of 2006, he spent a couple days in the hospital after fainting four times in two weeks. He was diagnosed with vasovagal syndrome (low blood pressure).

But even that didn't deter him. Two weeks later, Yevich decided to commence a serious running routine. He ran on the Sikorsky Bridge, at a high school track and throughout Stratford.

"I was running through hot, cold, windy, rain, snow and blizzard weather all those years," he said. "My running and times showed improvement."

Yevich ran two half marathons in Fairfield, a 20K race in New Haven twice and a full marathon in Hartford.

The highlight of his racing career came last October, when he competed in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington before a crowd of more than 100,000. He completed the race in a highly respectable time of 3 hours, 45 minutes.

But it wasn't easy. In mile 15, Yevich developed pain in his right ankle, but persevered - no pain, no gain.

"I was stubborn and continue running," he said. "I won't give up on running because I wanted to run for people who passed away and fight cancer."

Finally, the finish line approached.

"At mile 26, I ran up the hill and in my mind I said to myself, 'Don't stop running!' The Marines clapped.  Finally, I made it. I felt good to complete the marathon with pain.

"I was so proud of myself. (A) Marine put a beautiful medal around my neck.  I felt honored.  It made me teary because I knew I could do it. I thanked to God for giving me spirit."

Next Sunday, when most folks will be sipping their first cups of coffee, a courageous man from Stratford who refuses to let a handicap set him back will be well into the run of his life.


 

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