Marathon man dislikes running
In his home Raef Guirges displays the flag he runs with in every marathon. Photo by Ed Pilolla Living a healthier lifestyle is usually on the top of the list for those Americans who make New Year’s resolutions, yet many give up on their pledge sometime during the calendar year. One who inspires those to persevere is 56-year-old Raef Guirges, who has proven it is never too late to get in shape. For 35 years, the Torrance resident was a pack-day-day cigarette smoker. Guirges’s deskbound job as an accountant added to his unhealthy lifestyle. That all changed in 2005 when, after receiving an email inviting him to run in the Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K, Guirges accepted the challenge. His wife and children thought he was going through a mid-life crisis. “I had never run before and I used to joke about people who ran as being crazy,” said Guirges, who was still smoking at the time. “But the race sounded like fun. My wife didn’t believe I could run one mile.” Raef Guirges handles some of the medals he has won in marathons around the world. Photo by Ed Pilolla With no training and running in ordinary tennis shoes (he didn’t know there were shoes specifically designed for running)…
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