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Super, 43, of West Ghent, decided to run with in a marathon in Kona, Hawaii, a year ago to raise money for the American Heart Association. Raising over $4,000, the venture was a success.
However, the AHA did away with the program, Team in Training, says Super. He still wanted to help raise money and when a friend in the Saratoga area told him about Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, Super thought that was a good cause, even though he doesn't have any connection with the syndrome.
A syndrome that affects small children, CdLS is fairly rare and unknown. Children with it have developmental disabilities.
"It really is about awareness and getting the word out," says Super.
The marathon Super is running in is in Chicago Sunday, October 22. There are 12 runners in the marathon raising money for CdLS, five from the Capital District.
Since the five are fairly far a part, they aren't really training together like Team in Training, the group from the AHA. But the runners do stay in contact through e-mail.
Super's training involves running a course around the Stuyvesant and Ghent area about four times a week. A long run for him is 10 to 18 miles, up to half of the marathon length (around 26 miles).
A corrections officer in Coxsackie, Super was injured on the job back in June and had to take some time off from training. With back and leg injuries healed, he is back on track for the October run.
"I'm in the best shape of my life," he says.
His concerns for the marathon are the usual ones. "Its always anticipation of 'Can I do it right?' and injury," he says.
Super says his parents, George and Madeline Super of Hudson, have been instrumental in his training, lending support.
His coworkers have also been supportive. They've also kidded him, telling he should run into work one day.
With a $500 goal set by the CdLS Foundation, Super hasn't run a tally yet of how much he's raised but isn't worried about it. "It's no problem reaching $500. I'd like to do well over that," he says.
To raise the funds, Super has sent letters and e-mails to family and friends. He even set up a Monday Night Football pool.
But Super can't help but keep his focus on why he's training and raising money. CdLS is a disease that many people don't know about and he'd like to change that.
"This really isn't about me," he says. "It's really about getting information our there."
For information on CdLS, visit the website, www.CdLSusa.org.
To contribute to Super's fund, send donations to George Super at 357 Falls Road, Ghent 12075. Make checks payable to the CdLS Foundation.
To contact sports editor Amy Gunnells, e-mail agunnells@indenews.com.
