[Dan]

[April 27, 2007, 8:48 pm]
"Special Forces Soldier Runs First Marathon As Amputee"
http://www.wkrn.com/nashville/news/s...utee/92076.htm

One of the 32,000 people running the Country Music Marathon Saturday is Special Forces soldier Chris Self.

Master Sergeant Chris Self is an Elite Special Forces soldier with 5th Special Forces group at Fort Campbell.

Self said, "I think it is a good first marathon. It is my wife’s first too.”

For the last few months, Self has been preparing to run the Music City Marathon.

The Music City Marathon will not be his first marathon, but it will be his first time to run a marathon as an amputee.

Self said, “I did it before I got hurt so I obviously wanted to keep doing it. People who...
...did it before they got hurt are probably not going to pick it up.”

In December 2005 self lost his foot to amputation after being shot in Iraq.

Self said, “They told me I would never run again, and I was like, we will see about that.”

Last August Self took his first steps with his new leg.

For Self, losing a limb was just a minor inconvenience. He decided this injury would not hold him back.

Self said, “You can pick up life where you left off you know.”

Completing the marathon won't be an easy task.

Self said, “Yeah, it is going to hurt. It hurt when I had twolegs. It is going to hurt my good leg as much as it is going to hurt my prosthetic leg. It is just a matter of I don’t know, how much it will hurt.”

Self said he is prepared for the pain, and it will hardly slow him down.

Self said, “As you can see, I’m not going to set any land speed records. Four and a half hours, give or take, but completing it will be fine too.”

Chris Self is already signed up for four more races this year.

He also has over 21 years in the Army and plans on staying in a total of 30 years.