PORTSMOUTH — A man with strong Portsmouth ties, Jim Miller, plans to run his 300th marathon when the Boston Marathon takes place on Monday, April 21.
Miller, 72, a graduate of Portsmouth High School and the University of New Hampshire runs in memory of his father, and to raise money for the American Liver Association. He estimates he has raised about $175,000 for the ALF.
"I will be 73 in June, and this is important to me," said Miller, who lives in Florida. "I will set my eye on 400 now, but on a slower pace. I have no compulsion to chase 400. I planned my 300th to be in Boston, where I ran my first in 2000 in honor of my dad James Henry Miller."
Miller said his dad died in 1999 from fatty liver disease. Miller became an ambassador for the American Liver Foundation.
Donations can be made at liver.fyi/J300. Miller reached the 200 marathon milestone in 2021.
Jim Miller has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars
Miller's fundraising goal for the Boston Marathon is $100,000. He has raised more than $84,000 thus far.
"My high school classmates have been my most supportive group over the years," Miller said.
"One thing I learned along the way, and another reason I keep doing it, is that a healthy lifestyle and diet is key to good health," Miller said. "I encourage everyone to take that well-intentioned advice."
Miller lives in Florida now, caring for his mother Cathy. Their bond is strong, yet Miller recognizes the meat and potatoes lifestyle he grew up with likely contributed to his dad's condition. A career Navy man, Miller said even after his retirement he always had an occupation, keeping busy.
Being in Florida, Miller has run the Disney World Marathon 12 times.
"My father had an occasional beer, but I never saw his drunk," Miller said. "He was a standup guy. My mom was a meat and potatoes person and that was what my dad's lifestyle was. He never bothered with his lifestyle choices. Fatty tissue liver disease is one of the fastest growing diseases in the country. So, my focus is not only having a healthy lifestyle, but sharing my knowledge with as many people as I can. You don't have to run a marathon, but you can make good choices."
The Boston Marathon is considered the royalty of marathons, Miller said. In 2000, he had to raise $4,000 to participate. And since the selection process for runners is tight, he approached the ALF and applied for one of its charity bibs. The rest is history.
"Two hundred ...
