Tecumseh runner uses Detroit Free Press Marathon streak to mark his family's growth

As Mark Gryn prepares to run his 20th consecutive Detroit Free Press Marathon, it's also another year to track his family's journey.

The Tecumseh, Ont., runner's wife has been taking photos of Gryn since he completed his first race in 2004 — and every year since — including the growth of the couple's kids, Lauren, now 15, and Joshua, now 18.

"I think we probably did it for the first four or five years," he said. "It was kind of just like a casual thing. And then we started realizing … this is actually kind of neat."

Runners from both sides of the border will be participating in the Detroit marathon 46th annual run on Sunday.

Gryn, 47, works in the computer IT department at the faculty of engineering at the University of Windsor.

He says his first "perfect race" at the marathon was in his 12th attempt — with his best time coming in at 3 hours 8 minutes.

Gryn spoke with Windsor Morning host Nav Nanwa.

Here's part of their conversation.

So, the 20th time that you're running the Detroit marathon, two days out, what's going through your mind? 

I'm just looking forward to a good time. I guess after after the first 10 or 15 times, the nerves are pretty much gone and now it's just looking forward to finishing off this kind of section of training and putting it in place for the race on Sunday. 

Take us back to 2004. What inspired you to do the marathon in the first place? 

A couple of friends started running marathons and I looked at the times that they were running and I thought, I'm a little competitive. I'm reasonably sure I can do it better than them. So I got out there and started training and just been doing it ever since. 

Were you always a runner? 

I ran in grade school and I took a huge break there between grade