Special Report: Marathon Moms

It's another meeting of the marathon moms, planning a course for their daily run.

All three are training for the 2005 Boston Marathon.

But for Nancy Gelb and Kelly Sohn, this pilgrimage will honor two very special men: their husbands.

"Without the running, I can't imagine how it would have been for us," Sohn said. "It would have been a lot more difficult."

Kelly's husband, Brian, passed away last April from small cell lung cancer.

Nancy's husband, Ron, died last march after several years of fighting a rare form of melanoma.

Both women are running to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the place where their husband's were treated.

"This was such a natural process for me to say take this grief and this passion and combine it and do something for me and this institution I care so much about," Gelb said.

For Sohn, the decision was made it part for her husband, who was a runner.

"He was actually starting to train for the Boston Marathon right before he got sick, so this sort of my memory to him, my tribute to him to let him know he is running Boston through me and it's going to get done." Sohn said.

The training has been hard, the miles long. Both women say they could have never done it alone.

"I have so much inspiration from this woman sitting next to me and I tell her that all time," Sohn said. "I draw a lot of strength from her."

"Every ounce of my energy, when times are difficult, running feels great," Gelb said. "It feels like the right thing to be doing. And to be running with friends who have the same passion who care has been incredible."

While there has been aches, pains and tears along the way, both women know crossing the finish line on April 18 will be the most emotional.

"I'm looking forward to looking at my daughters face," Sohn said. "And at some point I'm hoping she'll join me in crossing that finish line together because here we are and we're going to do it, and we're going to do it together."

"I'll be thinking about Ron and how I wish he were there watching me," Gelb said. "But I also know that he will be so very proud. I will be thinking of him every step of the way, but it will be that more emotional when we cross the finish line."

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