MACON, Ga. — Every year in Macon, hundreds of people wake up early to run in the Macon Labor Day Road Race.
Runner Felton Watson has competed in every single one of those races, with Monday's marking his 43rd. For Watson, running is a way of life.
"The main reason now is staying healthy," Watson said. "I just enjoy the competition."
He says his passion for running started at an early age.
"Before I ran Labor Day, I weight lifted and I got real big, and I could never get small, so that is how I started running," Watson said.
Over the 78 years of his life, he has logged more than 70,000 miles and has appeared in newspapers while jogging around the country.
"My goals were to break 40 minutes and I finally did that, and run for the Atlanta Track Club Master Club and I did that, and I went to Boston [and] I accomplished that," Watson said.
Race officials say he is the only person to complete all 42 previous races. More than 1,000 other runners and joggers were expected to join him.
"It is a fun course. It's an 110-foot drop, so it is a net downhill, it gives people a great qualifier for Peachtree next year," said race director F.M. Barron.
Felton says no matter how much he hydrates, over the years he has slowed down.
"Just go out run and have fun," Felton said.
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