COURSE MAP: Little Rock Marathon entrants overcome hurdles

The challenge of marathons begins months before the race starts.

Acts of day-to-day life throw hurdles in everyone's way, but a handful of others have overcome challenges so great they make the marathon's distance of 26 miles, 385 yards seem no more than the next step.

For Little Rock Marathon entrants Stephanie Raney and Bonnie VanDeraa, and half-marathon runner Casey Orndorff, mere places in the field represent victories. They have overcome chronic disease and severe, crippling head trauma to reach the starting line.

The Little Rock Marathon begins Sunday with scheduled starts of 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. for runners and walkers, and 7:55 a.m. for wheelchair and hand-cycle racers. A total of more than 10,000 participants are expected for the marathon weekend, scheduled to begin today with 5K and 10K races and the final mile of the Little Rockers Kids Marathon.