Len Verhulst
Age: 51
Hometown: Ripon, WI
Half Marathons Completed: 1

Len Verhulst, of the fairly frosty Wisconsin, ran track in high school; so he and running have had a pleasant history. But he really began running seriously again about ten years ago. He left behind smoking and drinking for the pursuit of running. Verhulst ran his first marathon in 2008 – the same year he met his wife. He and his wife met on a coaching website where she had been giving him coaching tips for his upcoming half marathon. I’d say the rest is history. They said their vows to each other the very next year. This year, this husband and wife duo is running the Aramco Houston Half Marathon together.

This race is special because it is Len’s success “story about overcoming a surgery

[this past September] on both feet for Morton’s Neuroma.” Morton’s Neuroma is an enlargement of the nerve between the third and fourth toes, often affecting the ball of the foot, and if not taken care of can become permanent. The upcoming half marathon will be Len’s first race back! Verhulst is still running strong after the surgery; though there are still lingering effects from the bilateral surgery done on his second and third toes, which are now numb. The good news is, Len’s running experience has improved a great deal post surgery! Prior to the surgery, the Morton’s Neuroma had grown to “feel like there was a softball under his foot which made it hard to run and extremely painful”. The surgery has brought enormous relief.

The Verhulst’s are making their way to Texas for the Houston Marathon all the way from Wisconsin for the trials, as well as for Len’s wife’s previous history with working at a branch of the University of Texas and getting checkups at the renowned Baylor Hospital due to a triple aneurysm. Despite medical setbacks, this family is ready to run the race before them and continue to overcome whatever obstacles come their way.