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MATEWAN, W.Va. — The Boston Athletic Association has organized the Boston Marathon since the event’s inception in 1897. The Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world’s most prestigious road racing events.
Monday marks the 122nd annual Boston Marathon and one of our very own will be competing.
Ben Lipps from Matewan will be the third person from Mingo County to ever compete in the race. The last person from Mingo County to compete in the marathon was in 1989.
“They call it the runner’s Super Bowl,” said Lipps. “I’m just glad that I can represent Mingo County and being a coal miner, too, and working underground, it says a lot.
“I thank God first, that He gave me the opportunity and the health to be able to accomplish such a feat.”
Lipps has held a place in the running world for many years. He says it was a tough path, though, and he strayed along the way. 
“Back in my early 20’s,” added Lipps, “my dad was a big-time runner. He used to get me to run. I hated it. Eventually I got to liking it because it got me to spend time with him.
“Then, I kind of fell away from it. I got mixed up in drugs. I had a real bad drug problem for about 12 years. I met my wife, finally she put her foot down and said, ‘enough’s enough, you know, you’ve got to get your life right.’ So, we started going to church and I got saved. A 12-year addiction was gone. Thank God he blessed me with that. He brought running back into my life.”
Lipps added that running in our mountainous terrain has helped him significantly while training for the marathon, considering Boston is fairly flat.
“King Coal Highway, from Mingo Central back to Matewan. Sometimes I run from Matewan to Williamson. Sometimes [my wife] will drop me off down at the flood wall and I’ll go up to the old high school and back. It’s just where ever I feel like going.
“I’ve done the Hatfield McCoy Marathon here twice. If you can do that marathon, you can do any marathon.”
His goal for the Boston Marathon is to cross the finish line.
