1st-time Publix Atlanta Marathon participant running for a cause

ATLANTA - Thousands of runners are getting ready to take their mark this weekend for the Publix Atlanta Marathon. It's one of the biggest races in the city, and this year one participant is lacing up his running shoes for a cause close to his heart. He took on the challenge to raise money in honor of his grandparents, but before this race, he wasn't a runner at all.

Thousands of runners are taking on the challenge of running 26.2 miles through some of Atlanta's most well-known sites. One of those racers is Michael Reed-Price.

"I had a lot of free time. I figured that would be a fun way to use my time and stay in shape," Reed-Price said.

The third-year law student at Emory Law School laced up his running shoes for the first time to start training less than six months ago.

"I wasn't a runner before five months ago. I started five months ago, I found a 24-week couch-to-marathon plan online, and I've just stuck with that," he told Good Day's Lindsay Tuman.

He's not just running for pride.

"So we're running to support the Alzheimer's Foundation of America. It's something that has, that's important to all of us. Specifically, I lost two grandparents to Alzheimer's, so it's nice to be able to contribute to the cause. It's also been good to get our friends and family involved as we prepare for the marathon," Reed-Price said.

His two friends, Timmy and Zack, are running alongside him. Together they've raised more than $1,700 for the Alzheimer's Foundation. Every day, he's crossed off his next challenge, adding minutes and miles to his training. Nothing has stopped him, even a car accident.

"The car kind of rolled onto my foot," he said, "I did take a week or so off running, my left foot did hurt a little bit, but that was my big adversity during my marathon training."

Michael says running through the pain has been worth it, especially if it helps other families like his.

"By donating to the Alzheimer's Foundation, I hope that it will help people, both help find a cure and also help people dealing with family members and help support them while they're going through what my family went through," he said.

If you want to learn more about the Alzheimer's Foundation, you can visit their website.