Curtis raised all of the $3,900 needed for the trip through donations from area business's and individuals, while Sovocool also raised a large percentage of the money needed.

"I really want to thank the community for their response," Curtis said. "I was really overwhelmed by the support."

The Athens marathon will be the first marathon for Curtis, and will be run on the same course which will be used for the 2004 Olympic Games, which will be held in Greece.

Sovocool is the more advanced runner of the pair, and Curtis said he has learned through the last four months of training that listening to your body is the most important aspect.

"I'll have close to 700 miles in and John will have close to 800 by the time we run," he said. "The most important thing is to find the training regimen that's right for you. The mental aspect of training is almost as hard as the physical."

Sovocool has twice completed the Boston Marathon, which he calls the "crown jewel" of marathons. But he's hoping the Athens Marathon will be even more special.

"We're doing this because we don't want to look back in 20 or 30 years and wish we had," he said.

Sovocool, 44, of Richfield Springs, and Curtis, 37, the Clark Sports Center's athletic director, decided in May to throw caution to the wind and register for the marathon. They will also be raising money for AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association), a national organization devoted to educational and charitable work, with a special emphasis on scholarships.

Curtis said the lure of doing something spontaneous and raising money for a good cause is what convinced him to attempt the marathon.

Unlike Sovocool, who has completed five marathons and runs 60 miles a week, Curtis's only marathon came in 1995.

"A 10K you can get off the couch and run, but a marathon is something you have to put a lot of time into," Curtis said.

"Your body won't let you fake a marathon," Sovocool added. "You get out of it what you put into it. There are no shortcuts."

Sovocool, a father of five, said he hopes the lessons of running a marathon rub off on his children, although none of them are marathoners.

"I hope my kids see me do this and learn to go for their goals, no matter what they are," he said. "A marathon is setting goals and standards and sticking to them. That's a good lesson for anyone."

In April, Sovocool met a big goal, finishing the Boston Marathon in less than three hours: two hours and 54 minutes to be exact. Curtis needs a time of three hours and 15 minutes or less to qualify for the Boston Marathon, but isn't ready to say that is his goal.

"I'm just going to try and do the best I can, if I qualify great," he said.