Michael Jarecki is running the Chicago Marathon for the third consecutive year Sunday, Oct. 7, and as he runs downtown, at about mile three, it certainly will have personal significance.
That's when he'll run past his office, along Jackson Boulevard.
Jarecki runs his own legal firm, concentrating on immigration law. He started the firm in 2006, two years after graduating from law school.
"I absolutely love my job," Jarecki said. "It's extremely challenging and, at times, disappointing, but the ability to help a client succeed and build a life in the United States, or stay in the U.S., or [other things], those are very important, rewarding aspects of my job, of my [specialty.]"
Jarecki will be wearing red on race day, running on behalf of the Team to End AIDS (T2), the official endurance-training program of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC). He has raised about $1,000 this summer for AFC, and is shooting for a personal-best marathon time of about three hours and 50 minutes.
"I think back to my first year running [with T2] for one of my fondest running memories," Jarecki said. "Our first [training] run was three miles. We increased the mileage every week and ultimately ended with a 23-mile training run. That really was a sense of accomplishment."
Jarecki will be cruising through Chicago on race day sans music, which he usually prefers; he might add some upbeat Top 40 tunes for the final five miles, he admitted. Running is just, for Jarecki, a personal moment of clarity: "Just me and my thoughts."
Jarecki briefly ran cross-country while in high school and got hooked into marathons when friends were boasting of their accomplishments. He now often runs by himself, even when traveling for work.
"I never, ever thought I'd run a marathon," he said, smiling.
He now is a three-time marathoner.
THE STATS
Age: 33
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Job title: Attorney
Hobbies: Running, reading, cooking and traveling
Relationship status: Has a boyfriend, Chirag
Education: Fenwick High School (Class of 1997), Loyola University Chicago (2001) and the University of Illinois College of Law (2004)
Favorite Chicago restaurant: Tac Quik (Thai)
On the road: He goes on one new international vacation annually; this year, though, it's Hawaii in October.
Little-known fact: Fluent in Spanish