Alex Kirkeeng has been training for the Illinois Marathon 5K for months, but he's been training for more than just 3.1 miles.
"I figure if I can run 5 miles, hopefully I can run 3.1 with a sousaphone," he said.
Kirkeeng is one of 11 current or former members of the Marching Illini sousaphone section who will run in Friday's race with either a 20-pound fiberglass or 35-pound brass instrument. The section is raising money for Notes 4 Cancer, a charity that assists children battling cancer, with financial aid and emotional support through music and musical events.