07:31 PM CDT on Thursday, October 27, 2005

Mark Kreditor of Dallas was a lean, 6-2, 180-pound athlete when he last ran the New York City Marathon 21 years ago. On Nov. 6, he's returning as a 255-pound "Bagel Boy" to the starting line for his fourth NYC marathon.

Family, friends and even a physician have expressed doubts. Kreditor said he plans to prove them wrong by completing his 12th career marathon.

"It's a coming home party for me, in that I grew up in New York and cut my marathon teeth running this marathon," he said. "I consider myself an experienced marathoner ... even with a 21-year hiatus in between 11 and 12."

For Kreditor, who turns 47 on Nov. 10, the marathon is about setting a major goal and proving to himself – and others – that anything is possible. He's not worried about his finish time. He wants to stay ahead of the sag wagon and be done before the elite Kenyans board planes back to Nairobi.

Bill Rodgers' 1979 Boston Marathon victory inspired Kreditor to do a marathon. He started training and ran New York in 1980. He completed 11 marathons, including the 1984 NYC race, his most recent. He was never fast, preferring to run slow and steady.

By 1985, his priorities had shifted. He met his wife, got married and focused on his career and family. He never stopped running. He even founded and still directs Dallas' 20-year-old Bagel Run each spring.

Kreditor's running wasn't enough to prevent him from gaining weight. He refers to the extra pounds around his waist as "an additional person I carry around with me."

Three years ago, Kreditor and a group of running buddies from his Preston Hollow neighborhood entered the NYC lottery. Their names were picked, and they started training. They didn't run the race.

Kreditor, yearning to relive his memories, wasn't willing to give up his spot. So he paid $75 a year, capitalizing on a slick NYC marathon marketing strategy, to reserve his slot for the next year.

Last summer, he decided this would be his year. His nephew laughed and told him there was no way.

"That's all you need to get motivated athletically," Kreditor said.

He started increasing his mileage and stopped eating desserts. He's lost nearly 50 pounds. Even so, he recently had a stress test and told the doctor that he was planning to run New York. The doctor's reply: "Mr. Kreditor, you are far too fat to run a marathon."

Admittedly, he's not the picture of athleticism. But he has fond memories of his earlier marathons and has enjoyed reliving the training and preparation.

"I have always been a big runner, but I became a runner that was big," he said. "Now, I'm back to being a big runner. I just run slower."

Briefly: Ahmed Zaher, 41, an area triathlon coach and triathlete, finished the Ford Ironman World Championship race in Hawaii in 9 hours, 49 minutes, 25 seconds earlier this month. ... The second auction and gala benefiting the Tracy Jo Wilson Ovarian Cancer Foundation will be Nov. 12 at Lakewood Country Club.

E-mail dfetterman@dallasnews.com

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 – Booathlon 5K, Audubon, Garland, 8 a.m., $20 through today, $25 race day, 214-592-9721 or www.nosweatracing.com

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 – Excellence in Education Foundation Run 5K, Richardson High School, 1250 West Beltline Road, Richardson, 8 a.m., $20 through today, $25 race day, 972-818-7555.

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 – Four Seasons Cool 5K and 1-mile, Four Seasons Resort & Club, 4150 North MacArthur Blvd., Las Colinas, Irving, 9 a.m., $20 through today, $25 race day, 972-717-2441 or www.runontexas.com

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 – Hubbard Rock 'n' Run 5K and 1-mile, Harry Myers Park, Downtown Rockwall, 9 a.m., $16 through today $18 race day, 972-772-7692 or www.hubbardchambermusic.com

SATURDAY, OCT 29 – Kaufman Fall Festival 5K, Downtown Town Square, intersection Washington Street (State Highway 234) at Texas SH 34, Kaufman, Texas, 8 a.m., 5K and 1-mile fun run, $20 adults, $15 kids 12-and-under

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 – Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers Double Trouble 10K and 5K, Oak Grove Park, 2615 Dove Loop Rd, Grapevine, Members $13 early, $15 race day. Others: $16 early, $20 race day, 817-868-1887 or www.signmeupsports.com

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 – MPS Run for their Lives 5K and Fun Run, Bear Creek Park, Keller, 9 a.m., $20, 817-313-4196 or www.mpsrun.org

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 – Patriot 5K and Fun run-walk, Heritage Center, 100 East Main Street, Allen, Fun Run-walk 8 a.m., 5K 8:30 a.m., $18, $20 race day, 972-747-3331 or www.boonelementarypta.com

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 – Plano Pacers 5K and Jr. .7-mile Sprint, Bob Woodruff Park, Plano, 8 a.m., free members, Others: $5, 972-967-7223 or www.planopacers.org

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 – Run with the Saints 5K, All Saints' Episcopal School, Normandale Campus, 9700 Saints Circle, Fort Worth, 8:30 a.m., $25, 817-246-2413, ext. 230.

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 – Summerbridge Thrill of the Hill Cross Country 5K, Fort Worth Country Day School, 4200 Country Day Lane, Fort Worth, 8:30 a.m., $23, 817-302-3280 or www.fwcds.org/summerbridge

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 – Sycamore PTA Run 4 Fun 5K and 1-mile, Sycamore Elementary School, 1601 Country Manor Road, Fort Worth, 8 a.m., $15, 817-568-5700 or www.sycamorepta.org/run.html

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 – TCOM D.O. Dash 5K and Kids' 1K, TCOM Campus, 3500 West Camp Bowie Blvd. at Montgomery Street, Fort Worth, 9 a.m., $20, www.hsc.unt.edu/tcom2008/Dodash.html

SUNDAY, OCT. 30 – Carrollton Runners 5K and 1-mile, McInnish Park, 2335 Sandy Lake Road, Carrollton, 7:30 a.m., $6, 972-245-3341.

SUNDAY, OCT. 30 – Halloween Hustle 5K and 10K, Stonebridge Ranch Beach Club, 6203 Virginia Parkway, McKinney, 8 a.m., 5K: $20. 10K: $23. 214-726-9886 or michhudd@sbcglobal.net or www.active.com

SUNDAY, OCT. 30 – Pumpkin Run 5K, First Baptist Church, 301 South Center Street, Arlington, 4 p.m., $10 12-and-under, $15 13 and over plus unwrapped toy, 817-277-6353 or www.fbca.org/fallfestival .

SUNDAY, OCT. 30-FEB. 26 – Road Trip Marathon training for upcoming winter marathon, Run On stores, Various days and locations. 214-821-0909 or www.runontexas.com

SATURDAY, NOV. 5 – Coyote Chase Race 5K and 1-mile, Memorial Plaza, Weatherford College, Weatherford, Texas, 1-mile 9 a.m. , 5K 9:30 a.m., $15 through today, $20 after, Children 12-and-under $10, 817-594-5471, ext. 275 or www.coyotechaserace.com

SATURDAY, NOV. 5 – Joey Cushman Law Enforcement Torch Run 5K and Family Trot, Spring Creek Barbeque Pavilion, Ameriquest Field, Arlington, 8 a.m., $20 through Nov. 1, $25 after, 214-943-9981 or www.sotx.org

SATURDAY, NOV. 5 – Run the Cliff 5K and Kids 1K Fun Run, Tyler Street Christian Academy, 915 West Ninth Street, Dallas, 5K 8 a.m., Kids fun run 9:30 a.m., 5K: $20, 1K $10, 214-941-9717.

SATURDAY, NOV. 5 – SPCA Strut Your Mutt 5K Walk and Fun Run for People & Pets, Reverchon Park, 3505 Maple Avenue, Dallas, 9 a.m., $25, 214-651-9611 or www.spca.org

SATURDAY, NOV. 5 – USA Track and Field Southwestern Association Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships 10K/6K/5K/4K/3K, Norbuck Park, Northwest Highway and Buckner Boulevard, Dallas, 9 a.m., $7 per person, $50 per team, 972-283-1451 or www.swusatf.org (Will have open and masters divisions)

SUNDAY, NOV. 6 – Burleson Runners Back to Basics 5K and Kids' 1K, Chisenhall Park Community Center, 500 Chisenhall Park Lane, Burleson, 4 p.m., $4 members, $7 others, 817-496-3734.

SUNDAY, NOV. 6 – Cross Country Club of Dallas' The Half, 30th anniversary half marathon and 5K, Norbuck Park, Northwest Highway and Buckner Boulevard, Dallas, 8 a.m., Half Marathon: CCCD members $40 through Nov. 5, $50 for others through Nov. 5. 5K: $25 through Nov. 5. No race day registration. 214-855-1111 or ww.thehalf.org.

SUNDAY, NOV. 6 – 36th New York City Marathon, New York, N.Y., 212-860-4455 or www.nyrrc.org

SUNDAY, NOV. 6 – World Run Day, register at www.active.com, Run or walk alone, with friends, in a race or anywhere, donate to the charity of your choice and report results to runday2005@yahoo.com, www.runday.com (A one-day non-competitive event that promotes the healthy benefits of running and charitable giving.)

TUESDAY, NOV. 8 – Plano Pacers Prediction Race 5K, Schimelfenig Library, 5024 Custer Road, Plano, 7 p.m., free, 972-967-7223 or www.planopacers.org

WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 6

WHO: 36,000 runners, including deep elite men's and women's fields. The men's field, considered the fastest and deepest in race history, includes world record-holder Paul Tergat of Kenya, 2004 Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi, 2005 Flora London Marathon winner and 2003 ING New York City Marathon champion Martin Lel of Kenya, New York course record-holder and 2001 champion (2:07:43) Tesfaye Jifar of Ethiopia and reigning Boston Marathon champion Hailu Negussie of Ethiopia.

WHERE: Race begins on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, winds through the city's five boroughs and ends in Central Park.

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: Hendrik Ramaala, South Africa, 2:09:28, and Paula Radcliffe, England, 2:23:10.

PURSE: More than $600,000