HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Distance runner Ben Jones is at it again in his New York suburb. The 34-year-old has been training for the Honolulu Marathon, his seventh long-distance race this year.

“It will be warmer than I’m used to,” he said. “It’s a little nerve-wracking because I still have to make it to Honolulu under three years.”

By “under three years” he means the three-hour goal he sets for himself every time he laces up his shoes for the 26.2 miles a marathon covers from start to finish.

“If you run slow enough and can keep a steady pace, you’ll be rewarded later. “It’s definitely something that comes with experience,” he said.

He has a lot of experience in marathon running. He has won several, but his greatest achievement is always finishing them under the three-hour mark.

He made it to 49 states. Hawaii is last on his list.

“I know Diamond Head is the big hill to get over at about mile 8 and 24. But along the coast it’s mostly flat, which is nice,” he said.

Jones completed his first marathon in under three hours in 2009. Since then he has walked many miles.

“There are definitely thousands, probably tens of thousands. I don’t know. Too many,” he said.

He organizes marathons with time spent with his family and his career in finance, and he is very selective about the races he chooses.

“I mostly choose flat models,” he said. “It’s easier for them to break threes. I also choose based on my own schedule.”

This will be his first Honolulu Marathon. It’s such a big deal that his family comes to watch him cross the finish line. And he’s already thinking about what he’ll do when it’s over.

“First I’m going to get a beer somewhere in Honolulu. My sister is also taking part in the race. I really hope she doesn’t hit me,” he said.

If Jones can average around 6.5 minutes per mile, he will break the three-hour barrier again and officially end his “sub-three 50” challenge that he has been pursuing for a very long time.

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