Flat Top Grill and Fleet Feet are paying tribute to "Marathoners with a Passion" during the months of September and October. Six special marathon runners are being honored for their passion to raise money for a charity or to accomplish an important personal goal. Each runner will represent one of the five Flat Top Grill locations in the Chicago area.

The lineup of marathoners includes John Crager, a recovering substance abuser who has change his life and his exercise regimen; Anne Martino, who guided a blind runner to the finish line; Larry Labow, who is raising money for breast cancer research to support friends who have the disease; Tim Christopher, who has overcome serious weight problems and Amy and Jeff Herrmann, a husband/wife team who challenge each other to go the distance both on and off the race course.

In recovery from drugs and alcohol since 1989, John Crager, 45, knows what it's like to struggle. But he never thought he'd be running a marathon just ten months after he started running. The owner of JCrager, a hair salon in Chicago, he has spent time this year training for his first half marathon, full marathon and triathlon. He recently lost 12 pounds and will be running on behalf of the Flat Top Grill Washington Street location.

Anne Martino, 37, is looking forward to running her third marathon on behalf of the Southport Avenue Flat Top Grill. During her second Chicago marathon in 2001, she trained with and guided a blind runner in his first marathon, who continues to run today. They ran the entire 26 miles holding hands. After missing last year's marathon due to an injury, she will run this year's alone. Anne is the director of marketing communications for Navigation Technologies.

Larry Labow, 45, will be running his fifth and as he says, afinala run on behalf of the Flat Top Grill in Evanston. He has raised over $22,000 for leukemia research in prior races and this year has raised more than $6,500 for the Sharsheret & Komen Foundation breast cancer research organizations. Some very close female friends who were diagnosed with breast cancer inspired Labow. A marketing manager for Discover Card, he will be running the marathon just two months after tying the knot with Miriam Kaufman.

Five years ago, Tim Christopher, now 37, was overweight, an avid smoker and drinker and in an unhappy place in his life. It was after an all-night New Year's Eve party, that he decided to change his life. Tim started running shorter races and quickly became addicted. Now a marathoner, triathlete, 65 pounds thinner and owner of his own business, he's an inspiration to anyone who wants to accomplish a goal. An Oak Park resident, he is proud to be representing the Flat Top Grill located in his hometown.

Amy, 32, and Jeff Herrmann,33, have adopted a new lifestyle and the exact same running pace since they began running together six years ago. With Amy's influence, Jeff started training, changed his eating habits and has lost more than 50 pounds. Amy is corporate finance marketing manager for William Blair & Company and Jeff is a vice president with Nielsen Media Research. They will be running their fourth marathon together representing the North Avenue Flat Top Grill.

Flat Top Grill is sponsoring these athletes as part of its on-going support of its neighbors and customers. In addition to paying all runners' fees, providing race day apparel and offering free meals during training, each Flat Top Grill features a wall poster highlighting the runners and their addresses where diners can send words of support.