Hartford marathon honors elite runners

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- Nearly 15,000 crossed the finish line in Hartford on Saturday, all of them running for a different reason, and 10-year-old Justin Ordway spoke out about his reason.

Looking at their breath, hopping up and down, runners fought the frost, but once they heard the start of the race, things heated up.

"You got butterflies in your stomach and you just think about crossing the finish line and what it feels like when you're done," Justin Ordway, an elite runner from Southbury, said.

Ten year old Justin knows about finish lines. At 6-years-old he was diagnosed with a rare cancer like disease.

Now a survivor, he was one of the ten elite runners recognized today.

When he heard he was selected, Ordway said, "My mouth just dropped open, I felt like I passed out for just a couple of seconds. It was really fun."

Now he joined the largest event in the state capital, something organizers were proud to show off.

"This is our celebration, this is the dessert after a very long meal," Beth Shluger, the race Director, said.

"It's a great opportunity for people to get up close and personal with our city and our parks, so it's a great day for everybody." Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra, said.

And the young runner had some worldly advice for this crowd.

"Always think positive and you never know, something might happen and just be ready for it and take advantage of it," Ordway said.

Justin was ready, he took advantage, and he wants to inspire others.