Many of the runners taking part in this weekend’s Twin Cities Marathon are participating for very personal reasons. Among them is Andre Anderson, who was recently released from prison after 11 years.

“I run because I can. Simply put,” Anderson told MPR News on Friday. “When I was incarcerated, a lot of my decisions were made for me: when to get up, when to go to bed, what to eat, but running was always a choice.”

Anderson’s passion for running began in his late teens. He started serving time for a crime at age 27 and had a 9-year-old daughter at home.

About four years into his sentence, bitterness began to turn to acceptance.

On his 30th birthday, Anderson laced up his shoes and hit the pavement once again. He got support for his training from the nonprofit Mile in My Shoes, which work

See Full Page