Colorado man braces for Leadville marathon while battling multiple forms of cancer

One Colorado man is taking his battle against cancer from his hospital bed to a marathon course. He says he's taking his health concerns in stride as he prepares for his next race. 

With every step he takes, Thornton resident Paul Moritz continues to fuel his passion for running.

"It's your own little world out there. It's nature, it's God. It's whatever you want it to be," said Moritz. "Fifty-mile run, the 15-mile run, the 15-mile bike, the marathon, the heavy half," he said.

Those are just a handful of the races he's taken part in since 2015, when his journey with running long distances began.

"There are a million excuses for why not to go do something, and you just have to have a good reason to do it," said Moritz.

However, Moritz had every reason to take it slow. Less than a year after taking part in the Leadville 100 in 2016, Moritz was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer.

"Countless nights in the hospitals and countless doctors' visits and CT scans," he said. "Took the kidney out, took the rib out, took part of my pancreas, my gallbladder, my spleen."

All of those obstacles could not keep him away from hitting the trails.

"In 2022, I was lying in the hospital one night, just feeling sorry for myself because I had a huge tumor taken out of my back. So, at 2:30 in the morning, I figured I'd sign up for the Leadville marathon, the 50-mile bike and the 50-mile run just to give me something to train for and something to do," said Moritz. "Keep my mind off of everything else."

"You have to force yourself to be positive, you have to force yourself to get out of bed some mornings," said Moritz.

Moritz is now set to embark on his latest race, the Leadville marathon, with a little help from medication to regulate his cancer.

This year, though, feels a little extra special, with his two nephews inspired to join the race by his side.

"I hate to be the one to blame for their stupidity, but if they want to say that," said Moritz.

Even with a new hurdle crossing paths with Moritz's training, he says nothing will stop his momentum on the course of life.

"Just recently, this month, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. So, it's just a whole other thing to worry about, or not," said Moritz. "I'm not giving up; there's no reason to quit my life just because of this. I'm trying not to let it define who I am or what I do."