Kingston man prepares for the run of his life to raise money for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at KHSC

Willem Sagriff will run 100 kms at the track at Point Municipal Park in Sydenham on October 3.

A Kingston resident is hoping running will be good for not only his soul but also the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Kingston Health Sciences Centre.

Willem Sagriff is training to complete 100 kilometres (250 laps) on the track at Point Municipal Park in Sydenham on October 3 to raise money for the NICU.

Sagriff's three-year-old daughter was born at Kingston General Hospital. His wife Liz was staying in a room next to the NICU where another couple was experiencing anxiety over their newborn.

Sagriff says it served him as a reminder how lucky they were that their baby was healthy.

Sagriff is an avid runner and recalls at time when he struggled to complete a couple of kilometres near the Gord Downie Pier.

He says it was a wake up call for his own physical health.

Sagriff says he has been training for the run since last December. Part of that training was tackling the 104-kilometre Cataraqui Trail where his body gaveout after 75 kilometres

But he says overall everything has been going well.

The initial goal was to raise $6,000. That was easily surpassed with more then $13,000 raised as of August 12.

Sagriff has now set a $15,000 goal that he believes he will reach by Oct 3.

Story by Ken Hashizume