Fireman to run in mini-marathon in full gear

INDIANAPOLIS -- A Bloomington fireman plans to briskly walk the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on Saturday in full firefighting gear, including helmet, jacket, pants, oxygen tank and breathing mask.\n"The whole idea was to do something really unique so I could raise as much as possible for the Muscular Dystrophy Association," said Capt. Steve Coover. "And I don't think it's been done before."\nMore than 35,000 people are expected to participate in the annual 13.1-mile race that kicks off the month long activities leading up to the Indianapolis 500.\nCoover ran the mini-marathon last year in conventional jogging attire. Then he decided to add the extra equipment in hopes of drawing donations for charity. The gear weighs about 40 pounds and is the same firefighters use when entering a burning building.\nSo far, people have pledged $3,000, he said.\n"I've been training with the gear since the first of March," he told The Herald-Times of Bloomington. "I haven't had any problems overheating, but if it's 85 degrees or hotter on race day, that could be a concern."\nCoover said he will have a support team stationed along the route that will provide him with water and a fresh oxygen tank every 1.5 miles.\nHis fellow firefighters are hoping he does well.\n"We have a tradition here," said Brandon Hudson, a sergeant with the Bloomington department. "Any firefighter whose name appears in the newspaper has to buy pizza for the whole department"