Three time Little Rock marathon winner has sights set on the finish line

LITTLE ROCK, AR - When Leah Thorvilson isn't busy helping customers at easy runner she's busy winning marathons.

Since 2009, the UALR graduate has won the Little Rock Marathon, three times in a row.

She hopes to earn her fourth crown this Sunday.

"That might be a record that stands the test of time.” Leah said. “Who knows!"

What started out as a way to pay for school turned into a professional career that recently took her to Houston for the 2012 Olympic Time Trials.

"The trials didn't go exactly how I wanted to, but I think that I'm still improving," Leah said.

Her training regiment is intense, logging nearly 100 miles each week.

Of the 32 marathons she's entered, she's won 17 of them

But come Sunday, her mind won't be on her past achievements or possibly winning for a fourth time in a row.

"If I execute the race that I want to, then hopefully things will go in my favor and I'll come away with a fourth win, but I'm not going to be sitting up there saying ‘I've got to do this, I've got to do this’ or my streak is broken," Leah said.

She does have one advantage that most of her competitors don't.

"I have such a loving following in Arkansas and I don't say that egotistically... it's just I've got a family of runners and running friends."

And because of that, she plans on doing all she can to be the first female to cross the finish line.

"I want to make it happen for me and make it happen for them,” Leah said. “Of course, it will absolutely be up there and be special. Winning it the first time in my home town was awesome. Eventually the streak will come to an end, so I'm going to ride it out as long as I can."