While driving around Alki these days you might notice a youthful runner tearing up the pavement, training for next year's Boston Marathon. Matthew, or Matt Haggerty, 17, a student at Seattle Lutheran High School, began running marathons two years ago. He said he is a "normal" track and field, and cross-country runner at school, but discovered he was Mr. Marathon Man, or, as his friends call him, "Alki Slim", when he would run 26.2 miles.

Haggerty placed 10th of 6,000 in the July 31 San Francisco Marathon and earned a medal. April 16 is the Boston Marathon. You must be 18 to participate. He turns 18 on Dec. 15. Matt pointed out that the Boston Marathon has some of the fastest runners in the world, many from Kenya. Some finish in the 2:04 range. Here are his finish times for his five marathons he has run so far:

Seattle: 3:37
Victoria: 2:57
Seattle: 2:56
Vancouver: 2:52
San Francisco: 2:48

He also finished second in a Salty's half-marathon race, behind his coach. He paces himself at just over 6 minutes per mile and runs the first and last mile in the 5-minute range because the adrenaline kicks in.

It could be said that the marathon "runs" in the family. Matt's parents, David and Meg, founded and have operated Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering and Events for 26 years, with their Hall at Fauntleroy location for 16 years. Their son Reed, 22, and daughter Abby, 20, work there, too. (They also have a son, Andrew, 14.)

"My first marathon I just ran to run," said Matt of his Seattle race. "I don't remember running. I was so tired. The second time I ran the Seattle Marathon I didn't remember the course from the first race."

He said he had no clue before age 15 that he would excel in long distance running.

"I was the laziest kid," he recalled. "I just sat on the couch and ate."

Running fast can be lonely on the marathon circuit.

He explained, "The farther up you get the less people there are to talk to. They don't want to talk. They want to run."

To keep occupied, he sports earphones and listens to his favorite tunes.

"I listen to corny upbeat music, like the kind played on 92.5," he said. "It's kind of embarrassing."

For Haggerty's senior project, he has organized a fundraising run called Ritual Running to raise money and collect new and used shoes for runners in underprivileged areas of the world. This ties into an international program called One World Running. He is assembling a running group starting Sept. 6, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at night on Alki leading up to the fundraiser, a 5K and 10K run October 15. He seeks more participants and encourages those interested to contact him through his website: www.ritualrunning.com.

His parents are good sports as they drive him to the various marathon locations, including San Francisco. Entry fees are $150, but they await a $65 refund from the San Francisco race as Matt was "sub-seeded". Matt is in search of a sponsor, possibly a gym shoe company.

"I cry every time I see him cross," said Meg of his son at the finish line. "To see that human spirit, and he's so graceful. It's amazing to watch someone get up every day with such passion and drive around something."

His sister and parents are "training" with him, taking baby steps toward a future marathon, or half-marathon run of their own. They said he goes easy on them as he instructs.

"I've been practicing with him," said Meg. "It's not like you are running with a marathoner. It's like you are running with a coach."