Name: MIKE LEWIS

Age: 51

Profession: Managing editor of The Times-Mail

Best lifestyle change in the last five years: Last five? Watching what I eat, in addition to how I exercise. I’m addicted to cookies and sweets of all kinds. I have been running since about 1989 or so.

Health/fitness advice: Have a big goal, and build small steps into your daily routine to reach that goal. Forgive yourself for a small misstep or two along the way.

What motivates you: Big goal: Qualifying for the Boston Marathon. I’ve done that 13 years in a row now (I finished my 12th Boston on April 20 in 3:25—quick enough to qualify for my 13th). Small steps: Knowing that a good part of the daily stress will melt away during a run.

How do you stay driven: It’s not being “driven” anymore. Running is just a part of what I do, like brushing my teeth or getting prepared for work.

Tools of the trade: I like to keep it simple. A good pair of running shoes (go to a real running store and get some good advice), a watch and appropriate clothes.

INSPIRATION INGREDIENTS

What inspires you: Feeling the stress melt away during a daily run. And seeing that time clock at the end of a race.

Who: Jerry Aull, a marathoner, musician and friend who knows how to put first things first in life.

Where: The finish line of nearly any race, from a local high school track to the Boston Marathon.