Runner Completes 300 Races While Battling Stage 4 Cancer

Tom Perri had a choice when doctors diagnosed him with stage four prostate cancer in 2019. He could stay home, or he could keep running.

He chose to run. And run. And run some more.

The Maple Grove, Minnesota native has now completed 300 races since his diagnosis, bringing his lifetime total to 795 marathons. But the numbers only tell part of the story.

"I'm not a cancer survivor. I call myself a cancer warrior because every day I go to battle with my cancer," Perri says. "Some days I win it, some days I lose it, but I've won a hell of a lot more days than I've lost."

His battle hasn't gotten easier. Perri is currently in his seventh month of double treatment, and getting out of bed grows harder each day. His muscles don't respond like they used to, and his pace has slowed.

Yet he's run four marathons just this past week alone, bringing his 2026 total to 18. Four more are already on the calendar.

Why This Inspires

Perri's mission has evolved beyond personal achievement. He now paces races to help nervous runners reach goals they're unsure they can accomplish, whether they're chasing qualifying times or simply trying to finish their first 26.2 miles.

"Seven years into stage four cancer, it's not getting any easier," Perri admits. "I struggle with that, but I don't want runners to see me struggling. I want them to put all their worries on me and let me help get them to the finish."

His connection to running runs deep, especially at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth. This June marks his 32nd appearance at the race. He's the only runner to finish Minnesota's three oldest marathons at least 28 times each.

Perri is also closing in on his 10th certified 50-state marathon journey with just 18 states remaining. He recently paced the Cape Town Marathon, which could become his eighth World Marathon Major and 35th overall. Only South America and Antarctica remain on his quest to run a marathon on every continent.

"You never really know when my last running day will be," he says. "But when that medal goes around my neck, it's a wonderful feeling because I know I accomplished something I set out to do."

If all goes as planned, Perri will return to Grandma's Marathon in 2033 to reach 1,000 career miles at the race and earn a commemorative belt buckle—one more finish line for a man who refuses to stop fighting.