LOS ANGELES MARATHON DAILY REPORT : Sunday Will Be Special Day for Special Athlete

For many recreational athletes, finishing a marathon is a long-held goal. For Jeff White, finishing this Sunday’s seventh-annual Los Angeles Marathon is more than that: It’s a dream.

White is a 27-year-old Special Olympics athlete from Daly City, Calif., who plans to run his first marathon Sunday. Last July, White won a bronze medal in the International Special Olympics in the half-marathon with a time of 1 hour 31 minutes 24 seconds.

That time leads his coach, Pat Diskin, to believe White will be able to run the full marathon in about three hours, a more than respectable time for a first marathon.

White has his dream, and another runner has his goal. Running with White will be Tom Armentrout, a Beverly Hills management consultant. Armentrout, an experienced marathon runner, will be collecting pledges at the Los Angeles, London and Moscow marathons, raising money to benefit the California Special Olympics.

White’s training has been geared for the race and, if determination is any indication, he is ready.

“I’m going to do it. I will do it,” White said. “I’m going to win, do my best and bring home a medal to show my mom.”

White holds to a second dream. After he runs in Sunday’s marathon, he is going to learn to read.