Pfeffer, Brady Out to Defend Marathon Titles

Kirk Pfeffer will sleep in today, until about 6 a.m., then try to run 26 miles 385 yards faster than anyone in the 29th San Diego Marathon.

Pfeffer, the defending champion, has embarked on a new training regimen in Boulder, Colo., to get some quality time with his five children.

“I get up at about 3:30, run 2-2 1/2 hours, lift some weights, catch a sauna, then go to work,” said Pfeffer, a 38-year-old teacher.

After school is out, there is time with the children, then on to a job at a health food store until 11 p.m.

His goal? “Just to win,” he said. “I was going to try to go faster, to race for a time, but with my new schedule, I just want to win.”

Pfeffer’s time last year was 2 hours 20 minutes 55 seconds, 6:26 faster than Jose Luis Chela of Guadalajara, who returns today with Marcial Beltran, fourth last year. Gabino Toledo, also from Mexico but training in Boulder, could threaten.

In the women’s race, Cheryl Brady of Honolulu returns to defend her title, but she probably will have to run much faster to do so. Brady won in three hours even last year, but Kim Campo has run a 2:42:05 in the Pittsburgh Marathon in 1989 and Mexico’s Elvita Santez ran a 2:43 in Mexico City last year.

In all, more than 7,000 are expected for the marathon, half-marathon, marathon relay and 5,000-meter runs, with the main race beginning at 7:15 a.m.