Patrick Youmans is known by basketball fans in Springfield as the team manager for the Missouri St. basketball team. But he will try to make a name for himself today for something else. Youmans, who is a senior at MSU, will be one of over 20,000 people who will try to conquer the 26.2 mile course known as the Boston Marathon. The Elsberry, Missouri native didn’t run at all in high school, but says that his cross country coach asked him to try out. Youmans was a basketball player. He didn’t decide to start running until August of 2004 because he felt he was out of shape.

Youmans’ marathon experience is limited, to say the least. His first was in St. Louis in 2005 and he ran it in 3:34. He qualified for Boston this past October at the Chicago Marathon with a time of 3:03. His goal for Boston, besides simply finishing, is to cross the finish line in less than three hours.

Listen below to Missourinet Sports Director, David Sprague’s, interview with Patrick Youmans.