Running a marathon is certainly no easy task, especially while wearing pounds of heavy gear.
But that didn't stop Steve Bender, a volunteer firefighter, from running the Philadelphia marathon in full gear.
"It's much harder," Bender said, saying that the gear adds about two hours to his finish time.
Bender, who has ran 20 marathons, some of them in full gear, says he does it to raise awareness of the Firefighter Five Foundation. The foundation, which he started in 2013, aims to motivate first responders to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Bender says he doesn't just want to encourage first responders, though.
"If I could motivate one person to run while I was there, then I have met my goal," he said.
The annual Philadelphia Marathon was held Sunday morning.
