When Janet Shannon's son came home from the sixth grade with an assignment to practise long distant running, she offered to join him in his effort, and they began to run in a local Shelburne park.

A week and a half later, her son had finished his assignment but Janet had not finished hers - far from it.

Now, a decade later, she's set to run her fourth full marathon, in the mother of all such races, The Boston Marathon.

This is the ultimate long-distance race for elite athletes from all over the world: 42.2 grueling kilometers, including an excruciating stretch up something fondly referred to as "Heartbreak Hill".

The world's oldest and most prestigious marathon, it will bring 20,000 runners into Boston next month to compete.

It has been held annually since 1897 when it was first run to commemorate Paul Revere's historic ride over 100 years earlier.

The Boston Marathon is one of the few remaining races that requires qualifying times. A 48-year-old like Janet must run the 42.2 km in under four hours. Janet qualified at the "Sudbury Rocks" marathon last year in three hours and 57 minutes.

In Sudbury, Janet's run raised funds for the Diabetes Foundation. Next month, in Boston, she will help "Race 4 Kids," an organization which raises money for the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO). Established in 2007 by Orangeville triathlete Richard Pady, the group consists of triathletes who want to compete at all levels in the sport, while raising money and awareness for POGO.

A premier athlete, Richard Pady has competed in five world championships as a professional and six Ironman Triathlons; he is also the father of a child with cancer.

His four-year-old daughter Elizabeth will finish chemotherapy treatment for leukemia in May and Richard states that POGO was an "invaluable support" to his family "throughout treatment."

Over 400 children are diagnosed with cancer in Ontario each year with 3,000 receiving active treatment or follow-up care. POGO works to ensure all children with cancer are given equal access to the best services available. The aim is to provide "the greatest prospects for survival with an optimal quality of life."

Janet met Richard Pady several years ago when she was invited to swim along with his Ironman group at the Tony Rose pool in Orangeville.

Janet swims a minimum of 60 lengths, three times a week, as part of her cross training program for running. Swimming allows her to continue her aerobic workout while using different muscle groups than running.

She says working with Richard's program has vastly improved her swimming and consequently her running.

"I wanted to do something to thank Richard for his help and decided to dedicate my Boston fundraising to Race 4 Kids."

Raised in Listowel and settled in Shelburne for the last 25 years, Janet is an educational assistant at Centre Dufferin District High School. Her 19-week pre-marathon training program involves an extreme workout six days a week, starting at a 10 km run everyday, working up to a 42.2 km run, as well as swimming, pilates and yoga.

Janet says she runs to stay healthy, "I run for my old age!" she laughs.

Her running partner and husband, George Shannon, will be there at 12 o'clock on April 21st when Janet begins her journey down the streets and up the hills of Boston. Anyone else who would like to cheer her on, can do so by supporting "Race 4 kids" at www.race4kids.ca by clicking on "sponsor an athlete" or by calling Janet at 925-3967.