Corning, NY – September 17, 2013 - At this October's 32nd annual Wineglass Marathon, event organizers are excited to welcome special guest Bart Yasso. As the Chief Running Officer at Runner's World magazine, Yasso has spent the last 30 plus years of his life traveling around the world to share his love of running with millions of people.

With one of the most unique job titles on paper, the 'Chief Running Officer' is as one-of-a-kind as the man with the distinction. Yasso spends more than 45 weekends each year traveling the world and visiting marathons to address groups of runners. Despite his position at Runner's World, Yasso is clear that his objective is not only to sell the magazine, rather; it's to sell running – and he takes it personally.

Yasso's own journey began in 1978, when his brother, George, challenged him to a 10K race. From that moment, his love of distance running has grown and became a focus for his personal life, his professional career, and his overall identity. Running became an obsession for Yasso, and over the course of his tenure, he has completed well over 100 marathons, including races on all seven continents and a handful of marathon wins. A long with his marathon accomplishments, Yasso is a five-time Ironman Triathlon finisher and author of his memoirs, My Life on the Run.

The exact number of marathons Yasso has finished, along with the finishing statistics, is immediately unclear. While most marathon finishers proudly display finishers' medals and certificates on living room walls and in office trophy cases, Yasso recently donated his collection of medals to a charity – a selflessly humble act that perfectly summarizes Yasso's motive. "If you walked into my house, you wouldn't know I was a runner," notes Yasso. "On the walls of my home and office, you'll find no awards, trophies, or medals, rather; I display pictures of other runners, along with letters and thank you notes from fans and readers...that's what inspires me."

During Wineglass Marathon Weekend, runners will have the opportunity to meet Yasso on Friday and Saturday at the expo, during a special pasta dinner at the Radisson Hotel Corning on Saturday evening (limited seating; advance ticket required) or on Sunday on the marathon course itself, as Yasso plans to run in the event.

A first-time participant in the Wineglass, Yasso is excited about being part of the historic event. Yasso notes, "The Wineglass Marathon is notorious in the running community for its fast and scenic course. I look forward to visiting the area and being a part of this wonderful race."

For additional information on Wineglass Marathon, visit www.wineglassmarathon.com, become a fan on Facebook or follow @WGMarathon on Twitter.