Friends have called Deborah Lazaroff, 48, of Jackson, a "marathoning freak." And the number of marathons she runs could freak out anyone.

This year's Boston Marathon marked the 75th such race Lazaroff has finished. She's run 23 in the last two years.

To break it down (something she doesn't do), Lazaroff completed 11 marathons in 2002, nine in 2003, and three more so far this year. She whipped through most of those races with clockings between 3:30 and 3:45, and never went over four hours.

At the 2003 Humpy's Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska, she was the second-place woman overall with a 3:32:59.

Lazaroff thinks she is capable of breaking her 3:21 PR, set several years ago, "but it would take a lot of training to get down there. What I really like about marathoning is the camaraderie. And I love to travel."

Last year she bounded across North America, competing in the Edmonton Festival Marathon (3:42:07), St. George (Utah) Marathon (3:44:52), and Tucson Marathon (3:44:45), among others. She kicked off this year with the Disney World Marathon (3:37:54) and Napa Valley Marathon (3:44:59).

Not that Lazaroff neglects marathons in Michigan. She has run Bayshore in Traverse City the last three years, and finished second overall at the 2002 Martian Marathon in Northville (3:43:11).

Lazaroff also knocked out a pretty fair time at the Dexter-Ann Arbor Half Marathon last year. Her 1:39:25 placed her second, behind Robin Sarris Hallop, in her 45-49 age group. It was also the second-best age-group time in the state last year.

Lazaroff, married to Stephen Lazaroff, began running 23 years ago after the birth of the couple's first daughter. (They have four daughters -- ages 23, 20, 16 and 15-- now.)

"I wanted to get into shape for a ski trip out west," she remembers. "After doing some running as part of a fitness class, I entered the Rose Run 10K, which always seems to take place on the first really hot day of summer. I remember just wanting it to be over. I couldn't believe how long 10K was."

She ran the Marine Corps Marathon, her first race at that distance, in 1991. "My brother was training for Marine Corps and asked me to join him," remembers Lazaroff. "I had no desire to do it, but I wanted to see Washington D.C."

After finishing in 3:55, she swore she would never do another marathon. A year later, she ran the Columbus Marathon in 3:40. The "freak show" was off and running.

Lazaroff wants to pass on her love for exercise to more than just her four daughters. She works as a coordinator for Girls Quest of Jackson, an after-school program that introduces girls to sports, fitness and nutrition.

She is also training her sights on her 100th marathon.

"Every marathon is a unique experience," says Lazaroff. "And they all pose a challenge too." MR