Marine Gunnery Sgt. Dennis Miranda is not running away from his problems.

Running has kept him sober for almost two years.

"When I am running, I think about the things in my life that I want to change," said Sgt. Miranda, 36, of Delmont.

"By the end of the run, I have some good solutions and they work out for me."

Sgt. Miranda is a supply chief with the 4th Marine Corps District in New Cumberland, outside Harrisburg. A career Marine, he has served for 18 years in Okinawa, Japan, South Korea, Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Experienced marathoners know that running is a form of meditation. Sgt. Miranda keeps a blog that records those thoughts. Somewhere along the way, he came up with the idea to run with a purpose.

"I was running and thinking about my family and my retirement, which is in one year," he said. "I became interested in doing something more with my runs, so I decided to run for charity."

Run for long distances, too. Sgt. Miranda will compete in two ultra-marathons, one 50 miles, one 100 miles long, this spring: the North Face Endurance Challenge in Bear Mountain, N.Y., April 12, and the Old Dominion 100-Mile Endurance Run June 7 in Fort Valley, Va.

Raising money for Seeds of Learning, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving education in rural Latin America, will be Sgt. Miranda's purpose for participating in the second race. Next weekend, he will run in memory of his father-in-law, hoping to raise public awareness for The Parents of Murdered Victims.

That group was established in New York state in 1981. Its objectives are to provide understanding, comfort and support in the face of tragedy, and to assist survivors in reconnecting with their families and communities following the murder of a loved one.

His family on Long Island turned to that group in 1994 after his father-in-law, Julius "Jay" Baumgardt, was murdered when the armored car he was driving was ambushed.

"Two criminals jumped out of the bushes with shotguns," Sgt. Miranda said.

"They made him get on his knees and handcuffed him. One of the men shot him in the head. He was killed instantly.

"He was a good, hard-working individual. You can't forget about that."

Barbara Connelly, director of the organization, said, "Sgt. Miranda's efforts are important to us. He is bringing attention to our organization. It is important that people know there are support groups out there and know where they can get help."

The North Face Endurance Challenge is promoted as a serious, hardy test for trail runners. It will take place on the western shores of the Hudson River, in the craggy foothills of the Catskill Mountains.

The Old Dominion race will begin at the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds. The course is a measured loop trail through the Massanutten Mountains, Shenandoah River Valley and Fort Valley, with 14 significant climbs.

The training for an ultra-marathon is rigorous. Sgt. Miranda runs an average of 60 miles a week, coupled with an intense weight- and strength-training program at a gym. He limits himself to 1,600 calories per day with a diet of lean meat (turkey and chicken), salmon, fruit, vegetables, nuts and plenty of water.

"I do trail running whenever I can and listen to heavy-metal music to get me going through my tough and longer workouts," he said.

Sgt. Miranda plans to run at least one marathon and one ultra-marathon in each state by age 50, and someday would like to open a recovery center with an emphasis on physical fitness.

"I want to stay sober, help those in need, make a difference and solve life's little problems," he said.

The Old Dominion 100-Mile Endurance Run: www.olddominionrun.org/course.html

The North Face Endurance Challenge: www.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/races/2008/bmn_overview.html

Parents of Murdered Victims: www.linypomvoutreach.org/index.htm

Seeds of Learning: www.seedsoflearning.org.