Operation Jack was an attempt by Sam Felsenfeld to race at least one marathon a week in 2010 (61 total for the year, plus two ultramarathons) to generate attention to raise funds and nationwide awareness for Train 4 Autism, an organization that works tirelessly to raise money for Autism charities.

Read: Why I'm Running a Marathon This Saturday (11.5.09), My Swan Song (12.23.10)

Sam, with his wife of 12 years, Tiffany, is raising three children — Benjamin (9 1/2), Jack (7 1/2) and Ava (5 1/2). Jack, born September 16, 2003, was diagnosed with autism shortly after he turned 3, although he has been in constant therapy and treatment since before his second birthday. He is showing signs of progress, but has very limited speech and struggles with communication and social interaction.

After watching his son struggle day after day with his condition, Sam decided he wanted to do something to make a difference in his honor. His plan was Operation Jack. He figured that he wouldn't have done it if not for his son's autism, so everything that was accomplished during the year — from raising a gross total of more than $90,000 to helping Train 4 Autism expand by seven chapters during the year — was an impact Jack made on the world. Jack's footprint will grow over the years as long-term gains come to fruition.

Achieving the unthinkable was nothing new for Sam. After breaking his neck in a swimming-pool accident when he was 16, he was lucky to have use of his legs. Later, after taking terrible care of himself in college, his weight soared to 261 pounds. A former smoker, Sam started walking in late 2004. Walking turned into slow jogging, and eventually, slow jogging turned into his first marathon.

Through March 2011, he’s completed 91 marathons and four ultramarathons, and has 25 Boston qualifiers and a personal-best time of 3:00:05. As tough as Operation Jack was in 20101, though, it was nothing compared to the daily grind Jack suffers through as he battles with autism, the neurological disorder affecting 1 in 110 children nationwide.