There are 32,500 people racing in the 2017 Boston Marathon today, April 17. Among them is at least one person with local ties, Dr. Jason Reynolds a Marion resident who practices medicine at Wareham Pediatrics.

Reynolds (bib number 26189) is running the Boston Marathon to raise money for Boston Children's Hospital.

Reynolds only took up running at age 47, looking to keep in good health. He found he liked the running, and later completed the New Bedford Half-Marathon to raise funds and awareness for his father-in-law, who had fallen ill and needed a liver transplant.

The Boston Marathon is his first full marathon, but he isn't worried.

“As long as the weather's cool and not rainy, I'm all ready,” he said. Monday’s forecast should help him out as a sunny day with mild temperatures are on tap.

Reynolds has had to fit practice time in with his day job - pediatrician. A physician at Wareham Pediatrics, Reynolds was recently honored as Bristol South District Medical Society's 2017 Community Clinician of the Year.

Reynolds looks forward to the general atmosphere of the race - the 26.2 mile course is lined with cheering spectators.

“It will be exciting to have my family there cheering me on,” he said.

His favorite part of the event? The $7,500 that he raised for the Boston Children's Hospital. Reynolds is part of the Boston Children's Miles for Miracles team, which is given several slots in the marathon in order to fund-raise for medical causes.

Reynolds only learned that he had been tapped for the team in October of 2016, months after he'd taken up running, and on the heels of his fundraising successes at the New Bedford Half Marathon and the Boston Athletics Association Half Marathon.

“It's a great way to combine my love of running with my support of Boston Children’s,” Reynolds said.