Pojoaque Pueblo Gov. George Rivera, 45, doesn't devote all his time to his tribal leadership post. He is also a businessman, family man, artist and marathon runner.

On April 20, he toed the starting line for the 113th running of the Boston Marathon, the oldest annual marathon in the world.

Rivera was one of 23,162 competitors facing the grueling 26.2-mile run through the hills of Boston.

Boston was his third marathon in the last 12 months. He qualified for the prestigious race in August 2008 at the San Francisco Marathon, where he ran the course in 3:26. The qualifying time for the Boston run is 3:30. Two months before San Francisco, he ran his first marathon in San Diego and clocked a 3:42.

He trained five months for the Boston Marathon. Typically, his wife, Felicia, would drop him off in Santa Fe and he would run back to Pojoaque on the frontage roads and various trails.

"I ran 40 to 60 miles each week," Rivera said.

Rivera had strong support from his wife and his racing mentor, Abraham Kosgei. Kosgei, a professional marathon runner from Kenya, helped Rivera with technique, diet and training.

"My primary motivator was Felicia," Rivera said. "She did the San Diego Marathon in 2007."

Rivera said his goal for Boston was to finish at around 3:15 or 3:30.

He ran the first half of the marathon in 1:39.05. Then, on the infamous Heartbreak Hill, at about the 20-mile mark, he cramped up.

"I had been climbing for five miles," he said. "When I tried to speed it up, going down Heartbreak, my right hamstring cramped up, and I had to stop for about five minutes and rub it out."

Rivera finished at 3:29.55.

"George has the mind of a championship Kenyan runner," said Kosgei. "He's very strong."

Rivera's time placed him in the top 44 percent of the 13,547 men who finished the race.

Although Rivera trained hard , he said he wasn't committed until Gil Vigil, former Tesuque Pueblo governor, put him on the spot.

After Rivera spoke at a Wings of America meeting, Vigil told the group of 40 Native American runners that Rivera had qualified for the Boston Marathon.

"Gil told them I was going to run on behalf of all Native people," Rivera said. "I felt a little pressure."

With Boston behind him, Rivera said he doesn't plan to run more marathons in the near future. However, on Sunday, he ran a 5K at the Run for the Zoo in Albuquerque, while pushing Valentino, his 1-year-old son, in a stroller. His wife ran, too, matching him stride for stride.

Advocates of helping people achieve optimum health, Rivera and Kosgei have started a running club that's open to the public.

"I would hope more tribal leaders commit to health and well-being by being models for the people," Rivera said.

Rivera said he now hopes to spend 20 to 30 hours each week working on his sculptures.

He's finishing up an 8-foot-tall Italian marble sculpture that he's been working on for three years.

"It's a White Buffalo dancer," he said. "I'm about 50 percent finished. I'm also working on a 5-foot- high granite bear sculpture."

"Running helps me in different ways," he said. "I have a sense of praying when running. My mind becomes very clear. Running helps me make the right decisions."

Contact John Knoll at johnknoll77@hotmail.com.