CANTON, Mass. (AP) - The tallest man in the United States has traveled from Minnesota to Massachusetts for a custom shoe-fitting with Reebok that he hopes will help him live a normal life.

Igor Vovkovinskiy says he's had 16 surgeries in six years to fix problems created by shoes that didn't fit. He's 7 feet, 8 inches tall and says his shoe size is somewhere between a 22 and 26.

He was at Reebok headquarters in Canton on Thursday for a complex shoe-fitting that involved, among other things, custom pressure-mounting equipment and a handful of technicians.

Vovkovinskiy says his only shoes have no traction, making it "suicidal" to leave his home.

Reebok says it's building the shoes because they want to help. The company says the project will cost between $12,000 and $20,000.

Drivers can expect single-lane traffic on Highway 56 in Mower and Fillmore counties between Leroy and Highway 63 beginning Tuesday, May 8, as crews begin resurfacing the road. Flaggers and a pilot car will control traffic throughout the project, which is scheduled to continue through May, weather permitting. When the project is complete, motorists will experience a smoother ride surface and a safer highway. Ulland Brothers Inc, is the prime contractor for the $1.5 million project.

Journal of a Marathon Runner: ( Friday April 20th)

After several weeks of training  I finally came to one scary realization, in only 37 days I will have to run 26.2 miles!

Even though I’ve logged over 300 miles so far, it’s still an intimidating task.

26.2 miles, 26.2 miles. WOW!

In my long runs I am currently up to 20 miles each Sunday, but it’s that extra 6.2 that still escapes me.

Surprisingly, 20 miles is the most I’ll run until the race itself!

My trainer has forbidden me from running any further than my training schedule will allow.

For some reason, that baffles me. I was always taught that if you’re doing something you’ve never done before, you should try it out alone first.

That way you know what to expect before you run a race in front of thousands of spectators.

I’m told it will all work out in the end. I hope it does.