Jeff Myers

Age: 35

Occupation: Video and film director, lives in Los Angeles.

Sport: Ran the L.A. Marathon in 2007 and 2008, plans to run it next year. Also plays pickup basketball games and does gym workouts.

Smoking history: Has been smoking since he was 22; currently smokes about half a pack a day.

Does smoking affect your athletic performance? "I'm not going to live as long, but it's not going to change my running. My cardiovascular is through the roof; my lung capacity is through the roof. I had a V02 max test at my gym [a test that measures maximal oxygen uptake]. I told my trainer, 'By the way, I smoke,' and she freaked out.

"I wouldn't say it's a performance enhancer. But I can keep up with anybody."

Do your athletic friends know you smoke? "If I go and meet [running friends] for a drink, and I have a smoke, they all look shocked. I say, 'Yeah, that's right, and I'm going to kick your ass next week.' I really don't care what people think."

Have you tried to quit or cut down? "I've thought about it recently, and I realized that it's harder than I thought it would be. I wake up and say, 'I'm not going to smoke today,' but by the third stressful phone call, I find myself with a cigarette in my hand. I didn't figure I'd be smoking this long. When I turned 30, I was going to stop."

And in the future? "You can't be a chain-smoker every day. I'll be the guy who's older, having a cigarette once in a while, but not chained to carrying it around, like I have to have tobacco. But it's definitely a release, like a cocktail relaxes you at the end of the day. Plus, I think it's cool."

Quitting "is easier said than done, apparently. But I'm not too worried about it. I do more in a day than most people do all week. There's a trade-off."

"It's how I'm going to live my life. There are so many people who never smoked and got cancer. I don't know, if you live your life worried about what's going to happen, it's not the best quality of life. I could die for a million reasons tomorrow, so it's all about enjoying myself while I'm here."