Thursday is the last day to cast a vote for the most inspirational coach of the year.

Land O' Lakes cross country coach Kris Keppel is in the running.  

Keppel has been a cross-country and track coach at Land O' Lakes high school for two decades.  

At the start of this past school year, he revealed to his team he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Coach Keppel had surgery in the spring to remove his tumor and is remaining optimistic as he recovers.

Still, he has coached on, inspiring not just his runners, but the entire school and Pasco County community. Land O'Lakes girls cross-country coach Karen DeHaas nominated him for The Brooks Inspiring Coaches Award.

Right now, Keppel is close in votes with one other nominee.  

To cast your vote for him, go to http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/programs/inspiring-coaches.

The winner will be announced early next week.

Coach Keppel and other top finalists will head to Seattle then to find out.