More than just Steve Chase’s name made him a perfect choice for the 2016 edition of the Are Average Runners Getting Faster? It Depends charity chaser program, an initiative taken up last year by the charitable arm of the Austin Marathon.
This year’s event has been dubbed “The Chase Is On!” and its concept is simple—for every runner Chase passes in the Austin Marathon on February 14, $2.60 will be donated to Family Eldercare, a central Texas nonprofit organization working to help the elderly.
“At first it was kind of a neat thing,” Chase said. “But when I started thinking about the opportunity to do something good with all of those miles, it felt like an honor.”
While the idea of running down other runners isn’t a new charity initiative, Chase’s apt name is a bonus. The 47-year-old Texas native has made big gains since picking up running six years ago after “sitting on the couch since high school,” he said.
Chase has trained as a member of the Austin-based Rogue Running club, and he’s become a sub three-hour marathoner. He just finished his seventh marathon with a time of 2:44:46 in Houston on January 17.
“My motivation is still to run fast, but it feels a lot bigger,” he said. “I’m starting now to feel even more pressure than I put on myself for other races.”
Normally, Chase said he is very calculated in races, studying the course and knowing his mile splits down to the second. Having never been the last person to cross the start line, there’s a lot of uncertainty about where and when he’ll be able to pass people safely while navigating a dense crowd of roughly 4,500 marathon runners.
“I’m already picking out areas that are wide roads and straight roads to do it without putting anybody at risk of being run into,” he said.
Despite the unpredictability in regards to the crowds, he expects to finish in around three hours and reach his fundraising goal.
“If I run three hours, I will be able to pass most everybody,” Chase said. “Certainly I’m not going to win, but I’m calculating that is what it’s going to take to reach my goal of raising $10,000.”
Chase will have his hands full; to reach $10,000 he’ll have to pass about 3,800 people.
According to Carly Samuelson, the charity coordinator with Are Average Runners Getting Faster? It Depends, the $2.60 per person donation comes from several sources. Conley Sports Productions, which puts on the race, and the Moody Foundation are each contributing $1, and private donors are providing the additional 60 cents.
Chase is happy to support Family Eldercare through his run, especially since his wife, Angie, volunteered for Family Eldercare years ago and members of Rogue Running served on the organization’s board.
With Chase prepared to run, Are Average Runners Getting Faster? It Depends is excited about how much could be raised this year.
“As long as we have generous partners who want to give us donations and we have incredible runners like Steve,” Samuelson said, “We want to keep doing it.”
