Bonus Mile: Chicago Marathon Race Director Carey Pinkowski

09/09/22 • 30 min

When Carey Pinkowski took the reigns of the Chicago Marathon in the early 1990s, there were only a few thousand people who hit the roads to pound 26.2 miles of pavement.

Today, the race attracts tens of thousands vying for 45,000 spots in one of the six World Marathon Majors.

Hear the story from Carey’s running roots to how he turned the sport into a lifelong career as the CEO of Chicago Event Management.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit milesforchange.substack.com

When Carey Pinkowski took the reigns of the Chicago Marathon in the early 1990s, there were only a few thousand people who hit the roads to pound 26.2 miles of pavement.

Today, the race attracts tens of thousands vying for 45,000 spots in one of the six World Marathon Majors.

Hear the story from Carey’s running roots to how he turned the sport into a lifelong career as the CEO of Chicago Event Management.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit milesforchange.substack.com

Previous Episode

Miles For Change EP 07 - Special Olympics Chicago

For over 50 years, Special Olympics Chicago has provided opportunities for thousands of athletes living with intellectual disabilities. Their organization has provided a sustainable community for the athletes and their families while offering a wide variety of athletic play and competitive events all year round.

You may know of their largest fundraiser of the year; the Polar Plunge North Avenue Beach. Every winter, thousands of people jump into the freezing waters of Lake Michigan, raising millions of dollars to support the programs provided by Special Olympics Chicago.But there are others who instead of jumping into frigid waters in the middle of winter, decide to train for months to run 26.2 miles to raise money for those same programs.

They are a household name in the region, and the city really comes together to make sure all of its residents have a field to play on.

Hear from family members of Special Olympics athletes, the people who make the programs happen, and of course, a multi-medalist who has dominated in a variety of sports.

In This Episode:

Mary Slowik, Executive Director, Special Olympics Chicago/Special Children's CharitiesEmily Smith, Former Development Director, Special Olympics ChicagoEileen Guinane, Special Olympics Administrator, Chicago Park DistrictNicole Richmond, Runner (Click to check out her fundraising page)Linda Padilla, SOC Family MemberStephanie Padilla, SOC Athlete

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit milesforchange.substack.com

Next Episode

Miles For Change EP 08 - Team In Training

This is the first episode in a multi-part series highlighting one of the groups that started it all, Team in Training. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is a global leader in the fight against cancer.

The LLS funds blood cancer research that has helped significantly increased survival rates worldwide. Since 1949, the organization has invested over $1.5 billion in cancer drug and treatment research. Some of the therapies that have come from that research have extended into diseases other than cancer, effectively treating so much more.

In 1988, a man named Bruce Cleland organized a group of people to run the New York Marathon while gaining pledges toward cancer research. His toddler daughter had just successfully finished treatment, and he wanted to do something to make a difference. That “team” in marathon “training” raised more than $300,000 that year, but the effects lasted much longer.

Today, over 650,000 people have gone through the Team in Training program to date. Fundraising participants have brought in over $1 billion dollars. That amount has gone to research amongst other things. Cancer patients have benefitted from $431 million in co-pay financial assistance, and currently, there are over 200 research grants across the globe.

All of this is because of individual people working toward something bigger than themselves.

In this episode, hear not only personal stories, but fundraising and coaching strategies, advocacy work done at the state government level, research advances, and how a bunch of strangers become one big purple family.

In This Episode:

Stephanie Carlson, VP of Athletic Initiatives for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (and ultramarathon runner)Dr. Jen Reichek, Pediatric Oncologist at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago (and multi-year Boston Qualifier & Finisher)Coach Mark Gregory, Team In Training Area CoachDavid Mutnick, Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society IllinoisScott Saxe, State Advocacy Leader for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society IllinoisMarty Hogan, Team In Training Marathon Finisher

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit milesforchange.substack.com