Posted: 6/6/07
Cancer survivor Chris Rask qualifies for Boston Marathon
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Certain events can have a significant impact on our lives and prompt us to make major changes in our day-to-day lifestyles. Chris Rask, a 1995 graduate of Caledonia High School, is a perfect example.
"I went out for track when I was in high school, but I quit. I guess I really didnít like it. Thereís no way I would have believed back when I was in high school what Iím doing now," Rask said last week when he stopped by The Argus office on his way from Green Bay, where he now resides, to visit his parents, Orvis and Linda Rask of Spring Grove.
What Rask is "doing now" is running...not just a few miles each week to keep in shape, but hundreds of miles each month to stay in marathon-performance shape. Several weeks ago Rask ran the Green Bay Celcom Marathon in three hours, nine minutes, and 57 seconds. His time was more than a minute under the qualifying time for the most prestigious marathon in the world...the Boston Marathon.
"I wasnít sure if I could break 3:11 to qualify for Boston or not," Rask recalled. "I trained really hard this year and tried to stay with the pace runners."
The Green Bay Marathon is kind of unique, according to Rask, because the final portion of the course includes a run through fabled Lambeau Field.
"When I turned the corner and entered Lambeau Field through the tunnel, I heard someone shout if I pushed it I could break 3:11 and make the Boston Marathon qualifying time," Rask said. "That gave me the extra drive I needed to qualify. I ran hard around the inside of the arena, back through the tunnel and completed the race. As I crossed the finish line, I glanced at the clock, realized I qualified with a minute to spare, pumped my arms in the air and shouted ëyes!í That was quite a feeling."
Qualifying for the Boston Marathon is quite a feat in itself. The worldís most famous race is limited to the top 20,000 runners from all over the world. But when one considers Rask is a cancer survivor, his accomplishment is even that much more impressive.
In 1999, Rask was diagnosed with lymphoma. He was very lucky, as his cancer was discovered in the very early stages. He underwent four treatments of chemotherapy, and four of radiation. His prognosis was good, as he was young, in good shape, and the cancer was discovered so early.
He returned for checkups every month, then every three months, then every six months, and finally once a year. There was no sign of the dreaded disease. He now is checked every two years.
During his treatments, Rask began receiving cards from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Team in Training program. LLTT is an organization that raises funds for cancer patients by securing pledges and running in road races, including half and full marathons.
"At first, I just put the cards aside. But the more I thought about it, I felt I needed to see what this was all about."
So Rask went to his first marathon as a spectator. He was at the midpoint of the 26.2-mile race and watched the runners go by. "I thought they were crazy, but they also inspired me," he remembered.
Being cancer-free, seeing other cancer survivors tackling a marathon, and the fact they were raising money for cancer research motivated Rask in a major way. He joined the local YMCA, bought a treadmill, and began pumping iron. He also decided to get involved with the LLTT program.
The LLTT program is quite demanding, as participants have to raise a minimum of $1,900 to be eligible to run in the open marathons. Rask was able to raise $3,000 in pledges for the 2004 Chicago marathon. He was one of 650 LLTT runners in the field of over 40,000. Those 650 runners raised over $2 million during the 2004 Chicago Marathon.
"That was quite an experience," he recalled nearly three years later. He was hoping to break the 3:45 mark, but got caught up in a large crowd of runners, who were motoring along at a slower pace. He finished with a time of four hours, one minute and 13 seconds.
Long distance running, and raising money for cancer research have become Raskís passions. He completed in Grandmaís Marathon in Duluth in 2005, and has run the Green Bay Celcom the past three years.
But Raskís new love for long distance running and helping others doesnít stop there. The welder by trade, is now one of five persons coaching the LLTT team from Wisconsin.
As a coach, Rask works with fledging runners and walkers, all who are cancer survivors, getting them into shape to complete half and/or full marathons. The training sessions run 20 weeks, starting with low mileage workouts, and slowing working up to a workout regiment that includes runs of two to four miles per day for four days, and then a long run, usually six to 20 miles, and then two days of rest.
"About three to four weeks before a race, we go out for a long run, up to 22 miles, and then start tapering back. We coast into race day," he explained.
He will be traveling with the team to San Diego this summer for a marathon there. He is also training with 32 runners and walkers who are shooting for a trip to Dublin, Ireland.
"That would really be something if I could make that trip," he said with a smile.
Rask will be training hard for the Boston Marathon, which will be held next spring, and also working hard with LLTT runners and walkers for the race in the Emerald Isle this fall.
Qualifying for the Boston Marathon, and being a coach for a group of runners competing in Ireland... Itís amazing what motivation can do!
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