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Marchionte always on the run
By Steve Ruman
NILES
In 1998, the sports landscape was much different than it is today.
Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa were hitting home runs at an historic pace. Michigan was king of the college football world. Michael Jordan was the most recognized man in sports, and Cal Ripken Jr. was establishing himself as the ultimate Iron man.
While the vast majority of sports fans in ’98 wanted to be like Mike, Bo Marchionte of Niles made a vow to be like Cal.
As Ripken was heading toward the record for most consecutive games played by a Major League baseball player, Marchionte (then 25-years-old) was in the early stages of a running career.
“I would go out and run three miles a day, but it was periodically,” Marchionte said. “I never went long stretches without missing a day. I once went 27 straight days, but that was it.
“As Ripken’s streak began gaining more attention, I wondered what kind of running streak I could assemble. I remember thinking to myself, ‘I wonder if it’s possible to catch Cal.’”
Not only did Marchionte catch Ripken, but he continues to surpass him to this day.
On Jan. 4, Marchionte went out for a run. When he made his way back to his Clinton Street neighborhood, Marchionte was greeting by a gathering of family and friends. The supporters were there to recognize the 18th anniversary of a streak which began on the same date in 1998.
For 18 straight years – 6,575 days and counting – Marchionte has run at least three miles per day. He has never missed a single day during the stretch.
“It was kind of a challenge to myself when I first started the streak back in the day,” Marchionte said. “As time went on, it became more and more engrained in my life. For me, running isn’t just a hobby or a way to stay in shape. It’s a way of life.”
Marchionte began the streak with regular three-mile runs, but today such a short jaunt is almost considered a day off. His typical daily runs have evolved into eight to 10 mile treks. The 43-year-old who works for the city of Niles has run 23 marathons and six 100-mile Iron Man races.
“It’s truly a passion,” Marchionte said. “When I first started out, I sometimes had to drag myself out. Now, my day revolves around my runs. If I run less than nine miles, I get aggravated.
“I might be at a park completing my run, and if I see someone else running, I get jealous. I’m already thinking, ‘I can’t wait until tomorrow.’”
While there have been some close calls, remarkably Marchionte’s streak has never been in serious jeopardy. A few years back, Marchionte thought he broke his ankle on one of his runs, and remembers being in tears, wondering if his streak had reached its end.
“It turned out to be just a sprain, and though the doctor recommended that I stay off it for a while, I couldn’t resist going out the next day,” Marchionte said. “It really hurt, but oddly enough, once I went out running and got it moving around, things felt much better.”
Marchionte seriously thought he wouldn’t be able to run the day after he completed his first 100-mile race. However, he woke up the next morning, “determined and believing it was worth the risk.”
Then there was the time when his wife Wendy went into labor, “but the doctor gave her an epidural and said that she still had a few hours to go.” He went out into the hospital parking lot, donned his running shoes and ran a quick three miles.
Weather rarely plays a factor in Marchionte’s runs. He will wait out any rainstorm that includes lightning, but other than that, anything goes. In fact, while others may look to bring their winter workouts indoors, Marchionte said he prefers the calm that goes along with a run in the snow.
“To me, running in the extreme cold is more of a mental challenge,” Marchionte said. “People look out and see the snow and know it’s 3 degrees out there, and it can be daunting. Just pulling yourself out there is the toughest part. Once you’re out there, it’s fine. The body adapts.”
In between his day job and his extensive running schedule, Marchionte is also a scout for the Winnipeg Bluebombers of the Canadian Football League, and he owns a website (college2pro.com) which works to improve the draft status of NFL prospects. His draft coverage background includes stints with the NFL Draft Bible, Football Insiders, Lindy’s Sports Pro Football Draft and CBS Sports. He has done radio spots on NBC, Fox Sports and ESPN and their affiliates in different markets around the country.
“I love the challenge of finding that college prospect who otherwise might get overlooked,” Marchionte said. “I spend my weekends during the fall scouring this region of the country looking for players who I feel have a good shot of making it to the next level.”
As for future running prospects?
While such a consecutive-days streak might not be for everyone, Marchionte insists he is living proof that anyone can enjoy the benefits of running.
“No matter what your daily life is like, you can find 30 minutes or so a day to get out and moving,” Marchionte said. “I began this by going out and running every so often at two o’clock in the morning after watching ‘SportsCenter.’ I’d run down the street, maybe a few houses, then a few blocks.
“It started out as a chore and a challenge, but it turned into something I truly live for.”
As for his own running future, Marchionte already has his sights set on running the Burning River 100-mile Endurance Run in August. Whether he beats his best time of 24 hours isn’t an issue, “because it’s about the experience, the people and the goal of completing the run.” He sees no end in sight regarding his consecutive-days streak.
“It would take something catastrophic for me not to go out and run at least three miles any time soon,” Marchionte said. “No doubt about it, I’m a junkie.”