A team of six employees and family members from global bulk handling solutions provider, Martin Engineering, spent months of training and discipline to prepare for the 2024 Chicago Marathon to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Sparked by a close friendship that started in South Africa 24 years ago, the team turned aspiration into a worthy cause.
“The idea started at dinner in 2023 with our business unit in South Africa, where I was talking to one of our supervisors, Jack Selomo,” recalls Robert Nogaj, CEO of Martin Engineering.
Compelling story
“He mentioned that he used to run ultra-marathons with Alan Highton, our national sales manager, and that he dreamed of someday running the prestigious Chicago Marathon.
“It was such a compelling story between two important members of the Martin family that I knew we had to make it happen, so when I asked if anyone else would like to participate, four more people enthusiastically jumped at the chance.”
Old friendships
Jack and Alan worked together at the South African branch of Martin Engineering in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. Having built a friendship running together, Jack suggested they enter the annual Comrades Marathon, a punishing ultra-marathon of approximately 88 kilometres. To qualify, the pair needed to first finish a marathon.
at the group dinner the night before the race.
“I run throughout the week and I’m a running club trainer on the weekend,” Jack explains. “I like introducing people to running and I like to compete.”
The two went on to train-for and complete-in a total of 9 marathons and 9 ultra-marathons together. Promotions moved Alan to the United States and Jack into a supervisory role in South Africa.
“Life, my profession, and family took over and I stopped running,” says Alan. “When I heard that I was going to be able to run with my old friend again, I was excited to strap on the shoes and start training.”
Training and discipline
After Robert put out the call for participants to join Jack and Alan, a few brave souls raised their hands, all of whom live in Illinois near the Neponset headquarters, including:
- Mark Huhn – Director of Flow Aids
- Chris Schmelzer – Director of Conveyor Products & Wear Components
- Andrew Timmerman – Global Engineering Manager – R&D
- Kali Nichols (wife of Martin Engineering’s Travel Specialist, Nate Nichols)
Alan mentions that marathon training can be lonely, but support and building the mental toughness to finish is an important part of the process. Connected by a running app, individuals set their own training schedule and encouraged each other to prepare for October 2024.
Race day
With nearly 52 000 runners, the famous 26.2 mile (42.1k) Chicago Marathon starts in Millenium Park, snakes past some of the ‘Windy City’s’ most iconic landmarks and ends in Grant Park. One of the largest marathons in the world, participants are cheered on by an estimated 1.8 million spectators.
Alan points out some of the challenges of the race. One is the adrenaline and crush of runners which can throw people off their pace, causing early fatigue. Another is, to avoid the crush, running on the side of the road seems like a good idea, but the camber (downward curve) can cause an uneven running surface, also contributing to fatigue.
Halfway around the world
Having travelled halfway around the world, Jack was most enthralled by the event. “My wish to run an iconic race and participate in the fun atmosphere of a different culture while being able to see beautiful Chicago was a dream come true. I ran with the team and soaked up the experience. If I get another chance, I hope to compete to win my age group.” The company plans to expand upon the goodwill of the 2024 Chicago Marathon. Chairman of the Board, Edwin “Ed” Peterson invites Martin Engineering partners and customers to join in the 2025 marathon where the company will be hosting events and celebrating a good cause. If your company has runners who wish to participate, reach out at www.martin-eng.com or talk to your Martin Engineering representative.
