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FARGO — To run a marathon, it takes tons of hard work, grit and motivation. Chuck Roos, 76, is no stranger to that.
“I didn’t even know what a marathon was in 1980," said Roos.
Forty years ago, Roos was a novice to the running world, but once he tried it for the first time, he was hooked.
“I made three resolutions. One was, I was going to try to never miss a day of running and run a minimum of one mile a day," said Roos. "And the other one was that I was going to run a marathon every single year.”
That's exactly what the 76-year-old did. Chuck hasn’t missed a Fargo Marathon since it started back in 2005.
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"As soon as I got to the finish line, first thing I said was, 'Where's my medal?' because it’s like man, it’s finally going to happen," said Roos.
In 2008, Chuck’s mentality shifted.
“All of the sudden, the FargoDome seemed to get kind of quiet, and I heard a small voice inside my head and it said, 'Practice time is over now, it’s game time now. Show me what you got,'" said Roos. "I’m thinking, oh no. My hand is going like this, not two hands, just one this time and its not in a fist. And it keeps going in the air. I cross the finish line, giving all glory to God." Roos continued.
Chuck saw marathons as a way to strengthen his faith — a faith that was tested at an all time high in 2020 when Chuck’s son Kyle passed away from COVID 19.
“I think the first marathon after he passed, he made these safety pins for Christmas one year and he put color beads on it," Roos said. "Ever since he died, I put pins in my shoelace."
He’ll put those pins back on his shoes on Saturday morning, heading for the yearly test he always looks forward to.
“I’m older than dirt, I’m slower than molasses, but the Lord is my strength."
This will be Chuck's eighteenth Fargo marathon.
