Chase Banolik from Mount Prospect runs 416 miles from Cairo to Beloit to honor his mother

MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. (WLS) — Mount Prospect native Chase Banolik, 28, did not grow up as an avid runner.

“I didn’t start running right away. I spent most of my childhood playing football. It wasn’t until after college that I discovered my passion for running. I became addicted to the challenge it presented,” Banolik shared.

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Chase found his calling in running after participating in a marathon for a charitable cause. He pushed his limits further, completing distances of 100 and 200 miles before embarking on his most ambitious quest yet: covering over 416.44 miles over 10 days, spanning from Cairo, Illinois to Beloit, Wisconsin.

“I’m like, I want to do this for Illinois. It’s place I’ve lived my entire life. Be really cool to see the state on foot,” Banolik said.

He averaged 41.5 miles per day.

Detailing his daily routine, Banolik described how each day started at 5 a.m. with a meal of oatmeal and medication for his stomach. Following a quick shower to freshen up, he focused on preparing his feet for the day’s challenge. Before hitting the road, he made sure to fuel up with nutrition, sodium, and energy supplements. His girlfriend played a crucial role, meeting him every 5 miles to provide support from the trunk of the car, supplying additional hydration and essentials to keep him going until sunset.

Battling harsh weather, tornado warnings and dangerous roadways, Banolik, with the support of his girlfriend, Riley, endured it all.

“I definitely couldn’t have done it without her. The crew chief is essential to getting an operation like this done, and throughout the entire journey, she was a rock star. She helped me every time I needed it. She knew the right thing to do, and I would not be able to do without her,” Banolik said.

By day eight, Chase was struggling to walk, let alone run, but he kept on pushing, dedicating the journey to his dedicated mother.

“Yeah, so, my mom raised us. She raised me and four other kids and worked multiple jobs growing up. She’s a nurse. She’s working overnight. So many times, working two overnights in a row. I don’t I really don’t know how she did it. She’d be driving me to practice. And just seeing her growing up, just how hard she worked, and just how much she sacrificed really just made me want to do this for her,” Banolik said.