Thom Bateman Laces up for His 100th Marathon

Thom Bateman will lace up his running shoes for his 100th marathon as he prepares to run in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon this Sunday, Oct. 11. He has completed 99 marathons to date, as well as several ultra marathons over the past decade.

That’s a lot of racing and even more mileage preparing for grueling endurance events like these.

But Bateman is a proud “streak runner,” who hasn’t missed a day of running in 2,472 days, which equates to approximately seven years. His dog Miles, a fittingly named Mini Aussie, often runs with him and has hit his own running streak of 1,037 days.

Bateman, a senior program coordinator who oversees the academic and outreach team for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern Engineering, said his interest in marathons was first piqued while serving in the US Air Force and stationed in Cambridge, England. He first tried a half marathon, liked it, and signed up for his first full marathon in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

“Runners tend to have a bit of an addictive personality, and as I kept doing marathons, they started to add up,” he said.

He initially set a goal of completing 50 marathons by age 50 but quickly surpassed that number, so completing 100 became his new goal. 

“I’m lucky to be able to recover quickly afterwards, and I also enjoy the benefits of it physically. It’s mental health too. I need that time," he said.

Bateman’s biggest running setback occurred during an ultra-marathon in Ohio over the summer.

“I was at mile 64, and it was rainy, muddy and dark when I slipped in the mud and broke my shoulder blade,” Bateman said. “The race was called ‘The Last Buckeye Standing’ and because I’m from Ohio and my Strava (a running app) name is Buckeye Runner, I thought, ‘Oh, it’s destiny, I’m going to win it.’ And then I fell and didn’t win. The winner went 145 miles.”  

Bateman may have slowed his pace a bit, but he’s managed to keep his Chicago Marathon training and running streak going, despite running with his arm in a sling. 

“I’m not looking to set a personal record with my 100th marathon—I want to have fun with this one. I have friends at some of the aid stations, and my family will be here to spectate. In fact, I ordered a shirt to wear that reads ‘I used to be fast,’ but it didn’t come in time,” he said jokingly.

Bateman is looking forward to reaching this milestone here on home turf, his ninth Chicago Marathon.

“The crowds are phenomenal in Chicago, and Pilsen is by far my favorite part of the course. The city just feels different during Chicago Marathon weekend. There’s a buzz, and people are so happy.”

He plans to celebrate with a staycation with his wife and son, spending the night in a hotel and eating at their favorite Italian restaurant.

So what does Bateman plan to tackle next?

“All my Northwestern colleagues have been incredibly supportive,” he said. “Everyone roots for you, and that means a lot. But no one cares about 101 or 102 marathons, right? I’ll probably do a couple of ultras each year and then mix in a couple of marathons but not as many each year. My marathons will be more about the destination versus a number.”