By Beau Hunter | Reporter
Featured in multiple top running magazines, Coos Bay resident Chuck Engle is a contender for winning the most marathons in the world; he is currently second with 127 wins. Collectively he has run a total of 263 marathons, with his fastest time of 2:31:01.
Though it would be nice to be first, Engle said he is not set on taking the number one position away from a man from Norway, who currently has 143 collective wins.
“It’s not a focal point for me. I go out and race and I like to run, and if I am fortunate to be the fastest guy on the course that day and take the win, that is always nice,” Engle said.
Engle was born in Columbus, Ohio. His parents, Roger and Connie Engle, encouraged him to be active throughout his childhood. As he grew up, Engle enjoyed wrestling. He stuck with it through high school and became very competitive in the sport. Engle used running to keep himself in shape for wrestling.
Running began to take over for Engle when he found it more enjoyable than wrestling. Engle ran track and discovered he had a natural love for the 1500 to 3000 meter competitions.
“I could go out and challenge myself with running, and that’s one of the reasons it really took off for me,” Engle said.
Engle has not only been a participant in running, but he also coached collegiate cross country at a small NCAA Division 3 college in Mississippi for six years.
This fall Engle shared his experience with the MHS cross country team. He saw the athletes on the team were not only having fun, but they were also competing, and decided he wanted to help Pirate cross country coach Doug Landrum.
“Coach Landrum was more focused on developing runners and not just having an introductory view point of running,” Engle said.
Engle’s level of expertise was greatly appreciated by the MHS cross country team and Landrum.
“He sacrificed his time to help out with the team, and I found that a great help,” Landrum said.
Senior Zach Hammond, who won the Midwestern league title, found Engle’s level of expertise just as helpful as his coach and teammates did.
“I feel he helped us and drove us to be better athletes.” Hammond said. “He helped us become better runners.”
Freshman cross country runner Colby Gillett said Engle advised the team on mental as well as physical improvements, helping athletes improve their stretching and diet in order to keep their bodies healthy throughout the season.
Engle spends much of his time doing what he loves most, which is running marathons. He has many sponsors, including Cliff Bars, Marathonguide.com and Marathonmaniac.com. These sponsors provide Engle with flights, lodging and admissions. In addition to trips, he receives free products from the sponsors.
“Any sponsor I have, I believe in those products. I have used many of their products prior to being sponsored by them,” Engle said. “I love having a sponsor that believes in me just as much as I believe in them.”
The sponsorships allow Engle to pursue his dream of continuing to run one marathon after another.
“It would be nice to be number one in the world, but just like in any other sport, a number is just a number,” Engle said. “For me it’s just the joy of running.”
