July Podcast Guest: Chris Ehlert

The Heart Behind Race Day: Why Volunteers Make the Eau Claire Marathon Special

When people think about race day, they usually picture runners crossing the finish line, personal records, medals, and cheering crowds. Those moments are certainly memorable, but they are only possible because of the hundreds of volunteers working behind the scenes.

In our latest episode of Running on Air, we sat down with one of the Eau Claire Marathon's most dedicated volunteers, Chris Ehlert. If you've participated in one of our events over the past several years, you've probably benefited from Chris's work without even realizing it. Whether he's helping at the start line, leading a water station, or solving problems before anyone else notices them, Chris represents everything that makes our race community so special.

What surprised me most during our conversation was learning that Chris didn't start his Eau Claire Marathon journey as a volunteer. He actually found running after recovering from a back injury. His physical therapist challenged him to give running an honest six-week try, promising that if he hated it afterward, he could quit. Instead, running transformed both his recovery and his life. That first six weeks led to his first Eau Claire Half Marathon in 2017 and eventually years of racing.

Today, Chris no longer races competitively because of ongoing hip issues, but he never left the running community. Instead, he found a new way to stay involved.

"Volunteering was a natural way to get involved and still get that race day energy," he shared.

That perspective really stuck with me. Running may have brought Chris to the Eau Claire Marathon, but volunteering gave him another way to give back to the community that had become such an important part of his life.

Chris now recruits coworkers and their families every year to staff one of our Saturday race weekend water stations. What started as filling a last-minute volunteer need has turned into an annual tradition. They hand out cups of water, cheer runners on, and everyone leaves looking forward to coming back the next year.

Listening to Chris describe race weekend reminded me just how much happens behind the scenes. As runners, it's easy to focus on the course ahead. As organizers, we see the planning. Chris has experienced both sides, and he described it perfectly.

He said it was "mind-blowing" to realize how much effort goes into putting on a marathon. Every volunteer, police officer, city employee, student, sponsor, and committee member plays a role. The event only works because everyone contributes their piece.

One of my favorite stories from our conversation happened during this year's marathon. Chris was helping near miles 19 and 20 on a warm day when he noticed a runner struggling. She admitted she had been sick since mile three and was simply trying to make it to the finish. Chris jogged alongside her for a few moments, encouraged her, and reminded her that if she'd made it to mile 19, she clearly wasn't someone who quits.

Will that conversation be the reason she finished? Maybe. Maybe not. But sometimes that's exactly what runners need. A reminder that someone believes in them when they're having trouble believing in themselves.

Those interactions happen all across the course. They rarely make headlines, but they're part of what makes the Eau Claire Marathon experience different.

Chris also reminded us that volunteering isn't just about helping runners. It's genuinely fun. You become part of an energetic community, meet incredible people, and know that your contribution matters. Whether you're directing traffic, handing out water, or cheering from a course intersection, you are helping create an unforgettable experience for thousands of participants.

When we wrapped up our conversation, I asked Chris to describe the Eau Claire Marathon community in one word.

His answer was simple.

"Awesome."

After hearing his story, I couldn't agree more. The runners may cross the finish line, but it's our volunteers who help make every finish possible.

Listen to the full “Running on Air” Episode Here: #21- The Heart Behind Race Day