Meet Santos Salinas, one of our SoleMates running the 2025 Chicago Marathon! As he was reaching the age his father was when he passed unexpectedly, he turned to running. With an abundance of support from family and friends, he’s ready to take on his first marathon. Learn more about his journey to the starting line below!
Santos first began running a few years ago as an outlet for personal challenges, and he quickly found joy in the process.
“As I approached the age of 39 I was looking for a mental distraction. My father passed away unexpectedly when he was 39 and it was starting to get into my head as I was getting closer to that age,” said Santos. “Instead of buying a sports car, I decided to start running. It was great! I trained for the Indy Mini the following year.”
He credits his running boom to his close relationships in life, including GOTR Northwest Indiana’s Executive Director Jill Schlueter-Kim.
“My Aunt Jill has been my main source of inspiration, and thankfully we’ve been able to do a race together. Also, my friends Paul and Shelly Wyman have been huge supporters of my goals in running and in life, their friendship has been invaluable. Of course my wife Cassie, who also has run alongside me in races and even did a 100 mile challenge with me,” Santos said.
Believe it or not, Jill isn’t the only connection Santos has with GOTR! His Aunt Jodi is GOTR NWI’s program director, his cousin Zoe works for GOTR Chicago as an impact coordinator, and his cousin and goddaughter Grace currently interns with GOTR NWI.
Santos’ decision to run as a SoleMate goes beyond the family ties.
“I love that GOTR helps with opportunities for female empowerment. I have 3 daughters and 4 granddaughters. While they may not be enrolled in a program yet, it is certainly great to know that their peers around the country are gaining access to a wonderful program,” he said.
Outside of running, Santos finds plenty of ways to fill his free time.
“At the moment, my favorite hobby is spending time with our grandchildren,” he said. “I also enjoy playing lots of golf with my wife and attending Purdue football games in the fall. We enjoy making craft cocktails at home, and our guests don’t usually complain since we also enjoy entertaining friends and family.”
The 2025 Chicago Marathon will be Santos’ first go at the distance. Donate to his SoleMate fundraiser here.