SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - In addition to helping Penn State Schuylkill continue to provide a high quality, world-class college education to prepare students for the future, Chancellor Kelly M. Austin is taking on a new challenge, one that's 13.1 miles long.
Austin, who moved to the role of chancellor in 2012, and previously served as the chief business and administration officer of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, is preparing to run his first half marathon on May 4, the UMPC Health Plan Pittsburgh Half Marathon.
While this being his first race, Austin said Thursday that he's looking forward to it, but is a bit nervous since the furthest he's ever run in a race is 10K, which is about 6.2 miles.
"I grew up in the Pittsburgh area so it's a cool city," Austin said. "I'm actually looking forward to getting to run through all the neighborhoods."
According to the race website, the course offers runners "an exciting course" that crosses Pittsburgh's three rivers and is "flat and fast."
Runners will race on the North Shore of Pittsburgh, cross each of the three rivers in Pittsburgh and travel through the South Side before and into the streets of downtown Pittsburgh to the finish line.
Austin said that it's an interesting course and looking at the elevation charts, saw that the first 11 miles are fairly flat then the end is nearly all uphill.
"The goal is to finish and it's for a good cause," Austin said. "I get to raise money for St. Jude's. They raise good money for kids that have cancer and do a lot of research."
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, located in Memphis, Tenn., is one of the world's premier cancer research centers, according to its website, whose mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.
The hospital says that it costs $1.8 million a day to operate St. Jude, and 70 percent of the funds come from the public.
Since students at the university raise money every year for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital, and Penn State Schuylkill ever raised $56,282.83 this year for the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, the most in campus history, Austin said him running the race made sense.
"The passion for that at Penn State is so tremendous and I've worked with St. Jude's in the past so this felt like a natural fit," he said.
Austin has a goal of raising $500, but is "shooting for $1000," and has already raised about $250 after a week and a half.
"If I can get to $1000, it will be even better because they do great work and the more money we can raise, the better it is," Austin said.
With a little over a month until the race, Austin has been training by running about 20 to 30 miles a week.
Although he has been running since the last year, he started to seriously train for it about six weeks ago and will soon get up to 30 to 35 miles per week then taper off before the half marathon.
Mary Sacavage, director of continuing education and coordinator of public information at Penn State Schuylkill, said that with it being the 80th anniversary this year of the campus, Austin has been an inspiration to all since every time there's a birthday celebration, he passes on the cake.
"It's very difficult because I enjoy eating it," Austin said. "That's the thing too, I'm a bigger guy. I'm not small. Running, I have shed some pounds, but hopefully this will shed a few more. I'm not naturally fit for long distances."
Austin said that the hardest part of the experience is "pushing when you're really tired."
"There's a lot of days when I don't want to run at all, but I just get on the treadmill or try to get outside and just do something, he said. "If I'm really hurting, I'll just jump on the bike to keep the momentum rolling."
Anyone that wishes to support Austin and help him reach his fundraising goal can donate by visiting http://heroes.setjude.org/kellyaustin.