Sports
Ron Tomczak 5K Lift and Run Keeps Coach's Memory Alive
Tomczak, a former football coach for Lincoln-Way East High School, was a big believer in higher education, says son Steve, owner of Body Tech Total Fitness and event sponsor.
football coach Ron Tomczak's sudden death in 2006 shocked the L-W community. A believer in higher education, Tomczak was a big proponent of using football as a means for students to better themselves, his son, Steve, said.
In fact, Tomczak regularly spoke to college coaches on behalf of his students and helped his athletes find scholarships that allowed them to pursue degrees. Five years after his death, Tomczak's passion lives on through scholarships given to one or two Lincoln-Way East High School football players each year who plan to play football while at college. Money for the scholarships is raised through the annual .
This year, the run will be Sunday, Sept. 25, starting at L-W East. The race consists of two activities: a bench press and a 5K run.
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Men must bench press their body weight; women need to press 50 percent. For each completed repetition, 20 seconds will be deducted from the runner's 5K time. A professional race company enters the deduction into the runner's profile, so an individual can see the actual time, as well as the event final time, Tomczak said.
Typically 50 to 60 runners participate. Sign-ups are being taken at Body Tech Total Fitness in Mokena through Saturday for $35, or racers can register Sunday morning for $40 at the event. The lift portion runs from 6:15 to 7:30 a.m., and the race starts at 8 a.m. A free 100-yard dash for children ages 4 to 12 will take place after the 5K.
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Ron Tomczak, father of former Chicago Bear quarterback Mike Tomczak, spent 46 years coaching football, the last six at L-W East. Steve had his father for a coach at before the split into two schools, as well as at University of St. Francis.
"I was fortunate to have him for my coach," said Tomczak, who also worked alongside his father at Body Tech Total Fitness where Ron's words of encouragement still grace the home page.
"This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. To waste it or use it for good. What I do with it is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it," Ron's statement reads.
