Local Subway Owner Runs First Chicago Marathon for Special Olympics

With the Chicago Marathon just around the corner, local business owner Noman Kaba is ready to run for a good cause. Noman, who owns the Subway restaurant in Randhurst Mall, has never run a marathon before, but when Subway owners across the Chicagoland area suggested forming an official Subway marathon running team to support Special Olympics Noman was eager to join.

Prior to buying the Subway store five years ago, Noman was the executive director of Sertoma Centre, which provides support to people with developmental, physical, emotional disabilities and/or mental illness. Never wanting to run for the sake of running, joining the Subway marathon team gave him a purpose for which to run, related to a cause that he greatly supports.

Noman has been training with his wife, and despite breaking his toe a month ago is committed to finishing the race in October.

"I've always wanted to run a marathon, but never wanted to run for the sake of running. When it was suggested the Subway team run to support Special Olympics I knew my time had come to finally check "run marathon" off my bucket list," said Kaba. "What I enjoy about owning a Subway store is that we offer healthy, fresh food options which support a healthy lifestyle. We all know that exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle, so running the marathon and living a healthy life supports my personal core values."

Across the region, Subway has supported Special Olympics for many years, including at popular annual events, such as the Polar Plunge and Spring Games. The local Subway owners advertising group paid the registration fee for all team runners and committed nearly $20,000 to benefit Special Olympics through marathon fundraising efforts.