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‘Ushertainer’ Seigo Masubuchi runs marathon at CHS Field during St. Paul Saints game
A St. Paul Saints employee ran a certified marathon during Sunday's game at CHS Field to raise money for the Rebecca Veeck Batten Disease Foundation.
MINNEAPOLIS - There’s never a lack of entertainment for fans during St. Paul Saints games at CHS Field. Sunday, a team employee ran a certified marathon on the course to raise money for charity.
Seigo Masubuchi, an "Ushertainer" at CHS Field, ran 26.2 miles doing laps around the concourse while the Saints were playing the Iowa Cubs. It was Masubuchi’s 91st marathon, but his first since being hospitalized last year with COVID-19. He was hospitalized a second time after having heart issues after recovering from the virus.
Masubuchi ran the marathon while raising money for the Rebecca Veeck Foundation. The daughter of Saints’ owner Mike Veeck, Rebecca passed away in September of 2019 in Charleston, South Carolina, after a 20-year battle with Batten Disease 20 years ago. She was 27 years old.
Batten Disease is a group of fatal genetic disorders that affect the body’s ability to get rid of cellular waste. The buildup can cause seizures, vision loss, cognitive issues and eventually can be deadly. Rebecca Veeck was diagnosed when she was 7 years old.
Masubuchi raised $4,600 for Veeck’s foundation, and has plans to run Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth next month. He crossed the finish line to applause Sunday after completing the marathon in 4 hours, 17 minutes.
"The concrete, running on the concrete. That was tough. Got me after like 10 miles, it felt like running on bricks. But the fans cheering me on, that kept me going," Masubuchi said.