Breaking Bear

30-year-old Matt Blume finds himself vying for a world record he’d never heard of

by The Trailer

CHICAGO – Two weeks before the Chicago 13.1 half marathon, a running store employee approached Matt Blume at an evening workout.

Could he run a 5K in a bear suit.

Karhu, a Finnish running shoe company whose mascot is—you guessed it—a bear, sponsored the 5K attached to the September 9 event. They needed somebody fast to race in the suit for a promotional contest. This is how Blume, a former Valparaiso runner, began his quest for a Bear Costume 5K World Record.