David Bowie once sang “put on your red shoes and dance the blues.” Red, white, green: it doesn’t matter what color your shoes are but you can run the blues away this April at Rio Salado College’s 8th annual Dash With Rio fun run. A fundraiser for the Jo C. Bennett Student Assistance Fund, Dash With Rio offers three formats (10km, 5km, and 1 mile) for runners to break a sweat, activate endorphins, and support a worthy cause. We’ll be seeing a mix of new and veteran Dash With Rio runners at Kiwanis Park North Field on April 18; we asked some of our racers what led them to join or come back to do the Dash.
For Rio alumnus Nathanael Chase, running in Dash With Rio helps him further both his health goals and his personal ambitions.
“I am getting myself in better shape to enlist in the Air Force this year since my family has a long history of serving in the military at one point in time or another and I don't want to pass up my opportunity to do the same, God-willing,” said Chase.
A former asthmatic, Chase started running in 2025 to “keep my lungs in better shape.” Rio Salado’s 5K run presents him with an achievable challenge. “I was searching for marathons that I could sign up for, but nothing too extreme since it’d be my first one.”
Chase is eager to give back to the Rio community that helped raise him up to his current position.
“I thought it would be great to support a cause I’m connected to while at the same time completing a 5K to gauge how I’m doing so far with my fitness level,” Chase said.
While some runners hit the ground running to improve their health, for others it’s a mental workout that they’re really looking for.
“I started running to improve my health and manage stress while balancing school, work, and daily responsibilities, and over time it became a source of discipline and mental clarity,” said Victor Garrido.
For Garrido, this year’s run also marks a significant milestone in his life as an American citizen.
“It will be my first citizenship anniversary on the day of the run,” Garrido said. “I keep running because it reminds me that progress comes from consistency and effort, and each run reinforces the mindset I apply to my education and career goals.”
Interested in joining your Rio peers like Nathan and Victor at this year’s Dash With Rio? Register before April 1 to receive a reduced registration rate:
Register Now
Can’t make it out to the fun run this year but you’d still like to pitch in and support the Jo C. Bennett Student Assistance Fund? You can make a donation at the link below:
Make A Donation
Article by Austin Brietta