Donate your running shoes to Chicago Bears rookie at 13.1 Marathon | June 9

Shea McClellin, the Boise State defensive end who was selected as the Chicago Bears’ 2012 first-round draft pick, will be the first person to tell you he’s not a runner. If it’s longer than 110 yards—and even that’s a stretch—he shudders. But that’s not going to keep him from supporting the Chicago running scene, namely this Saturday’s Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 Marathon and its accompanying Karhu 5K.

McClellin has teamed up with Allstate to help the insurance company collect moderately used athletic shoes to donate to charity after the June 9 race. It makes sense considering McClellin played through several pairs of cleats during his career at Boise State and donated the not-completely-trashed ones to his high school team. Allstate and the non-profit organization Give Your Sole have partnered to create a national shoe donation program that benefits homeless shelters and mission in race markets. The Chicago race kicks off this program with shoes being distributed locally to Breakthrough, an organization that provides shelter, meals and other services to homeless men, women and children around the city.

Runners, spectators and anyone with shoes to spare who can head down to the South Shore Cultural Center (or stop by Fleet Feet Sports in Old Town or Lincoln Square during packet pick-up hours) can hand over their shoes to support the cause. And if you wait until the finish line festival, you’re sure to spot McClellin and maybe even hand off your shoes to him while receiving a pair of flip-flops in exchange. Not a bad way to part with your current pair of race-day sneakers—or whatever’s sitting in your closet collecting dust—especially if the weather forecast holds true and you’re head-to-toe sweaty and wet. Besides, it’s a good reason to splurge on new shoes.