Approaching the finish line: Fittest Loser contestants run 5K
They ran with their legs, but it was their hearts that kept them pushing toward the finish line.
For many contestants in the Fittest Loser Challenge, organized by the Daily Herald and Push Fitness in Schaumburg, participating in the 5K DuPage Human Race was a new experience. A few called it “the race of a lifetime.”
For months, the contestants have been preparing for the race with their trainers. They each had a goal of what they wanted to accomplish and how fast they wanted to finish. When race day finally arrived, they were prepared — except perhaps for the rainy weather.
But that didn't stop them. They ran in the pouring rain, up the hills, down the road and through the puddles — alongside hundreds of other participants of all ages.
The race, a community event and fundraiser that benefited more than 50 nonprofit organizations throughout DuPage County, took place April 25 at The Esplanade at Locust Point in Downers Grove.
Here's how each contestant executed the race and what they were thinking as they ran it.
Deanna Bec
When she turned the corner and saw the finish line, Deanna Bec was hit with a flood of emotions. Her goal was to run the race in under 38 minutes. She finished in 35 minutes and 39 seconds.
“I started crying. I was so overcome with emotion that I did it,” says Bec of Berwyn. “I ran the whole thing, even after I almost started throwing up.”
For Bec, it was the race of a lifetime. It was also her first one. She struggled running the hills, but her trainer, Steve Amsden, kept her motivated.
“There were times I wanted to stop and wanted to walk, but he talked me out of it,” she says. “If he wasn't there, I would have taken a breather. I would have finished the race, but not within that time.”
At times, Amsden literally pushed her forward with his hand, nudging her in the back, when she started slowing down. As she ran, Bec kept herself focused on her breathing and tried not to think about the rain beating down on her face.
“I couldn't stop thinking about my socks. They were completely wet,” she says. “But I was also thinking about crossing that finish line. I kept telling myself: You're going to do it. Don't stop running. You can do it.”
At one point during the race, Amsden thought that Bec was crying and tried to toughen her up.
“He kept telling me to stop crying, but I wasn't crying. It was just the rain,” she says.
The crying didn't start until she saw the finish line — and it was a good cry.
“It was life changing for me,” she says. “I proved to myself that I'm stronger than I think I am and that I can do anything I set my mind to. I'm in charge of me.”
Bob Coniglio
For Bob Coniglio, it wasn't so much about beating the clock. Suffering from an elevated diaphragm, he knew he wouldn't be able to run the whole race without slowing down to a walk.
Based on that condition, his trainer, Michelle Amsden, told him that completing the race in under 45 minutes would be an accomplishment. Coniglio of Arlington Heights completed it in 43 minutes and 39 seconds.
“I felt good,” he says. “I was amazed that I was able to do it and I wasn't the last person, so I was pleased with that.”
This was Coniglio's first race. He enjoyed the camaraderie between all the contestants and the overall energy of the crowd. Rotating between a jog and a fast-paced walk, he often set little challenges for himself in his mind.
“Even with my diaphragm, I was still striving to get ahead,” he says. “I was trying to set a goal to pass the person in front of me.”
He didn't enjoy running in the rain and breathing was a constant challenge, but he kept pushing forward.
“You couldn't have had a worse day for a race,” he says. “I kept pushing myself to the finish line and understood that it was an accomplishment just to finish the race.”
Robert Patterson
Robert Patterson was the leader of the pack. Out of all the contestants, the North Aurora resident crossed the finish line first at 31 minutes and 37 seconds.
“My goal was to do it under 33 minutes,” he says. “I was very pleased. I did it faster than I thought I could. The last time I ran a 5K, I trashed my knees. The training from Push Fitness has been instrumental. It has helped me run the race without hurting myself.”
Patterson also ran a marathon. But that was more than 20 years ago. Now that he's in much better shape, his goal is to run a half-marathon later this year — followed by a marathon next year. He considered the DuPage Human Race 5K as a preparation for it.
“It wasn't the run of my life, but it was the beginning of a whole new chapter,” he says. “I love to run. I wanted to get back to running but never had the time. There were a million excuses. Now I want to run a half-marathon this fall in my son's honor and this was the kickoff.”
Patterson's 20-year-old son Christopher, who was a specialist in the National Guard, was killed in Afghanistan in 2012. To honor Christopher, who was never a fast runner, Patterson wants to run a half-marathon.
Unlike some of the other contestants, Patterson didn't mind running in the rain.
“It felt refreshing,” he says. “There's something about it. I love running in the rain.”
Cindy Uribe
Every minute of the race was a struggle for Cindy Uribe, but she made it to the finish line. Though her goal was to finish in 45 minutes, she wasn't disappointed to end at 46 minutes and 30 seconds. This was her first race.
“It made me feel accomplished and proud that I could do something like that,” says Uribe of Hoffman Estates. “I want to do it again and beat my time. In fact, I'm doing another 5K in June with friends.”
Uribe made it through the race by running and walking in intervals. She and her trainer, Brodie Medlock, came up with a system that involved running for 5 minutes and walking for 2.
“He kept me going,” she says. “He kept me busy by talking to me. If I was by myself, I probably would have walked the whole time.”
Though she didn't particularly enjoy running in the rain, she came prepared with a hoodie, two pairs of socks and gloves.
“At first the weather bothered me, but once I started running, I was focused on the run and phased out the weather,” she says.
Uribe also found motivation in the energy projected by the crowd and spectators. She also enjoyed competing with people of all ages and at different fitness levels.
“There was a lot of energy. It was very fun and challenging,” she says. “It was fun because of all the different people running. It was challenging because it was my first time doing it and even though I knew what to expect, I didn't know how I would do or if I would make it through.”
Heidi Wiltse
Heidi Wiltse is a very competitive woman. That's why participating in the DuPage Human Race was a tad difficult for her.
Having suffered an ankle injury in a car accident before the competition and further agitating it during training, she knew that running was out of the question. In fact, even walking would prove to be a challenge.
“I knew how painful it would be,” says Wiltse of Arlington Heights. “My ankle was throbbing. It just felt like my bones were crunching together because I was trying to walk fast and the impact made everything more tense.”
However, with the help of her trainer, Wade Merrill, Wiltse was determined to make it through the race — even if she had to walk.
“I absolutely felt good about myself that I did it,” she says. “I could have said ‘I have a bad ankle. I can't do this.' But I just sucked it up and pushed through it.”
Aside from the pain in her ankle, Wiltse enjoyed many aspects of the race. She felt energized by the crowd's enthusiasm and enjoyed the camaraderie between the Fittest Loser group. Even though it was raining, Wiltse enjoyed the race.
“I would have preferred sunshine, but I looked beyond it. I didn't care. I thought it was a great experience,” she says. “Everybody did so well.”
By the numbers
<h3 class="briefHead">Deanna Bec, 30, Berwyn</h3>
<span class="fact box text bold">Starting weight:</span> 207
<span class="fact box text bold">Current weight:</span> 188
<span class="fact box text bold">Weight lost this week:</span> 2 pounds
<span class="fact box text bold">Total weight loss:</span> 19 pounds, 9.2 percent
<h3 class="briefHead">Bob Coniglio, 51, Arlington Heights</h3>
<span class="fact box text bold">Starting weight:</span> 304
<span class="fact box text bold">Current weight:</span> 249
<span class="fact box text bold">Weight lost this week:</span> 8 pounds
<span class="fact box text bold">Total weight loss:</span> 55 pounds, 18.1 percent
<h3 class="briefHead">Robert Patterson, 56, North Aurora</h3>
<span class="fact box text bold">Starting weight:</span> 255
<span class="fact box text bold">Current weight:</span> 209
<span class="fact box text bold">Weight lost this week:</span> 6 pounds
<span class="fact box text bold">Total weight loss:</span> 46 pounds, 18 percent
<h3 class="briefHead">Cindy Uribe, 33, Hoffman Estates</h3>
<span class="fact box text bold">Starting weight:</span> 280
Current weight: 247
<span class="fact box text bold">Weight lost this week:</span> 4 pounds
<span class="fact box text bold">Total weight loss:</span> 33 pounds, 11.8 percent
<h3 class="briefHead">Heidi Wiltse, 43, Arlington Heights</h3>
<span class="fact box text bold">Starting weight:</span> 286
<span class="fact box text bold">Current weight:</span> 240
<span class="fact box text bold">Weight lost this week:</span> 6 pounds
<span class="fact box text bold">Total weight loss:</span> 46 pounds, 16.1 percent