Heat provides extra challenge for Fox Valley Marathon runners
Each of the thousands of participants in the Fox Valley Marathon on Sunday had their own reasons for competing.
Some hoped to qualify for the Boston Marathon next spring. Others used the half marathon or Fall Final 20 race as training for the upcoming Chicago Marathon.
For Mokena resident Catherine Theodorou, the first woman to cross the marathon finish line, running in long-distance races is about self-achievement. She completed the 26.2-mile course from St. Charles to Aurora and back in about 3 hours and 17 minutes - not a personal best, she said, but a time she's proud of considering the unusually high temperature.
"I'm drawn to (running marathons) because it's a race against myself," Theodorou said. "I never thought I'd win one, so this is a bonus."
Theodorou was among the roughly 2,700 runners who took off Sunday morning from the starting line at First and Illinois streets in downtown St. Charles. Spectators held signs and banners as they lined the course to cheer on friends and family.
Though most participants are from the Chicago area, the eighth annual event featured runners from 37 states and four countries, race organizer Craig Bixler said.
"The trails up and down the (Fox River) are fantastic. It's where every runner wants to run," he said. "We get to bring people from across the country so that they can enjoy it."
As the temperature rose to nearly 80 degrees by late morning, runners had to overcome the additional challenge of facing the sun and heat. But top marathon finisher Nate Remley of Rochester, Minnesota, said the route was mostly shaded, which helped immensely.
Remley, who completed his first marathon this summer, said his goal Sunday was to qualify for the Boston Marathon. He finished with a time of 2 hours and 55 minutes.
Hoping to prepare for the Chicago Marathon, James Akita of Elmhurst finished first in the Fall Final 20 race with a time of 2 hours and 1 minute. Chicago resident Soraya Freeman was the first woman to complete the 20-mile course in 2 hours and 34 minutes.
"It's a beautiful course. It's fun running along the river, and you get good crowd support," Akita said. "It's a good time of the year to come out here and run a long-distance race."
Naperville native Dan Harper, who now lives in Chicago, was the first to cross the half-marathon finish line Sunday in a time just under 1 hour and 9 minutes. St. Charles native Rachel Pottle, also of Chicago, was the fastest female half-marathoner, with a time of 1 hour and 31 minutes.
Though he just ran his first marathon in June, Harper said he has been running competitively since he was on the cross-country team at Naperville North High School. His goal is to eventually qualify for the Olympic trials, meaning he'd need to run a marathon in 2 hours and 19 minutes.
St. Charles Mayor Ray Rogina, a participant in six of the event's eight years, ran in his fourth Fox Valley half marathon Sunday. His son, Matthew, also completed his first full marathon.
"This is a great event for the city (and) for our community. The organizers run it very well," Rogina said. "It's become a real premier race in the suburbs, so we're very proud of it."