Half marathon helps fund running club scholarship

The annual March Madness Half Marathon will be at 8:35 a.m. Sunday, March 16, from Cary-Grove High School. The 13.1 mile course will go down Three Oaks Road to Hickorynut Grove Road to Rawson Bridge Road, then Crystal Lake Road. Runners will also travel through Mink Trail back to the high school.

The race raises funds for the Hillstrider Distance Running Scholarship in memory of Fritz Kauffman.

Fritz Kauffman was a past president of the Hillstriders Running Club and the 1994 March Madness Half Marathon race director. An avid runner, Fritz completed more than 100 marathons, including the 1995 Boston Marathon.

A University of Wisconsin Badger alumnus, Fritz died unexpectedly during the Sunmart 50K in Huntsville, Texas, in 2001. In his memory, the Hillstriders Running Club has designated a portion of the annual March Madness Half Marathon proceeds to fund this scholarship.

The Hillstriders Distance Running Scholarship was established in 2002 to assist McHenry County high school graduates with college expenses.

Applicants must have participated in high school cross country or track distance (800 meters or longer) events. The Hillstriders have given out a total of $75,000 in scholarships in a dozen years, with five $2,000 awards during each of the past few years.

Student applications are available at www.hillstriders.com/Hill/Scholarship.html. The completed application must be emailed to nancyl@owc.net by the third Friday in April.