Runners get jump on season Sunday in Naperville
For Scott Swing, helping organize the NCO Spring Ahead races in Naperville year after year was a way to give back to the community.
"He was very passionate about that and really took this event under his wing and tried to make it successful," Swing's wife, LuAnn, said.
Following Swing's death from cancer in 2007, those races have been run in memory of the 47-year-old Aurora man and will continue to honor him again this weekend.
More than 1,100 runners are expected to come out for the 11th annual Spring Ahead races. The event will begin with a kids fun run at 8 a.m. Sunday, April 18, followed by a 10K trail run at 8:15 a.m., a 5K wheelchair race at 8:25 a.m. and a 5K street run at 8:30 a.m.
The races begin at the site of the main sponsor, Calamos Investments, 2020 Calamos Court in Naperville, and cost $15 for the kids fun run, $30 for the 5K races and $35 for the 10K.
Proceeds go to NCO Youth and Family Services, an agency that provides counseling, prevention programs, education, transitional housing and a group home for teen boys.
"It's a good cause for an organization in the Naperville area ... for about 40 years," said Dawn Portner, special events coordinator for NCO. "It's also a good way to start the spring season, a good family event and good for health and wellness."
Swing's wife and children have continued to volunteer at the event since his death and have invited family from Ohio, Missouri and Indiana this year to see what Scott helped to build.
Those who have run it before praise the event's diversity, organization and scenic locale.
Larry Johnson of Aurora started out volunteering at the race and then decided to give it a try himself, running in it the past two years. This year his wife, Angelique, and son Kyle, 9, will run the 5K together.
Johnson said he likes that his son was able to get involved in running at a young age - last year with the kids fun run and this year with the longer race - and that the event draws a varied crowd.
"That's the cool part about the races out here is you have the elites ... but then you have the average Jane and Joe that get out there and do it," he said.
David Sapp, executive chef at CityGate Grille on the Calamos property, ran in the 10K last year and will be back for a second helping on Sunday both to volunteer beforehand and to run. For him, the location is a selling point and not just because the race begins at his workplace.
"I really like the fact that it goes into the forest preserve, you get natural beauty early in the morning," Sapp said. "It's a nice twist to the course."
For information or to register visit ncospringahead.com.
If you goWhat: NCO Spring Ahead 10K, 5K and Kids Fun RunWhen: Kids 1-Mile Fun Run at 8 a.m. Sunday, April 18, 10K trail run at 8:15 a.m., wheelchair race at 8:25 a.m., 5K street run at 8:30 a.m.Where: Calamos Investments, 2020 Calamos Court, NapervilleRegistration: $15 for Kids Fun Run, $30 for 5K street run and wheelchair race, $35 for 10KInfo: (630) 961-2992, ext. 234 or ncospringahead.comTrue20001281The NCO Youth and Family Services Spring Ahead races include a 1-mile kids fun run, 5K street run and wheelchair race and a 10K trail run. The races are run in memory of Scott Swing of Aurora, a longtime committee member for the event who died of cancer in 2007.Tanit Jarusan | Staff Photographer, 2007True