Hundreds gather for Elgin Valley Fox Trot
Waves of people took to the streets of downtown Elgin Saturday morning for the 40th annual Elgin Valley Fox Trot.
The event drew more than 1,500 registrants for the 10-mile run, which kicked off at 7:30 a.m., followed by a 10K run, a 2-mile walk for charity, and a 5K run beginning and ending at the corner of Kimball and Douglas in downtown Elgin. Roughly 2,500 spectators cheered them on, officials said.
"We started a few years ago with the not-for-profit part of this and that has really grown," Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain said.
Previously held on Memorial Day, organizers decided to move the event so it didn't overshadow the city's ceremony honoring veterans on Monday.
"This is more of a fun event for everybody," Kaptain said. "This has worked out very well. It's turned out to be a better event for everybody."
For Alexandra Mueller, 20, of Elgin, the Fox Trot is a family event in which she has participated many times.
A 2015 graduate of Burlington Central High School, Mueller said she came home on break from her microbiology studies at the University of Minnesota to participate in the 5K this year.
"It's a lot of tradition," she said. "I have family that comes out so we do it together."
Teresa Washington of Elgin participated in the 2-mile charity walk for the first time. Her chosen charity is the Youth Leadership Association of Elgin, to which her 13-year-old son Jeremiah belongs.
"I'm supporting them because they are the youth of tomorrow and they are the young people that's going to lead the next generation," she said.
Winners were announced by 9:30 a.m.
Pol Nabben of South Elgin won the 10-mile race, finishing in 57 minutes and 14 seconds. Coming in second and third were John Knudson of Elgin, finishing in 59 minutes and 40 seconds, and Josh Ruston of Deerfield, finishing in 1 hour, 1 minute and 38 seconds.
The 10K winner was Leonardo Tovar-Tovar of Elgin, finishing in 33 minutes and 27 seconds. Coming in second and third were Ignacio Aguirre of Streamwood, finishing in 36 minutes and 43 seconds, and Anthony Fernandez, finishing in 39 minutes and 42 seconds.
The 5K winner was Emmanuel Lopez of Elgin, finishing in 17 minutes and 34 seconds. Second and third place were Israel Cortez of Plainwell, Michigan, finishing in 18 minutes and 10 seconds, and Radovan Sotak of Batavia, finishing in 18 minutes and 18 seconds.