'Think like a runner': Fox Valley Marathon organizers plan for 10th annual event
"Think like a runner."
The mindset St. Charles residents Dave Sheble and Craig Bixler adopted while organizing their first hometown marathon in 2010 is the same mantra they believe has carried the race's success in the past decade.
One of only a few 26.2-mile races in the Chicago area, the Fox Valley Marathon has become popular among suburban runners for its friendly volunteers and scenic course along the Fox River.
But what sets it apart from other races, Sheble said, are the extra opportunities and amenities the co-directors have implemented over the years.
The 10th annual marathon will take place Sunday, starting and ending in St. Charles with the route traveling through Batavia, Geneva, North Aurora and Aurora. Sponsored by the DuPage Medical Group, the event also includes a half marathon and a Fall Final 20, primarily used to help runners prepare for the Chicago Marathon.
Medals are given to finishers, as well as participants who complete a race multiple years in a row. A kids marathon allows children to run 25 miles in increments over the summer before finishing their final 1.2 miles Saturday as a group.
New this year are special awards for the top 10% of finishers in each age group - a personal touch Bixler picked up from a race in Florida.
"We like to say we (have) a small-race feel, but with big-race amenities," Sheble said. "You're constantly looking at other races that you run. You think of something all the time to enhance the runner experience because you are a runner."
The idea behind the Fox Valley event stemmed from a negative experience at the 2007 Chicago Marathon, where heat and large crowds made it "a miserable day for everybody," Sheble said.
A few weeks later, he and Bixler found a marathon in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with more manageable crowds and a course set along a river path. The area reminded Sheble of home, he said, and "it struck me that we should try to start something like that."
The co-directors weren't sure what to expect as they started planning. There were all kinds of road closures and course logistics to consider, not to mention the fear that nobody would show up. Sheble can still remember the joy they felt when the first person registered.
They kept the race at 900 runners that first year. It has since grown to about 3,000 participants who travel from throughout the suburbs and beyond.
Sunday's race will begin at 7 a.m. on the Illinois Street bridge in St. Charles. Temporary road closures will start Saturday for setup and will continue until the race is completed, about 2 p.m. Sunday.
Spectators are encouraged to line up along the course or cheer on runners at the start and finish line.
"We think there's a very balanced set of benefits that come out of this race. You're promoting community health. Businesses benefit from it. These types of events always do well for charity," Sheble said. "There's a tremendous amount of community pride."