The marathon course had runners exiting the north side of the University of Illinois Springfield campus and heading out of the city limits into parts of Rochester and Cotton Hill townships before eventually finishing back on campus.
Jacksonville native Mark Saunders, who now lives in Fort Collins, Colo., finished first overall in the 26.2 mile race with a time of 2:51:12. Another central Illinois native, Kathy Hoving, 37, who now lives in Indonesia, finished in first place in the women’s division with a time of 3:14:25.
It was nearly 13 years ago, when Hoving was 24, that she finished her very first marathon in Chicago with a time of 3:36. But on Sunday, she was happy to achieve a new personal best.
“I was very pleasantly surprised,” Hoving said, adding that she was proud to have participated in a marathon so close to her hometown of Tremont.
The marathon was featured by The State Journal-Register on October 21, 2013.
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