St. Charles’ Fox Valley Marathon: Perfect Day to Run

Sunny, near-cloudless skies greet nearly 3,000 who turned out to run the marathon, 20-mile course and half-marathon events.

It was still dark when they began to arrive. Car after car slipped into downtown St. Charles before dawn on Sunday, drivers going from lot to lot, street to street, looking for places to park. They were not coming in for a church service, although for some, perhaps, the morning would be the culmination of a spiritual journey of sorts, steeling their bodies and minds for the challenge of a 13.1-, 20- or 26.2-mile run down the Fox Valley and up again. For some, like Karen Kowalik of Schaumburg, the Advocate Dreyer Fox Valley Marathon represented a personal milestone. The half-marathon she ran Sunday was the 50th run she’s completed since she took up the sport 17 years or so ago. She was 51 then; today she’s 68. She finished with a time of 51…

•  3 Comments
• Videos (1)

Geneva’s DayOneNetwork To Help at St. Charles Marathon

Crew to man food tent, cheer on 39 runners representing it.

DayOneNetwork staff and board members will be manning the food tent at the third annual Advocate Dreyer Fox Valley Marathon in St. Charles on Sunday.  “This is an easy way for us to say thank you to race organizers for the opportunity to participate in the marathon Charity Partner Program,” said DayOneNetwork Executive Director Joyce Helander. The 2012 Fox Valley Marathon Charity Partner Program gives area organizations the opportunity to raise awareness and dollars to support programs and services.  DayOneNetwork and seven other nonprofits have received contributions for the last several months as runners have registered for the marathon.  In exchange for a $100 contribution to the charity partner of their choice runners receive 50 …

• Photos (1)

UPDATE: Expect Road, Bridge Closures in Geneva and St. Charles for Fox Valley Marathon

Prairie Street and Illinois Street bridges will be closed from 7 a.m. to about 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Other streets to be affected, too—in Geneva and St. Charles.

St. Charles and Geneva police are reminding motorists that the Fox Valley Marathon will be under way Sunday, Sept. 16, and will affect several roadways. The third annual Fox Valley Marathon starts at 7 a.m. at St. Charles along South 1st Street and the Illinois Street bridge, heading south to Aurora returning to the finish line back in St. Charles on the Illinois Street bridge until about 1:30 p.m. The first part of the marathon will travel south on 1st Street until it meets up with South 2nd Street (Route 31), when the runners and motoring traffic will split the road in half, according to St. Charles police. Officers directing traffic will move one lane of traffic at a time until the final runner has passed south on Route 31 into Geneva. …

• Photos (1)

Geneva Agency Touts Fox Valley Marathon Charity Partner Program

DayOneNetwork raising donations, awareness about developmental delays and disabilities through the Sept. 16 marathon.

DayOneNetwork in Geneva is again involved with the Advocate Dreyer Fox Valley Marathon, and hopes to register 40 runners through the Charity Partner Program, which gives runners a break in the registration fee if they contribute $100 to a nonprofit of their choice. The 2012 Advocate Dreyer Fox Valley Marathon steps off at 7 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, in downtown St. Charles. The race is in its third year, and this is the second year DayOneNetwork has participated in the Charity Partner Program, DayOneNetwork said in a release. DayOneNetwork wants to register 40 runners, which is the maximum for each organization participating in the Charity Partner Program, which gives nonprofits an opportunity to get the word out about their organizations …

• Photos (1)

Awards Pickup Event for Fox Valley Marathon, Half Marathon, Fall Final 20 Races

Race officials also have tabulated statistics from the 2011 events.

An Awards Pickup Night is planned 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 5 at Dick Pond Athletics in St. Charles for runners who won overall or age group awards in the Fox Valley Marathon, Half Marathon and Fall Final 20 races on Sept. 18. The event is for those who have not yet received awards. Race officials also have tabulated the following statistics from the 2011 events. Follow St. Charles Patch on Facebook! In the marathon: In the half marathon: In the 20 mile run: Following are overall event statistics: For more information on the Fox Valley Marathon, Half Marathon and Fall Final 20, visit www.fv26.com.  For more results from the 2011 events, click here.

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Nick Swedberg

12:32 pm on Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Also, if you know any good tips for avoiding injury, I'd love to hear them. I trained for a half marathon a couple years ago and hurt my leg. Would like to try again.   more ›

Barefoot Runner from Virginia Wins Fox Valley Marathon

More than 2,000 participants gathered Sunday in St. Charles for the Fox Valley Marathon, the Half Marathon and the Fall Final 20 run.

Fox Valley Marathon winner Tim Cunningham crossed the finish line while barefoot in downtown St. Charles on Sunday morning. He didn’t lose his shoes along the way—he ran the entire 26.2 miles without them. “It was kind of a perfect day to run,” said the Charlottesville, VA resident, whose race time was 2:56:24. “The bridges were a little rough, a little slick at times, but it was good.” It was the 15th marathon for Cunningham, who spent the past year building up calluses on his feet. He started running barefoot when he could not afford five-toe running shoes; though he can afford the shoes now, he sometimes prefers to race without them, even in wet conditions. “The rain is great,” said Cunningham, a trained clown who represented the Clowns…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (11)

5 Things You Should Know

Celebrate a 'Niche' Anniversary, Break Out the Lederhosen, Remember a POW and Vikings at Home—5 Things You Should Know for Friday, Sept. 16

Plus, a fitness and nutrition expo precedes this weekend's Fox Valley Marathon and fabulous Patch refrigerator magnets at the football game!

If you're interested in learning more about the newest trends in fitness and nutrition, you may want to check out a free expo at the Baker Community Center. This event is preceding the Fox Valley Marathon this weekend.  And, nominate a dynamic person under the age of 30 for a special recognition dinner by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.  Also, it is National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Take a moment to honor those who have given so much to our country and their family and friends who grieve for their loss.  Here are five things going on today, Friday, Sept. 16, 2011: 1. One of Geneva's finest restaurants, Niche, will have a five year anniversary celebration with a special dinner tonight consisting of a three-course meal for $50 or a six-…

• Photos (2)
• Documents (1)

Fox Valley Marathon Treads in St. Charles for Second Running

All three races will start in downtown St. Charles at 7 a.m. Sept. 18.

The second annual Advocate Dreyer Fox Valley Marathon, Half Marathon and the Fall Final 20 are planned Sept. 18 with all three races set to start and finish in downtown St. Charles. The races will begin in waves starting at 7 a.m. at Indiana and South 1st streets and the finish line for all three will be at the west end of the Illinois Street bridge over the Fox River. The courses also will wind through Geneva, Batavia, North Aurora and Aurora. Registration for all three races is sold out; more than 1,000 people participated in the three events in 2010. The full Marathon is a qualifying event for the Boston Marathon and no prize money will be awarded. Winners will be recognized in the following categories for all three races: The top three…

• Photos (2)
• Videos (1)