Illinois Marathon hoping to meet, exceed last year’s entrant numbers
April 25, 2014
With runners coming from 13 countries and 45 states, the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon is looking to meet or exceed last year’s number of entrants.
As of Monday, there were 19,662 total entrants. This includes 6,608 entrants in the 5K Walk/Run, 6,457 entrants in the Half Marathon and 2,096 in the Marathon.
None of these numbers include entrants who may have registered after Monday, said Jan Seeley, the race’s co-director.
“Right now, there are slightly under 20,000, not including walk-up registrations today,” Seeley stated at today’s press conference. Seeley hopes that the numbers will go on to exceed last year’s total number of entrants, which reached 20,735.
There is an 81 year range between the oldest and youngest runners. The oldest runner is 92 years old and the youngest is 11, and is running with his parents Seeley said.
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“We’re doing a lot better this year than last year, especially after Boston,” said Sgt. Scott Friedlein of the Champaign Police Department, when asked how things may have changed from the previous year. “There will be increased staffing, specifically around the start and finish lines.”
At the end of the day, Gary Wackerlin, Christie Foundation executive director, thinks the Marathon is here to bring people together through a positive message.
