FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2014 Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon & Half-Marathon Victories for
Runners, Spectators, Volunteers, Partners, City
Naperville, IL (November 9, 2014) -- The 2014 Edward Hospital Naperville
Marathon and Half-Marathon has concluded in resounding victories for
runners, spectators, organizers & volunteers, sponsors, Charity Partners,
and the City of Naperville itself.
Naperville Mayor A. George Pradel was there all morning, spreading his
great enthusiasm from the pre-race ceremony, to high-fiving and cheering on
passing runners in the street, through congratulating and awarding
finishers.
"This is a destination event!" declared Mayor A. George Pradel during the
ABC7 News live broadcast from the Finish Line. Race Co-Director Craig
Bixler, with the Mayor in the live interview, concurred: "We've got runners
from Europe, Asia, Canada… plus 36 different states here in the U.S. This
year's race courses were a hit with runners, spectators, and businesses --
spectators could see their runners at 4 spots along the marathon route, all
within walking distance of the Start/Finish and Naperville's downtown,
letting them spend time cheering AND at the downtown restaurants and
shops."
"I've done the Chicago Marathon at least ten times," said ABC7 News
Reporter John Garcia, who ran the 2014 Naperville Half-Marathon instead of
Chicago this year. "I really enjoy that Naperville is close by, it's a
great city to run through with cheering sections lining the streets, and
that the field is a bit smaller -- it's more fun when you're not getting
lost in the crowd."
Runners receiving special recognition were Jeff Purdom (1:13:59) and Amber
White (1:18:24) for their first-place finishes in the Half-Marathon, and
Yonatan "Yonni" Mascote (2:33:53) and Marisa Hird (2:50:57) for their
first-place finishes in the Full Marathon. These runners received their
medals upon finishing, and also received crystal awards presented to them
by Mayor Pradel and Edward Hospital's Brian Davis.
"Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare is thrilled to be associated with such a
first-class, community-driven event," said Brian Davis, who is Chief
Marketing Officer of Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare. "The Edward Foundation
received thousands in contributions from designated runners, our Edward
Health & Fitness Centers hosted packed pickup, we had 100-plus volunteers
at water stations, and our clinicians made sure that runners had access to
the highest level of medical care, massages and physical therapy
stretching. It was a real team effort."
The safety of the 6,000-plus runners (over 1,000 of whom were from
Naperville) and multiple-thousands of spectators, partners, and volunteers
was top priority. "We were very pleased with the Logistical Plan that we
worked on all year for this event," explaines Race Co-Director Dave Sheble,
who helped coordinate the presence of Safety & Security Teams, including
CRW and Naperville SWAT. "Security was highly visible, to ensure the safety
of runners and spectators -- this was the largest multi-jurisdictional
event in Naperville history!"
Coverage from local and area news outlets was comprehensive. Naperville's
own NCTV began its live broadcast at 6:50a.m. and continued through the
event, including the pre-race ceremony, the presence of the American Legion
Riders, the division-winning runners, the festivities at Celebration
Village and Charity Village, and everything in between. Stories emerged
from The Daily Herald, TribLocal, The Sun-Times, and more, continuing into
the week.
"We continue to be amazed by our awesome volunteers," notes Race
Co-Director Pat Leonard, "More than 1200 volunteers this year -- from our
pre-race Expo workers to race-day Course Marshals, to post-race
warming-jacket distributors, and more -- worked hard to put on the best
race possible for our 6000+ runners!"
Race Co-Director Tom Horvath oversaw planning, setup, and prep committees
for the Celebration Village and more. He notes: "The team worked hard to
make this a first-class experience before, during, and after the race.
Whether you are a first-time- or experienced- marathoner, we've strived to
make the Naperville Marathon & Half-Marathon your best race of the year."
Heather Kash, Senior Director of Corporate Relations & Risk Management for
St. Baldrick's Foundation, for whom $10,600 was raised in this event,
agrees. "This is one of the best marathons in terms of making it easy for
Charities to participate and fundraise," she noted. "This should be the
model for all Marathons."
In his speech at the closing/celebratory dinner meeting on Sunday night,
Race Co-Director Dave Sheble congratulated all who contributed to the
event: "The one word I'd assign to this event is pride. You all took pride
in your efforts, and now we can all BE proud of our event." Co-Director
Craig Bixler followed, paraphrasing Muhammad Ali: "'Some believe it's
easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power
they have to change it;' well, you -- WE -- are changing it."
About the Naperville Marathon races:
In its 2013 inaugural event, the Naperville Marathon races quickly became
Chicago's premier west-suburban running event and one of the best in the
entire Midwest. The Marathon and Half Marathon showcase the city of
Naperville, its parks, its great neighborhoods, its historic buildings, and
its vibrant downtown, and draws runners from across the country and
internationally. The course and its extensive volunteer and spectator
support make it a favorite for all runners from first-timers to Boston
hopefuls.
The second-annual Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon & Half Marathon has
been the fastest-growing marathon/half marathon in the US.
The Naperville Marathon races for runners, by runners. For more
information, visit www.naperville26.com.
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