C-U Running

Check out Sam's photo recap of a team run from Champaign to Peoria to benefit St. Jude Hospital.

This past weekend, over 21,000 runners and walkers participated in the Illinois Marathon. It was a sight to see — and to photograph.

The Illinois Marathon is just around the corner, but several local runners have their eyes on a bigger prize: The Boston Marathon. Jeff profiles this year’s local class.

The 2013 running year comes to a close, and Jeff looks back at some of this year’s great local races.

The bombing of the Boston Marathon cast a shadow over the Fifth Annual Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon. Jeff writes about how the bombings and the community brought people closer together.

The popularity of extreme obstacle racing like the Tough Mudder and Warrior Dash has spawned a new, more dangerous local competition called the Survivor Games 5k. Jeff sits down with the race spokesperson and chats about this Montessori Habitat School fundraiser.

Matt Snyder dropped like a fly at the Champaign County Freedom 5k last year. It was the last race he’d run. Jeff looks at why Matt’s heart, not the heat, forced him to retire from competitive running.

Jeff has qualified for Boston. What else is there for him to do in 2013? He outlines his running goals for the rest of the year.

Jeff’s told us how the race went, but a chance meeting with John “the Penguin” Bingham offers him new hope of running in Boston.