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CHICAGO - (June 1, 2004) - Chuck Engle
of Clinton, Miss. (2:38:19) and Shannan Rieder of Cincinnati,
Ohio (3:04:44) ran to victory at the third running of Chicago's
Lakeshore Marathon on Memorial Day, May 31, 2004. Despite
heavy rains throughout the weekend, Memorial Day morning was
blessed with calm, slightly overcast skies and calm breezes
off Lake Michigan, and the skies only opened up very late
in the race on the last few dozen runners. In all, 1,743 participants
crossed the finish line.
"After sweating out the weather the whole weekend, we
couldn't believe our luck when the skies cleared Monday morning
for the race," says Mark Cihlar, founder and chair, Lakeshore
Marathon Company. "It was an exciting day and we are
really proud to see the race expand each year." Registration
has grown over the race's three years, this year to the tune
of about 30%, with a field representing more than 900 cities,
42 states and 18 nations.
In the half-marathon, Cid Cardoso, of Cary, NC, won the men's
division in 1:29:12 and Carrie Reicher, of Chicago, Ill.,
cruised to a 1:40:44 win in the women's race. Both won by
over three minutes.
The 26.2-mile marathon course is scenic, relaxing and fun,
with constantly changing scenery. It starts and finishes at
the Fallen Firefighters and Paramedics Memorial in Burnham
Park. From there, runners glide by three wildlife sanctuaries,
seven beaches, six harbors, and seven lakefront neighborhoods.
Their fast-moving tour takes them past the Lincoln Park Zoo
and famed Chicago landmarks including the newly renovated
Soldier Field, Navy Pier, McCormick Place, Peggy Notebaert
Nature Museum, Edgewater Beach residences, and the Museum
Campus, home to the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Adler
Planetarium.
As part of the Memorial Day Celebration U.S. Navy Personnel
from the Great Lakes Naval Base conducted a moving flag ceremony
in honor of U.S. war veterans, then quickly changed out of
dress whites into field uniforms to staff marathon medical
and aid stations as part of a field training exercise.
In addition to being one of only three marathons in Illinois
and the only spring race, the Lakeshore Marathon and its Healthy
and Natural Living Expo help the community to connect the
spirit and fitness of running with healthy lifestyle and with
sustainable and responsible environmental practices. For example,
marathon finishers' medals are made with recycled metal, all
printed promotional materials are of recycled paper, and the
U.S. Forest Service hands out pine tree seedlings at the post-race,
athletes' village as part of Cihlar's urban reforestation
initiative. In the race's first years, 14,000 seedlings were
distributed. On the immediate, local front, he founded and
sponsors the Edgewater Fitness Week in Chicago's Edgewater
Beach neighborhood.
Lakeshore Marathon sponsors include SBC Yellow Pages, Amino
Vital, Chicago magazine, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, MarathonGuide.com,
The North Face, NordicTrack, Carb-BOOM, Hooked on the Outdoors,
RCPA & Associates, Chicago Sports Review, Metropolis Coffee
Company, and AtoZofHealth.com.
For more information and to "Experience Chicago's beautiful
Lakeshore," visit www.LakeshoreMarathon.com
or call (773) 765-9028.
Lakeshore Marathon
Chicago, IL, Monday, May 31, 2004
Men
1) Chuck Engle, 33, Clinton, MS, 2:38:19
2) Marc Vial, 27, Cambridge, MA, 2:42:03
3) Gordon Tyler, 28, Little Chalfont, GBR, 2:46:42
Women
1) Shannan Rieder, 25, Cincinnati, OH, 3:04:44
2) Genevieve Ramos, 30, Boulder, CO, 3:11:04
3) Lisa Gobeyn, 36, Libertyville, IL, 3:11:09
Half-Marathon
Men
1) Cid Cardoso, 35, Cary, NC, 1:29:12
Women
1) Carrie Reicher, 25, Chicago, IL, 1:40:44
source Running USA wire
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