Runners take their mark

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Public Affairs
Published July 6, 2017
Irene Macallister of the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory waves at the ‘Discount Rhythm Dukes’ band in front of Second Hand Rose on Main Street in Urbana during the Ninth Illinois Marathon.

Irene Macallister of the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory waves at the ‘Discount Rhythm Dukes’ band in front of Second Hand Rose on Main Street in Urbana during the Ninth Illinois Marathon.

Runners from the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory after completing in the Ninth Illinois Marathon.  Eric Kreiger, Ryan Keeling, George Calfas, Jeff Burkhalter, Elle Williams, Garth Anderson and Max Foltz.

Runners from the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory after completing in the Ninth Illinois Marathon. Eric Kreiger, Ryan Keeling, George Calfas, Jeff Burkhalter, Elle Williams, Garth Anderson and Max Foltz.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill (June 22, 2017) -- Runners from the Construction Engineering and Research Laboratory, a component of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, joined 14,000 competitors at the Ninth Annual Illinois Marathon in Champaign and Urbana, Illinois recently. 

Events included a marathon, half marathon and marathon relay, along with 5K and 10K competitions.  Over the past several years, the marathon has had a history of rain on race day.  However, this year, the weather was perfect.

Donna Cockburn, Johnny Deponai, Tammy Vest, Mariangelica Carrasquillo-Mangual, and Deb Lawrence participated in the 5K, while Andy Hur, Juan Davila-Perez, Jinelle Sperry, Elle Williams and Eric Kreiger ran the 10K.  Cockburn and Carrasquillo-Mangual also participated in the challenge race, where runners compete in the 5K one day and the 10K the next.

Ryan Smith, Angela Holcomb, Brenda Mehnert, Jaime Jones, Tom Carlson, Irene Macallister, Garth Anderson, Ryan Keeling, Jeff Burkhalter, George Calfas and Max Foltz faced the half marathon, while Jim Dowling and his teammates took on the marathon relay.

David Ammerman completed the marathon in 3 hours; 46 minutes, while also completing the 5K run the day prior. 

CERL’S Nisha Aggarwal, Kim Swan and Brenda Mehnert volunteered their time to the runners competing in the events.

Additional competitors over the weekend included CERL’s Ed Nykaza, who ran in the Illinois River to River Relay Race, where teams of eight runners compete on an 80-mile course. Each runner completes three sections, ranging in length from 2.5 to 4 miles.  Capt. Pam Rusinko opted for the Star Wars Half Marathon-The Dark Side at Walt Disney World.