North Shore Half-Marathon

I was home recovering from the MC200 Relay, but 1,332 runners braved the sticky conditions, the 9-mile hill and the 13.1-mile distance to complete the CARA Circuit North Shore Half-Marathon on Sunday in Highland Park. Men's champ was Jordan Dubow, 30, of Chicago (I believe he grew up in Highland Park), who clocked 1:16:25. Nathan Kennedy, 22, of Bolingbrook, was runner-up with a 1:18:31 and Doug Pearson, 40, of Elmhurst, a fellow Elmhurst Running Club competitor, was third in 1:22:26. Pam Blair, 27, of Chicago, was the women's champion in 1:30:28. She was followed by Michelle Plummer, 31, of Gilberts, in 1:32:01 and Toney Avakova, 27, of Chicago, in 1:32:34. Race medical director, Dr. Terry Nicola, reported there were no major medical problems. That's good to hear.