31st North Shore Half-Marathon

One day after 115 teams ran through Highland Park during the Madison-Chicago Relay, the 31st North Shore Half-Marathon was run under good weather conditions. The CARA Runners' Choice Series race with the famed hill up from the beach near Mile 9 was won by Ryan Zawisza, 26, of Chicago, in 1:13:03. Runner-up was Joshua Blair, 22, of Chicago, in 1:15:22, and third was Jordan Dubow, 31, of Chicago and a Highland Park High School graduate, in 1:15:45. Tracy McGarry, 28, of Chicago, was the women's champion in 1:25:27. Next came Nicole Mann, 38, of Chicago, in 1:27:16, and third went to Tammy Lifka, 38, of Glen Ellyn, in 1:29:37. An admirable performance was turned in by 80-year0-old Joe Paleczny of Des Plaines, who ran a 2:23:26. I've got to salute my Elmhurst R.C. mates, Mark Krause, Kurt Fiene and Doug Pearson, who went 1-2-3 in the men's masters category!