Downers Grove 5M - 35 Years Old, Still Tough

The hills and humidity ganged up on some of Chicagoland's best runners Sunday morning in what really was a typical Downers Grove 5-Miler. The 35th annual event, back on CARA's Runners' Choice Circuit this year, proved to be difficult if you pushed too hard at the wrong times. A small but hearty field of 399 finised this year. The winner's circle belonged to Jerome Tharaud, 32, of Oak Park, who won the overall title in 25:51.5, and Kristen Heckert, 25, of Lisle, who was the women's winner in 30:03.4. Second-place male was Emisael Favela, 35, of Berwyn, in 25:56.5, and third went to Ryan Giuliano, 27, of Schaumburg, in 26:23.6. Second-place female was Columba Montes, 33, of Chicago, in 30:52.5, and third was taken by Kristina Jennings Burgess, 27, of Mundelein, in 31:29.5. Hats off to the Downers Grove Park District for putting on another top-level race.