Page 124 2013 Art & Balloon Festival, August 30, 2013
Special edition of LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com
Up Up & Away 5K run attracts all ages
and experience levels, plus visitors
The first-ever Up Up & Away 5K
found about 90 energetic, happy
people at the starting line at 9 a.m.
Sunday.
The Lincoln Park District hosted
the event, which began with music
and warm-up exercises and later
concluded with awards by age
category.
During the event, some people ran,
some walked, some did a walk-
run-walk, but everyone enjoyed
the satisfaction of completing the
course. Many of the participants
were experienced runners, but
there were a number of first-
timers as well. It wasn’t a race
just for competition, as many
of the participants were out to
push themselves a bit for fitness
benefits.
Beginning and ending at the park
district complex on Primm Road,
participants trekked down Wyatt
Avenue to Home Avenue, out and
back for a distance of 3.1 miles.
The route provided a nice country
view and included a slight hill for a
little challenge.
Coming in first at 16 minutes, 21
seconds was Jackson Johnson.
As usual, Johnson breezed over
the finish line a couple of minutes
before the next runner would come
in. An observer from Clinton said
Jackson had also swept the race
there on Saturday in the same way.
One of those waiting at the finish
line was former resident Dave
Hawkinson. While waiting for the
runners to come in, he engaged
with others, trying to find out
what he might have missed since
moving away. He and his wife,
Kathy, now live in Girard. They
and their sons were having a great
time visiting and partaking in
various activities of the weekend.
Hawkinson said his sons entered
the barbecue contest, and with
his typical wry humor he jested
that the fire department cheated.
They used a scale-model fire
truck to display their barbecue.
“Who wouldn’t vote for that?” he
laughed.
Also waiting at the finish line, Jim
Drew snapped the picture of his
wife, Lisa, who was happy to see
him, and she turned in a pretty
good time too.
The Lake Run Club of
Bloomington graciously supplied
timing equipment and volunteers to
conduct the race.
(Results to be posted when
available.)
[LDN]
Pictures by Jan Youngquist
Families waited in groups to celebrate
afterward, many sitting in portable chairs in the
shade, others on their feet with camera
in hand, waiting at the finish line,
ready to capture the big moment.
A warm-up set to music with instructions got people
moving.
