An incredible 21 local Chicago area runners have qualified for the USA Olympic Marathon Trials to be held in Atlanta, GA. on February 29. The Chicago area will also be represented by an additional 20 runners who have local ties. The 2020 Marathon Trials are hosted by the Atlanta Track Club.
The top three male and female finishers at the USA Olympic Marathon Trials will represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. To be eligible men must have run a marathon at or under 2:19 since September 1, 2017 or a Half-Marathon at or under 1:04 since September 1, 2018. Women must have run a marathon at or under 2:45 or a Half-Marathon at or under 1:13 during the same time period.
Led by Chris Zablocki, Dan Kremske, and Colin Mickow, there are nine men who reside in the Chicago area who have qualified. Both Zablocki and Kremske represent the Second City Track Club. Kremske and Mickow are both University of Illinois alums.
Name, Best, Represents, Current Residence
Chris Zablocki, 2:13:45, Second City Track Club, Chicago
Dan Kremske, 2:14:53, Second City Track Club, Chicago
Colin Mickow, 2:14:55, N/A, Oswego
Alan Peterson, 2:14:56, Fleet Feet Chicago, Chicago
Kevin Havel, 2:15:37, Second City Track Club, Chicago
Brandon Mull, 2:17:17, Fleet Feet Racing, Chicago
Jackson Neff, 2:17:21, Second City Track Club, Chicago,
Matt Blume, 2:18:54, Fleet Feet Chicago, Chicago
Brett Lustgarten, 2:19:19, Illinois Elite, Chicago
Local women boast 12 qualifiers, including three women with personal bests under 2:40. Alyssa Schneider and Kristen Heckert represent Second City Track Club, while Jane Bareikis races for Fleet Feet Chicago. Both Scheider and Heckert achieved their bests at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Both also impressively balance their time as local math teachers. Bareikis won the 2018 CARA Runners' Choice Circuit, earning her CARA Runner of the Year honors that year.
Name, Best, Represents, Current Residence
Alyssa Schneider, 2:35:41, Second City Track Club, Barlett
Jane Bareikis, 2:37:32, Fleet Feet Chicago, Crestwood,
Kristen Heckert, 2:38:54, Second City Track Club, Bolingbrook
Kristina Lynn Aubert, 2:40:58, DW Running, Chicago
Lauren Kersjes, 2:41:44, Second City Track Club, Chicago,
Courtney Peterson, 2:42:28, Fleet Feet Chicago, Chicago
Kate Deprosperis, 2:43:11, Jenny Spangler / Rabbit, Western Springs
Marisa Hird, 2:43:33, Naperville Running Co., Naperville
Sarah David, 2:44:11, DW Running, Chicago
Julia Buford, 2:44:24, Fleet Feet Chicago, Chicago
Kristin Johnson, 2:44:27, Illinois Elite, Chicago
Amanda Macuiba, 2:44:37, Jenny Spangler Racing, Chicago
The Chicago area will also be represented by an additional 15 runners who grew up in the Chicago area. That group is led by Naperville (Nequa Valley HS) product Chris Derrick, and Roselle, IL native Lindsay Flanagan. Derrick is a multi-time USA Champion, while Flanagan has a ninth-place Boston Marathon finish to her resume.
Name, PR, Gender, Represents, Hometown
Chris Derrick, 2:12:50, Nike Bowerman TC, Naperville
Tyler Jermann, 2:13:29, Minnesota Distance Elite, Naperville
Patrick Rizzo, 2:13:42, N/A, Schaumburg
Johnny Crain, 2:15:46, ON Zap Fitness, Dunlap
Travis Morrison, 2:16:48, N/A, Hoffman Estates
Dan Harper, 2:17:30, Boston Athletic Association, Naperville
Christopher May, 2:18:34, N/A, Elmhurst
Oscar Medina, 2:18:40, Second City Track Club, Chicago
Patrick Geoghegan, 2:18:40, N/A, Oak Park
Lindsay Flanagan, 2:28:08, N/A, Roselle
Rachel Hyland, 2:37:22, Boston Athletic Association, Lake Bluff
Bryanne Lauck, 2:41:20, Sonoran Distance Project, Carol Stream
Erin Heenan, 2:41:15, N/A, Chicago
Shari Eberhard, 2:43:13, Sonoran Distance Project, Elmhurst
Grace Bowen, 2:44:49, Dashing Whippets, Kenilworth
Five more qualifiers have local ties to area colleges and universities. These, along with Brandon Mull (Wheaton College), Patrick Rizzo (North Central College), Johnny Crain (North Central College), Will Cross (Elmhurst College), and Kristen Heckert (UIC) give area colleges a total of 10 Olympic Trials representatives.
Name, PR, Gender, Represents, Local College Connection
Danny Docherty, 2:15:55, Minnesota Distance Elite, Loyola
Ryan Root, 2:16:45, Rabbit, North Central
Will Cross, 2:17:33, N/A, Elmhurst College
Julia Sizek, 2:41:58, Strawberry Canyon TC, U of Chicago
Rachel Booth, 2:37:59, N/A, Northwestern
The Marathon Trials will be broadcast live on NBC at 11:00 a.m. CT. Full details are online HERE.