Eight area runners finish at Illinois Marathon

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Doug Weaver, from St. Joseph, runs just past the 3-mile mark during the Illinois Marathon. He conquered the course finishing ninth out 36 runners in his age division. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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With the looming threat a rain and miserable conditions early on in the race, eight Sentinel area marathoners bravely faced the elements to finish the Illinois Marathon's 26.2 mile course a week ago today.

Alison Jones, from St. Joseph, circumvented the flat terrain, Boston Marathon qualifier course in three hours, thirty minutes and three seconds, just 36 seconds faster than her 2017 time. This year, she placed second out of 53 runners in the women's 40-44 and was the 39th female competitor to finish the race.

Last year, Jones won the women's 40-44 division title and was 32nd overall finisher in the 10K race.

Valaria Rohde, from Royal, finished her Illinois Marathon run just over 5 hours at 5:02:39. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Veteran distance runner Mike Tankersley turned in the area's next best time stopping the clock at 3:39:38. Out of 696 men completing the race, the St. Joseph resident was the two hundred and thirty-third male runner to finish and was 21st in the 50-54 year-old group.

Tankersley's finish was an improvement on his 2018 time of 3:44:51 on the same course.

After competing in the half marathon race the past two installments of Champaign-Urbana's largest running event, Doug Weaver, also from St. Joseph, was the next Sentinel area runner to complete the race. Ninth out of 36 marathoners aged 60-64, he finished 364th overall at 3:48.

Also finishing the 26.6 mile course was Royal's Jeff Rohde, who was 781st overall (4:37:58), Mark Shoviak (677th overall, 4:23:44) from St. Joseph, Valeria Rohde (900th, 5:02:39) from Royal, Brian Beck (906th overall, 5:03:22) and Amber Davis, from St. Joseph, rounding out the group at 1052nd overall with a time of 5:55:25.

Transitions: Jeannine Corlas, 53

Jeannine W. Corlas, 53, of St. Joseph passed away quietly in her home on Friday, April 26, 2019.

Jeannine, better known as Nene, was born Dec. 19, 1965, in Springfield, Illinois, to Richard and Louise (Born) Wilkinson. She grew up outside the city boundaries of Springfield, attending City Day, Ball Chatham and Sacred Heart schools. She went on to attend Lincoln Land Community College and Millikin University, graduating from both colleges.

Nene was employed by the University of Illinois at the time of her passing.

She married Patrick Corlas and married on Jun. 6, 1992, and two years later in 1994 gave birth to their only child, Mitchell.

Nene was a co-owner/operator of the Pink Poodle, a popular gift shop and party venue for 10 years. At the time of her passing she was employed by the University of Illinois.

She was preceded in transition by her father, Richard Wilkinson, in 2017, and grandparents; Fred and Agnes Wilkinson and Albert and Ruchiel Born.

Nene is survived by her husband, Pat; son, Mitch; sister, Melinda Kraus (Joe); nephew, Justin Kraus; stepmother, Nancy Wilkinson; and mother, Louise Wilkinson.

The visitation and burial was held on April 29, 2019, at St. Joseph Church of Christ, 226 E. Sherman St., St. Joseph.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, donations may be made to Carle Cancer Center in Urbana.