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Moody leads women's Top Ten finishers at Illinois Marathon

Tera Moody rises to the top out of a field of 268 women long distance specialist at the Illinois Marathon with a remarkable finish. Here's a look at the top ten female finishers and their performances.

CHAMPAIGN – Tera Moody of Bargersville, IN, led the way in the women’s race at today’s Illinois Marathon, crossing the finish line in 02:47:21. With an impressive pace of 06:23 per mile, Moody not only claimed the overall women’s title but also won the women’s 40-44 age group. Her dominant performance placed her 20th overall out of 894 runners, further establishing her as a top-tier marathoner.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Tera Moody focuses on the road ahead as she run down Washington Street in Urbana on her was to the 2025 Women's title.

The Illinois Marathon, known for its flat and fast course, offers a scenic route through Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy, with runners finishing inside the iconic Memorial Stadium. The marathon has grown in prominence since its debut in 2008, becoming a favorite for runners seeking a Boston qualifier or simply a fun, fast race.

The race began in the low 50s with a chilly northwest breeze, and scattered puddles from overnight rain lined parts of the course. However, after the first hour, the sun broke through the clouds, warming spectators and providing much-needed relief for runners.

Jessica Rockafellow from Palatine, IL, finished second in 02:50:11, maintaining an average pace of 06:29 per mile. Rockafellow claimed the top spot in the women’s 30-34 age group and placed 27th overall, showing her continued strength as one of the race’s top competitors.

Alicia Hudelson of Missoula, MT, secured third place in 02:58:48, with an average pace of 06:50 per mile. Hudelson, who also finished second in the women’s 40-44 age group, has continued to impress in marathons across the country.

Stephanie Runyon-Thomas of Carmel, IN, finished fourth in 03:00:01, with a pace of 06:52 per mile. Runyon-Thomas also took second in the women’s 30-34 age group and placed 51st overall, adding to her list of top finishes at marathons around the region.

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

LEFT: Becky Nussbaum runs along Washington St. in Urbana, finishing the first four miles of her race. Nussbaum averaged a 6:56 minute per mile pace. MIDDLE: Terry Moody drafts Jessica Rockafellow while running a gentle incline on their way to the turn from Logan to Neil Street. RIGHT: Mahomet's Alexis Dorsey keeps a steady stride staying focused on her race. She finished 5th in the women's division and 19th overall.

Alexis Dorsey of Mahomet, IL, finished fifth in 03:00:38, taking first place in the women’s 25-29 age group. Dorsey won the Illinois Marathon in 2024, and today’s performance secured her 53rd overall, proving her continued dominance in the local running scene.

Becky Nussbaum of Lakeville, OH, claimed sixth place in 03:01:41, continuing her strong history at the Illinois Marathon. Nussbaum finished third in the women’s division last year and placed 34th overall in 2024, solidifying her reputation as a consistent marathoner.

The top ten was rounded out by Hannah Aguirre of Champaign, IL, in seventh place with 03:04:32, Andrea Taylor from Owensboro, KY, who finished eighth in 03:09:17, Dana Mehalek from Hendersonville, TN, who claimed ninth in 03:11:47, and Ella Chambers of Chicago, IL, in tenth with a time of 03:12:01.

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Greta Kumskis placed 23rd among women and 7th in her age group at the Illinois Marathon, capping a strong race day performance in Champaign-Urbana.

Greta Kumskis running in the Illinois Marathon

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Running down Logan Street in Champaign between the 14th and 15th mile, marathoner Greta Kumskis looks over at cheering spectators. She finished 7th in her age group in this year's race.

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CHAMPAIGN - Greta Kumskis made her day at the Illinois Marathon count on a chilly Saturday morning in Champaign-Urbana. The 24-year-old from Iowa City, Iowa, powered through the 26.2-mile course to finish 7th in the women’s 20-24 division, clocking a 3:23:28. Kumskis placed 23rd among 268 female competitors and 170th out of 895 total marathon finishers, a strong showing in a field packed with experienced racers.

Kumskis started conservatively, covering her first mile in 8:05 before quickening her pace to a steady 7:41 per mile once the pack began to thin. She hit the 10K mark at 8:21 a.m. and crossed the halfway split at 1:41:24. Staying composed through the back half, she finished just behind Rachel Pfeifer (21st, 3:21:54) and Allison Kroeter (22nd, 3:22:28), while holding off Sarah Bass (24th, 3:24:11) and Paige Vanetten (25th, 3:24:35). Kumskis crossed the Memorial Stadium finish line at 10:56 a.m., averaging 7:46 per mile.

On a day that began with cool winds and ended under clearing skies, Kumskis and almost 900 other finishers proved they could handle whatever race day brought.

Tera Moody led the women’s field from start to finish, claiming the overall title with a 2:47:21 finish and a dominant performance in the 40-44 division. Moody was 20th overall among all marathoners, male or female.

Jessica Rockafellow of Palatine, Illinois, was the runner-up, posting a 2:50:11 to win the 30-34 age division and finish 27th overall. Rounding out the top three was Alicia Hudelson from Missoula, Montana, whose 2:58:48 effort secured second in the women’s 40-44 division and 50th place overall.

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Struhar dominates 30-34 division, Marcos repeats at Illinois Marathon

Jan Struhar crushed the 30-34 division and cracked the Top 10 overall at the Illinois Marathon, clocking 2:40:31. Meanwhile, Champaign’s own Jaime Marcos dominated the field with a repeat victory in 2:22:23.

Jan Struhar running at the Illinois Marathon

CHAMPAIGN - Jan Struhar made sure his trip to Champaign was worth it. Racing under overcast skies and cool mid-50s temperatures, the DWRunning athlete took control of his race early and held strong to the finish, claiming first place in the Men's 30-34 age division at Saturday’s Illinois Marathon. Struhar’s time of 2:40:31 not only locked up the divisional win among 83 runners, but also earned him 10th place overall in the men’s division and 10th place across the entire marathon field.

Struhar’s splits showed early consistency, passing the 10K mark at 37:42 and reaching the halfway point (13.1 miles) at 1:19:47. Down the stretch, he fended off Samuel Fiedorek, who clocked 2:41:03 to finish 11th, and Haran Dunderdale, who came through in 2:42:03 for 12th. Struhar’s effort capped a strong day for Chicago’s DWRunning team, coached by longtime veteran Dave Walters, who’s been developing marathoners for decades.

Jan Struhar running at Illinois Marathon

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Shedding Bokata somewhere after the 13th mile, Struhar runs solo uphill on Logan Street in Champaign near the 14-1/2 mile mark with Hinds (not pictured) still nearby.

Up front, it was all Jaime Marcos. The 26-year-old from Champaign defended his crown in style, slicing over seven minutes off his 2024 winning time to cross first in 2:22:23, running a blistering 5:26-per-mile pace. Marcos separated early and never looked back, leading at halfway in 1:10:59 and putting daylight between himself and the rest of the field.

Behind him, Martin O’Connell of Madison, Wisconsin, locked down second place in 2:26:04, four minutes adrift of Marcos. Just five seconds later, Caleb Kerr of Zionsville, Indiana, grabbed third with a 2:26:09 finish. The trio broke away from the pack early and never relinquished their medal positions, each benefiting from the flat, fast course winding through the three cities that make up the course.

Marathon headlines

Moody leads women's Top Ten finishers at Illinois Marathon

Brian Martin’s steady stride leads to Top-10 finish at Illinois Marathon

Photo Gallery | Running around Urbana, faces and places from Illinois Marathon

Champaign’s Jaime Marcos carves out Illinois Marathon repeat victory