Oct. 16--The running won't be over when the high school races are done Saturday at the Public League Championships at Washington Park.
At 3 p.m., it'll be time for one of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation "virtual runs," held in honor of the Evanston native who was killed by ISIS last year while serving as a photojournalist in Syria.
The foundation is holding a 5K race in Rochester, N.H., on Saturday, the day before what would have been Foley's 42nd birthday. The virtual runs, which are being held all over the world this week -- there was one on Tuesday in Tunisia -- are for those who can't be in New England but want to support the foundation's advocacy for American hostages and their families, freelance journalists and disadvantaged children.
Mather cross country coach Kevin Conway, who knew Foley since their undergraduate days at Marquette University in the 1990s, is the organizer of the local virtual run. The timing, coinciding with the Public League meet, was serendipitous.
"I asked Bob (Geiger, Young's girls coach), 'Do you think it would be a problem if we did this?'" Conway said. "He said, 'Absolutely not.'"
So the Foley virtual run will begin after the high school competition ends.
Conway plans to man a registration table for the race, even though entries have officially closed on the foundation's website (www.jamesfoleyfoundation.org).
Conway says runners are still welcome to participate and learn about the foundation.
"Show up and run, that's all we're asking for," he said.
That's what he and two friends did at the Milwaukee Marathon on Oct. 4, when they raised about $2,500 for the foundation. There, Conway was able to reconnect with Foley's parents, John and Diane.
"They're troopers, I'll tell you that," Conway said. "They haven't stopped (working on behalf of hostages) and they just want to keep pushing."
Conference call: The postseason begins this weekend with conference meets around the state, followed by regionals on Oct. 24, sectionals on Oct. 31 and the state finals on Nov. 7 at Detweiller Park in Peoria.
Anyone looking for a state preview would do well to head to Glenbard West on Saturday for the West Suburban Silver meet. The boys field includes six teams in the Dyestatil.com Class 3A rankings: No. 2 Lyons, No. 4 York, No. 5 Hinsdale Central, No. 6 Oak Park-River Forest and No. 14 Downers Grove North. The girls field is also strong with No. 3 Glenbard West, No. 5 Lyons, No. 16 Hinsdale Central, No. 22 York and No. 25 Downers Grove North.
Friday's DuPage Valley meet at Lake Park features 3A girls No. 1 Naperville North and boys No. 3 Neuqua Valley, among others. Sandburg's boys, ranked No. 1 nationally by Dyestat.com, will compete Saturday in the SouthWest Suburban Blue at Lockport.
mclark@tribpub.com
