eric WaLLor
Running became Eric Wallor’s athletic focus in his junior year of high school and since then his focus has paid off. Wallor fought through wintery conditions and a hilly course at the March Madness Half Marathon in Cary on his way to a more than two-minute victory. Wallor trains and competes every year at a number of distances but says he concentrates on marathons. The Palatine resident traveled to Boston to compete in his first ever Boston Marathon in April where he aimed for a sub-2:24 finish. His preparation for Boston consisted of the win in Cary and the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K. Despite not feeling his best, Wallor set a personal record at that distance by 17 seconds and had the third fastest time of any Illinois runner. After Boston, Wallor says he will turn his focus to his next marathon, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. He also hopes to qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials in 2016.
Maria Lindberg
As a runner at York High School, Maria Lindberg set records and was a state champion. As a collegiate athlete at Boston College, she was a four-year AllAmerican. After taking some time off from running after the birth of her son, Lindberg has returned to the road with impressive numbers. Lindberg attacked the course at the March Madness Half Marathon and finished in second place. The 31-year-old then won The Race That’s Good For Life 5K in 17:24. Lindberg says she went out just to run her own race and it wasn’t until the race was over that she realized the gap she had put between her and the field. Both races come in training for her return to the marathon at the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon in Champaign, where she hopes to PR with a sub-2:50 time. With a 15-month-old son, Lindberg often trains on the treadmill or takes him along in a stroller. Lindberg says she wouldn’t be able to return with the success she has had without the support of her husband, parents and in-laws.