Chicago Sun-Times- Sunday, September 29, 1996

Race part of marathon journey for Tinley Park pair.

By Bob Richards
STAFF REPORTER

Jamie and Lynn Parks won't win the open division of the Motorola Half Marathon today. They won't win the wheelchair division, either. Just being there will be a victory for the husband-and-wife team from Tinley Park.

Jamie, 34, will be running while pushing his wife's wheelchair over the 13.1-mile course in Schaumburg and Elk Grove Village. That's how they train. That's how they race.

Lynn, whose 34th birthday is today, suffered a brain-stem injury in a 1987 auto accident and is unable to walk by herself, except when holding on to someone else. The injury occurred when the couple was engaged, and the marriage was put off until May, 1994, when Lynn finally could walk with help down the aisle.

That was more than a big first step.

Three years later, the couple has gotten into road racing.

"I've been a runner for a long time, and this is a way for us to be able to spend time together," said Jamie, a 3:30 marathoner (Chicago, 1994). "We started racing together in 1991-we have done 22 since then-because before that, I would do races and someone would have to come along and be with Lynn while I raced. So we decided to run together."

Lynn is enjoying the experience.

"Yes," she said when asked if she likes the long rides, including training runs of more than 20 miles to get ready for today's event as well as the Oct 20 LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon.

Jamie and Lynn did the Chicago Distance Classic 20K (12.4 miles) in July in 1:19 and hope to break 1:30 today. (Jamie's note: We ran 1:22:59)

The fourth Motorola race begins at 7:30 a.m. on Meacham Road, south of Algonquin Road, in Schaumburg. More than 4,000 individual and relay runners will compete, with prize money of $34,000 drawing elite men's, women's and wheelchair fields. The race has been designated the USA Track and Field national half-marathon championship this year.

The top men will come close to breaking an hour if conditions are right. Runners (and bib numbers) to watch include John Kipkoskei, Kenya (1); Zablon Miano, Kenya (2); Testafe Bekele, Ethiopia (3); Leonid Shvetsof, Russia (4); Eddy Hollebuyck, Belgium(6); Josef Kazanecki, Poland (7) and Masaki Higa, Japan (8).

The leading women will run about 1:1 2. They will include Americans Ann Marie Lauck (1), Kristy Johnston (2) and Lynn Nelson (3). Others to watch are Marv Lynn Currer (4), Cheryl Collins (5) and Russian Lyuboc Klotchko (6).

Expected to pace the wheelchair racers are Scot Hollenbeck and James Briggs on the men's side and Ann Walters on the women's.

Strong masters (age 40 and older) field also are entered. The men include Steve Jones, Gary Romesser, Toni Niemczek, Ted Jaletta and Charlie Gray. The women to watch are Honor Feathersteen, Nancy Grayson and Karen McKeachie.

For race information, call (800) 956-9800.