Lemont Runner Finishes Virtual Boston Marathon

LEMONT, IL — The Boston Marathon is normally held every April in Boston, but was made into a virtual event this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lemont resident Dan Ganzer had qualified for the race after years of training, and when the race went virtual, he decided to make it into something special.

"When they offered a virtual option, I first balked at the notion, as it clearly would not be the same. However, I soon after changed my mind and decided to approach it differently, for me anyway, not as a race but as a fun event," Ganzer said.

Ganzer recruited his friends and family members to each run a mile of the marathon with him around Lemont earlier this month. However, his friends, unbeknownst to him, decided to add a few surprises to Ganzer's race.

Ganzer's friend Laura Elias told Patch that Ganzer qualified for the Boston Marathon in March 2019.

"Everyone was so excited for him and his wife and some friends planned trips to support him in Boston," Elias said. Unfortunately, the race was at first rescheduled to September, and then made into a virtual event.

To make the virtual race special, Ganzer's friends decorated or themed each of their miles. They recreated some Boston landmarks, including the Framingham Train Depot and the Forever Run statue. They also brought some Boston food to the finish line to celebrate, and posted on social media to get some neighborhood support for the race.

"To say I was overwhelmed by the support of my family and friends and the Lemont community as I ran through town is an understatement," Ganzer said. "I woke up to find a full-blown start finish line in my driveway and the day just continued with folks running with me, cheering me on, wearing crazy costumes, ringing cowbells, shooting off fireworks, playing inspirational music, handing out and carrying drinks for me."

He said there were kids holding signs along his course cheering him on, and Fox News also recorded a segment.

"Should I ever get to participate in the Boston Marathon, I truly doubt that it will measure up to this virtual version," Ganzer said. "My running friends definitely spent more time preparing for the event than I did and my family, especially my wife Colleen, helped keep many things a secret from me until that morning, including the big celebration that took place at my house afterwards."

The virtual Boston Marathon was held Sept. 7-14 and featured more than 15,900 runners from 83 countries, according to a release from the Boston Athletic Association.

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