The third annual Healthy Driven Naperville Marathon drew thousands of runners from more than 30 states, but the top three winners in the women’s division were Naperville natives and longtime friends.
Amanda Mirochna was the first female to finish the 26.2 mile trek at 3:01:48. What made the victory even sweeter for the 28-year-old was that her former Neuqua Valley High School cross country teammates Liz Woodward and Andrea Kruszka took second and third place just minutes later.
“I think it is really cool that I have been running with these girls since I was in high school,” said Mirochna, a 2006 Neuqua graduate who now teaches and coaches there. “We had such a good time at Neuqua Valley on the team, we are all still friends, and we are still passionate about running.”
Kruszka, who graduated in 2005, shared the sentiment.
“It is awesome, and I’m so proud of Liz and Amanda,” said Kruszka, 28. “I love that so many former Neuqua cross country (team members) are still running 10 to 12 years after high school, and better yet, (are) running personal records.”
Woodward, a 2003 graduate agreed, and said the chance to run with her former teammates is why she signed up for the race.
“That sealed the deal,” said Woodward, 31. “The thought of training and running with these dear friends and old teammates again was a thrill. They continue to amaze me with their dedication and fortitude; they work incredibly hard, on and off the course.”
The trio got their start at Neuqua Valley under the direction of cross country head coach Tim McCoskey and assistant coach Andy Voller, who were just starting their teaching careers in 2002.
“McCoskey and Voller always had a way of making running fun and actually letting us have fun,” Kruszka said. “We all worked really hard together as a team, but we also had a lot of fun together.”
Woodward agreed.
“We had incredible coaches,” Woodward said. “I loved cross country at Neuqua because of the rich relationships. When you’re running side-by-side over that kind of distance, you get to know one another pretty well.”
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For McCoskey and Voller, it’s rewarding to see their former students not only running but running well.
“I am super proud,” McCoskey said. “You want kids to view running as a sport they can do for the rest of their lives, and what is so impressive about them is that they are working, they have lives and are still able to find time to train and be in three-hour marathon shape. Running is such a priority and a big part of their lives.”
Voller said he’s not surprised to see his former students at the top of their game.
“It does not surprise me that they did what they did,” Voller said. “I think the culture that Tim has created in the cross country program is one that fosters individuals to strive to do their best and (that) breeds success. The girls really latch onto and embrace the fact that hard work will pay off. That has carried over into their lifelong passion of running and is evident in their success at the marathon.”
More than a decade later, Mirochna runs with McCoskey and Voller as a member of the Neuqua cross country coaching staff.
“They are a huge reason that I am where I am and that I am doing what I am doing,” Mirochna said. “They made running so much fun and made being part of the team so much fun. They have been monumental in my life, and mentors in my life so far.”
Jane Donahue is a freelancer for the Naperville Sun.