Bonfield Draws Largest Crowd Ever

From Debbie Hare of Bonfield Express:

The Bonfield Express 5K Run/Walk celebrated its largest race participation ever
on Thanksgiving morning with nearly 5,100 people registering to participate in
the event.

The race has grown in each of the eight years it has been conducted and is
considered by many to be a Thanksgiving tradition. In 2010, nearly 4,200 people
registered for the Bonfield Express 5K.

The top male finishers in today’s Bonfield Express 5K were: 1) Billy Fayette of
Clarendon Hills, 2) Todd Quednau of Chicago, and 3) Daniel Phistry of Westmont.

The top female finishers were: 1) Sarah Demos of Downers Grove, 2) Audrey
Borling of Chicago, and 3) Angela Homberg of Downers Grove. Race results have
been posted to the Bonfield Express website at www.bonfieldexpress.com.

Before the race got underway on Main Street in downtown Downers Grove, Devin
Collett, a senior at , sang a beautiful rendition
of the National Anthem for the crowd.

Langley and Boelyn Fields of Downers Grove were this year’s Honorary Race
Starters. They are the daughters of Jim and Kylie Fields of Downers Grove. Five-
year old Langley and two-year old Boelyn have been diagnosed with an extremely rare recessive genetic disorder known as Adenylosuccinate Lyase Deficiency. Their eight-year old brother Huck sounded the horn that marked the start of the
5K race.

2011 marked the first year of participation in the race by the Knockout Women’s
Boxing Club of Westmont. The club was represented by a team of 45 participants
who ran in t-shirts specially made for the occasion.

Club owner and coach Jessica Storch said, “I am excited to participate with my
group, be involved in such a wonderful community event and spread the word
about empowering women.” 

“Our goal as a company is to empower women in and out of our facility through
our services and community events. Running in the Bonfield gives our group the opportunity to come together to, be active, and help improve ourselves & our
community,” Storch added. 

This year’s race featured the latest in running apparel, a tech shirt designed to
wick moisture away from the skin keeping athletes dry and comfortable. New
pace signs helped to place runners and walkers in their appropriate starting
positions, an operational component that has become more important as the
race has grown.

“We worked very hard to make the 2011 race a safe and enjoyable experience
for all of our participants,” said race director Will Kupisch.

A post-race party held in the Downers Grove Parking Garage featured
complimentary food and beverages provided by Whole Foods and .
And a complimentary “Massage in the Garage” provided by the Sohmar School of
Holistic Massage and Therapy was popular with race participants.

The Bonfield Express 5K is dedicated to the memory of former teacher and coach Jim Bonfield and generates funds that provide
scholarship assistance to area high school students who reflect his personal
example of character, perseverance and love of community.

Since 2004, the Bonfield Express Foundation has distributed more than $150,000
in scholarships to more than 75 area high school seniors attending high school
in Community School District 99 (Downers Grove, IL), District 86 (Hinsdale,
IL), District 201 (Westmont, IL), and District 202 (Lisle, IL).  In 2011 alone, 14
scholarships were awarded.