LISLE, IL— One of the first entries for the girls 800 meters at the 2016 U.S. Army Midwest Distance Classic at Benedictine University on June 11 is Schaumburg HS sophomore standout, Madison Marasco.

After starting her freshman cross country season on the frosh-soph and JV teams, Madison broke into Schaumburg’s varsity top-7 and helped them to a sixth place team finish at the 2014 Illinois state meet.  On the track, she helped the Lady Saxon’s to another 6^th place finish at the 2015 state track meet with a 2:19.9 leg of the 4x 800m relay.

Madison started her sophomore season with All-Conference, All-Regional, All-Sectional, and All-State honors in cross country last fall, capped by a 16th place finish at the 2015 state meet with a 3-mile PR of 16:56.  On the track, indoors she won the 800 meters at the Hononegah Invitational in a PR 2:22.50, placed 5^th in the 1600m at the Mid-Suburban League Championships with a 5:13.01 PR), and ran a 2:17.9 leg of Schaumburg’s 4x 800m relay that placed 2^nd in the 3A division at the Illinois Top Times Invitational. 

Outdoors this season, Madison has run a 2:18.13 PR in the 800 for 5^th place at the Palatine Distance Night, and split 2:16.9 on Schaumburg’s MSL Conference champion 4x 800m relay. This weekend (5/13) she qualified for the state meet at the rain-soaked Hoffman Estates sectional by running a leg of the winning 4x 800m relay and placing 2^nd in the 800 meters.

Madison has a 3.875 grade point average and also loves swimming and cycling.  She plans to attempt her first sprint triathlon (for fun) this summer.

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The U.S. Army Midwest Distance Classic is a post-season track meet for high school distance runners.  Its 2016 edition will be held at the world-class track & field facility at Benedictine University in Lisle, IL, on Saturday evening, June 11, with a 7:00pm starting time and a $5.00 spectator admission fee.  Since its inception in 2005 as the "Midwest Distance Gala", this premier post-season competition has attracted 150-200 of the best boys and girls distance runners from throughout the Midwest.

After not being held in 2014, the Chicago Area Track & Field Organizing Committee (an Illinois non-profit corporation) took over the event with our small army of local coaches and running enthusiasts determined to expand the meet and secure its future.  Last year's meet featured 186 athletes from 14 states and its 8 races for boys and girls produced 24 of the top marks in the nation in those events.  Winning times for the boys & girls 800, 1600, 3200m and 2000m steeplechase races in 2015 were 1:49.73/2:13.42, 4:09.85/4:44.79, 8:56.06/11:02.62, and 6:01.79/7:22.53.

CONTACT:

Skip Stolley

Meet Director, U.S. Army Midwest Distance Classic

Chairman, Chicago Area Track & Field Organizing Committee, Inc.

[email protected]   310-200-5527