Illinois Marathon: Man happy he went distance despite pain

CHAMPAIGN – It's not often you hear someone say in the same breath he's ecstatic and in excruciating pain. Ben VonBehren did Saturday, smiling, wincing and sucking in air through clenched teeth as he limped into Memorial Stadium at 3 p.m.

The 22-year-old Sadorus man completed his first marathon with his aunt holding him up. A veteran of about 20 marathons in the last 12 years, Anita Sanders, 48, had the doting aunt aura big-time as she helped her nephew cross the finish line.

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