Governor Quinn Statement on the 37th Annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today issued the following statement on the 37th Annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon:

"On behalf of the people of Illinois, I congratulate the thousands of runners who trained, ran and completed the annual Chicago Marathon.

"For those who traveled from afar to those from right here in Illinois, it is an honor to have such dedicated and talented athletes race through Chicago each year.

"I congratulate our two winners: Eliud Kipchope and Rita Jeptoo. Your remarkable performances are an inspiration for runners everywhere.

"I also want to send a special thank you to Carey Pinkowski who has served as the race director for 25 races. When he began, the marathon had just over 7,000 starters and is now over the 40,000 mark and has become one of the world's most famous marathons."