Back to the Roots: Husband/wife combo shines at Freedom Celebration race
Jul. 5—Close
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Justin Seno, Champaign, carries the american flag to the finish at Freedom Celebration 5K Race at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Ryan Root, Boulder, CO won the 5K in 15:31. 24 at the champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Ryan Root, Boulder, Co, turned right around after winning the race to encourage Kaylin Root, Boulder, Co,to be the first woman to the finish at Freedom Celebration 5K Race at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Kaylin Root, Boulder, CO, won the women's race in 17:54.99 at Freedom Celebration 5K Race at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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The start of the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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The start of the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Nathan Fredman, Urbana, came in fourth as he leads others through the mister at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Runners cool off as they hear the finish of the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Ryan Lowry, Urbana, gives his son Daniel Lowry, 4, directions before the kids race the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race in Kirby between the State Farm Center and Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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The start of the kids race the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race in Kirby between the State Farm Center and Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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The kids race the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race in Kirby between the State Farm Center and Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Zack Taake, laughs as he carries son Crew Taake, 2, though the misters after Crew stopped racing and wouldn't go through them, during the kids race the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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People line the street and chase down candy at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Poppy Truyenque, 2, Austin, TX, holds the flag she was just given at the start of the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Color Guard Post 24 at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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A bucket for donations is held on a pole on a truck in the parade at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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A member of the Ansar Eastern IL Shrine Club performs on two wheels at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Miss Champaign County Fair and Little Miss contestants at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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the Gold Sponsors float at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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People on the C-U Autism Network float cool down the people watching at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Roman Hastings, 113, Tolono, holds one end of the Campaign Regional Speedskating Club banner at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Urbana FastPitch at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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Illinois Basketball Club at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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George and Martha Washington ride on one of the Daughter's of the American Revolution cars at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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the First Place float of Girls Scout Troop 2222 at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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An MTD bus carries it's Theme Trophy in the bicycle rack at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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the Theme Trophy winner at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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A Moore's Rescue Ranch participant at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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the Platinum Sponsor float at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
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PHOTO GALLERY: Champaign County Freedom Celebration 2023
A daylong celebration of our country's birthday kicked off with kids race and the 5K at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration near State Farm Center and Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Tuesday. A parade and fireworks were to follow.
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Justin Seno, Champaign, carries the american flag to the finish at Freedom Celebration 5K Race at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Ryan Root, Boulder, CO won the 5K in 15:31. 24 at the champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Ryan Root, Boulder, Co, turned right around after winning the race to encourage Kaylin Root, Boulder, Co,to be the first woman to the finish at Freedom Celebration 5K Race at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Kaylin Root, Boulder, CO, won the women's race in 17:54.99 at Freedom Celebration 5K Race at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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The start of the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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The start of the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Nathan Fredman, Urbana, came in fourth as he leads others through the mister at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Runners cool off as they hear the finish of the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Ryan Lowry, Urbana, gives his son Daniel Lowry, 4, directions before the kids race the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race in Kirby between the State Farm Center and Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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The start of the kids race the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race in Kirby between the State Farm Center and Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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The kids race the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race in Kirby between the State Farm Center and Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Zack Taake, laughs as he carries son Crew Taake, 2, though the misters after Crew stopped racing and wouldn't go through them, during the kids race the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K Race on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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People line the street and chase down candy at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Poppy Truyenque, 2, Austin, TX, holds the flag she was just given at the start of the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Color Guard Post 24 at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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A bucket for donations is held on a pole on a truck in the parade at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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A member of the Ansar Eastern IL Shrine Club performs on two wheels at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Miss Champaign County Fair and Little Miss contestants at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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the Gold Sponsors float at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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People on the C-U Autism Network float cool down the people watching at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Roman Hastings, 113, Tolono, holds one end of the Campaign Regional Speedskating Club banner at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Urbana FastPitch at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Illinois Basketball Club at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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George and Martha Washington ride on one of the Daughter's of the American Revolution cars at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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the First Place float of Girls Scout Troop 2222 at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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An MTD bus carries it's Theme Trophy in the bicycle rack at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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the Theme Trophy winner at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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A Moore's Rescue Ranch participant at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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the Platinum Sponsor float at the Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade along Kirby/Florida and Lincoln Ave. in Champaign and Urbana on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
CHAMPAIGN — Tuesday was a banner day for the Root family.
The husband/wife duo of Ryan and Kaylin Root claimed victories in the Champaign County Freedom Celebration 5K on Tuesday morning, braving warm weather to best a field that included 485 runners.
It was the 10th victory in the event for Ryan, a Centennial graduate who had won the men's race nine consecutive times before the COVID-19 pandemic brought the races to a temporary halt in 2020.
"I don't know if I'll be back or not," Ryan said after running the course in 15 minutes, 31.24 seconds. "I was thinking about that in the last mile, whether this was going to be my last Fourth of July 5K here or not."
"My wife and I, we travel a lot and try to come back and visit family, but the Fourth of July weekend is always hectic. But this has been a staple of my summer for years ... coming back, winning a tenth one, it feels good."
Ryan didn't compete when the races returned last year due to a scheduling conflict; he and Kaylin reside in Boulder, Colo.
It was Kaylin's third time racing in the event alongside Ryan.
"I think my plan was to just go out with the other women who would probably be in front of me, at least that's what I thought," Kaylin said after logging a winning time of 17:54.99. "And then we took off at the start and I didn't see any other women, so I was like, 'I guess I'll just see how I feel.' And then at the turnaround, I didn't see any women close to me, so I was like, 'I think I've got this, I think I'll be OK.'"
Tuesday's warm weather was more humid than what they typically find out west, although Boulder is situated at an elevation of 5,318 feet.
"It's been warm recently. We've had a few days in the eighties, low nineties, but I mean, the dew point is only like 10 or something like that," Ryan said.
"I looked at the weather this morning and saw 69 degrees," Ryan continued. ... "I was hoping to come back and set a course record, but I saw the weather and knew that that was probably out of the cards."
Ryan bested Nick Godsell atop the leaderboard as the Philo native trekked the course in 16:09.35.
Champaign's Fynn Bright, Urbana's Nathan Fredman, Mahomet's Jordan Rock and Urbana's Justice Carter — an assistant track and field coach at Urbana High School — rounded out the top six of the men's race.
"This year was a lot quicker than last year," Carter said. "I didn't race last year but saw the results. But I mean, I feel like I put myself in a good spot to run well, getting back in ideal shape right now."
"I did go out pretty quick (in the) first mile, unfortunately. I didn't really maintain around that pace. But I did maintain my position for the most part."
Kaylin won the women's race over Geneseo's Josie Brown, who finished at 19:58.99. Philo's Kylie Decker, Champaign's Leslie Manohar and Champaign's Marley Yau rounded out the top five.
"My whole family is out here doing it," Brown said. "It's kind of a tradition we've done. I haven't been in the past couple of years because I've been spending time somewhere else for the fourth, but it was super fun to be back out here. Totally warm so a little bit hot, but it's alright."
Urbana cross-country coaches Zach Boehmke and Maggie Byrne also competed alongside Carter.
Byrne, who is five 1/2 months pregnant, finished the race in 29:45.32 while pushing her son, Paul, in a stroller.
"I've been doing my training with the high school team, so I have some really wonderful training partners," Byrne said. "We went out. We got started a little bit slow getting out because it gets a little crowded back there and you don't want to try to run anyone's feet over, but getting through the mile is not so bad."
The races kicked off a busy day of events in Champaign that included a parade at 11 a.m. and a fireworks performance east of State Farm Center at 9:15 p.m.
"It's a great way to kind of get things off and running,'" race organizer Tina Ammermann said. "We always have Kona Ice at two different locations that everybody loves. And then it's just really great because then you can just stay for a little while and go ahead and pick your spot and stay for the parade. ... It's just an overall great day."
