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Spring Half Marathon Draws 6,000 Runners To Lakefront

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Spring Half Marathon lived up to its billing with warm and sunny weather for the run along the lakefront Sunday morning.

Some 6,000 people ran or walked a 10K or half marathon in the 8th annual Chicago Spring Half Marathon. Organizers said they raised $104,000 this year for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Brad Spinsby, of Chicago, said he usually runs the entire half marathon, but decided to go a shorter distance this year, because his training hasn't been up to par this spring.

"It's been kind of cold, and that makes it harder to get motivated, more than anything. When the weather turns like this, it's easy to get out and go 'I want to go for a run,'" he said. "Cold winter, kind of getting back into the groove of things, so I figured the 10k was a little more my speed; you know, try not to push myself so hard."

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Chuck and Carrie Kennedy came from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to cheer on their daughter, who was running her fourth race so far this year.

"She's done the Yankee Springs Winter Challenger, which was all hills and ice. She's done the Gazelle Girl [Half Marathon]," Chuck said.

While warmer temperatures and sunshine made for great spectating, Jason from Lakeview was one of the few runners who didn't like the conditions. As he trains for his seventh Chicago Marathon, he said he prefers wetter, cooler weather.

"I'm okay with it not being warm all summer while training for a marathon. Yeah, like last year, when it was just raining, and in the 60s for the month of June, I was loving it," he said.

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