CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - Every runner taking part in the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend has a purpose for entering the event. For some, it's a competition to see who will cross the finish line first. For others, it's a great way to see the Champaign-Urbana area.
AJ Hood and Aidan Stephens they're racing because of fantasy football.
The business majors are on the cusp of graduating from the University of Illinois but still face the major test of running a half-marathon. After finishing in last place in their ten-person fantasy league, their fellow online competitors settled on the race being their punishment.
"I don't have a good track record with fantasy," Aidan says. "I've lost before and I've had to run a milk mile. So it's a little bit better now, we've just upped the miles just got rid of the milk."
AJ and Aidan are athletic and participate in sports at the university, but are not accustomed to long-distance running. AJ plays for the Illini club volleyball team, while Aidan serves as a team manager for the women's basketball team. While their respective sports require hustle, maintaining the speed over long periods is something they needed to get used to.
"Probably the hardest thing for me was getting from a mile to two miles," AJ says. "After the first three weeks or so and I could finally go two miles, but it was brutal. I had to work for it and I was really gassed after all my runs."
Gradually, the pair became more accustomed to running, pushing their distances each week they trained. Not only have they learned the physical toll the 13.1-mile race will take, AJ and Aidan have found it will also test their minds.
"We took it in stride and we just know a lot of it's mental," says Aidan.
The friends and roommates say decisions early in the NFL season cost them a chance at winning big. AJ says his fantasy season was doomed when he chose San Fransisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey as the first overall pick. He only played 4 games during the season due to injury. Aidan later picked Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, but opted to trade him early in the season. Barkley would go on to challenge the NFL's single-season rushing record.
As race day nears, the training has gradually become easier. AJ shared that in recent weeks, he reached 9 miles without issue and is ready for the task ahead.
"It's a lot different than just getting through my runs; I'm kind of enjoying my runs now," AJ says.
While the upcoming graduates have aspirations of finishing the race in under two hours, they both say crossing the finish line is an achievement of its own.
Copyright 2025. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
