Founders' Days 2012 Might Have Set Record

Algonquin's Founders' Days opened fast out of the blocks Sunday with the annual Founders' Run and ended with a bang, indeed, quite a few at the Founders' Fireworks.

About 100 runners converged on Algonquin Middle School for the 5K and 10K races through the East Side this year.  Algonquinite Paul Smith led the pack in the 5k with a 17:33.1 time, followed by fellow resident. Alex Johnson at 17:48.0. Samantha Baran was fourth and first among the women with a time of 20:00.1

In the 10K, LITH's David Manikowski, the top local runner, came in third with a time of 43:06.0, with Algonquin's Todd Graba fourth at 44:23.3.  LITh's Brooke Domich was fifth and first among women with a time of 44:43.3.

Full results for both races are here: http://racetime.info/results/2012-results-old/2012-results-july/

All afternoon teen bands played their little hearts out at Towne Park in the regional competition of the Illinois Battle of the Bands.  Sycamore's Desolation Row and Grandwood/Warren's October Road advanced to the Final at Springfield.

A hefty crowd gathered at Riverfront Park Sunday evening for the fireworks.  Indeed, while final counts aren't in yet, anecdotally, attendance for all four days of Algonquin's 52nd Founders's Days was good and Friday and Saturday may have set all-time records.

In the pics:  (above) Guess which kid won the Founders' One mile run Sunday.   (below)  Fireworks brought a reverberating end to Founders' Days 52nd observance.