Newtown’s Jennifer Willis Competes In Urbanathlon

Newtown’s Jennifer Willis competed in the Men’sHealth Urbanathlon in Chicago, recently.

She placed second in the Athena over 40 division, finishing the 12-mile course, which included six obstacles, in 2:23.47.

The race incorporates distance running with obstacles, cardio endurance, and muscle strength. The course was a grueling 12 miles and included tires, monkey bars, marine hurdles, jumping over a taxi cab, scaling an eight-foot wall and running one mile of stairs in Solider Field.

The runners endured frigid temperatures, hail, rain, sleet, and sun, with a return of rain and sleet in the final miles. 

After the cancellation of the New York City Urbanathlon, people who either work or train at Sportsplex in Bethel — including Willis, a personal trainer at Sportsplex — decided to make the trek to Chicago.

Willis, also certified in Les Mills Body Pump, and a spin instructor, completed the 12-mile event despite suffering an ACL injury on a marine hurdle about eight miles into the competition.

Kimmie Rodrigues of Brookfield was first in the Athena over 40 division in a time of 2:18.41.