Amy Will wasn't sure if she would be able to compete in the Grand Forks Marathon.
She had been feeling sick recently.
But with family members planning to attend the event, she figured she would give it a go. She just didn't know how hard she would be able to run.
But the runner from Warren, Minn., woke up Saturday morning feeling well enough to push herself all the way to the top.
Will won the 2019 women's Grand Forks Marathon by finishing in a time of 3 hours, 11 minutes, 26 seconds.
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It is the second marathon win for Will, who also won the Blue Ox Marathon in Bemidji in 2016.
"I was shooting for 3:10, but I had gotten sick this past week and I wasn't sure if I was going to even come," Will said. "Besides feeling congested right now, I feel really good."
Will finished just off the pace of the course record of 3:10:46 set by Mandy Elseth in 2016.
In 2016, Will ran the Grand Forks and Blue Ox marathons back-to-back in a two-week span. She's planning to do the same this year.
"I wanted to do it again," she said.
Will got off to a good start by winning in Grand Forks despite her illness this week.
"I didn't feel like I had a choice, I felt like I had to come," Will said. "And if I was really bad, I probably would have just tried to go for like a 3:30 or a little slower. . . just do it to finish."
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