Student takes second in division at Northshore Inline Marathon

UW-Superior grad student, KJ Stilling took second place in the quad-skates division of the 2018 Northshore Inline Marathon.

Stilling finished in the top third overall out of 787 participants, good for 243rd place, overall

University of Wisconsin-Superior grad student KJ Stilling took second place in the quad-skates division of the 2018 Northshore Inline Marathon. Stilling (34) finished the 26-mile course in 1:33:25, reaching a top speed of 26 mph, and averaged 16.7 mph.

Stilling raced in the quad division, which refers to the old-school roller skates typically seen in roller rinks. Quad skates are less efficient than inline skates and have wheels about half the size of elite and professional inline skates. Even with less efficient skates, Stilling finished in the top third overall out of 787 participants, good for 243rd place, overall.

Keeping Busy

In March, Stilling attended a triathlon training camp in Henderson, Nevada. In May, he participated in a cycling training camp in Park City, Utah, and competed in the Utah State Criterium Championship. In June, he ran in Grandma’s Marathon and three triathlons near Chicago. In one of the triathlons, Stilling was a guide for a visually impaired triathlete. He completed two more triathlons in July at Island Lake, near Duluth, and attempted the Superiorman triathlon in August. Stilling, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree and hopes to become a counselor, is heading to Arlington, Virginia, where he will run in the Marine Corps Marathon in October as a member of Team Semper Fi.

Growing up in Stanwood, Washington, Stilling has lived in Duluth since 2016. He served in the Marine Corps from 2003 to 2009 and was deployed twice to Iraq in 2004 and 2006. After leaving the Marines, Stilling has struggled to adjust to civilian life.

Yet for Stilling, things are getting better. Through help from organizations like The Semper Fi Fund, Dare2Tri, and Project Hero, in which veterans get the opportunity to participate in therapeutic athletic activities. These organizations get veterans out of their homes to socialize and exercise with other veterans.

Stilling found a sense of belonging in Team Semper Fi and the Semper FI Fund, which is why he is now planning to run the Marine Corps Marathon and raise money for The Semper Fi Fund. The Semper Fi Fund is a highly rated charity, providing urgently needed resources and support for post-9/11 combat wounded, critically ill, and catastrophically injured members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.

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