Palatine's Fleet Feet Draws An Inspired Crowd

More than 350 people converged on Sunday for Feet Fest, a 3k family fun run and walk and one of the centerpiece events of Palatine’s Downtown Street Fest.

Sponsored by the Palatine Park District, the walk/run started at Towne Square and the course wound its way through downtown before finishing at .

Stretching before the race, Jen Lang said she was inspired by her girlfriend, Jennifer McDevitt, a Palatine resident, who ran eight marathons in seven years while being treated for brain cancer.        

“Anytime I run, that’s Jen on my shoulder,” she said.

McDevitt garnered national attention because of her plight. She and her husband, Glen, formed a national foundation to advocate for brain cancer victims. She died in November.

Feet Fest was Lang’s first race with her 9-year-old God child Savannah Paisley, who said she trained at a camp at Wheeling High School.

“As I get older, we are going to try to do more,” Savannah said.

Gavin Falotico, a freshman at Palatine High School, was the first runner to cross the finish line, outdistancing the rest of the field by a comfortable margin.

Covered in sweat as he downed a bottle of water after the finish, Falotico said his performance might push him to try out for his school’s track or cross country team.

Pushing a walker and wearing straw sun hat, Ken Bunce drew applause as he crossed the finish line.

“I start last,” he said with a grin, “and try not to let anyone pass me.”