Morris native clocks fastest time running 61.5 miles of I&M Canal State Trail

Completing three miles was once a big accomplishment for Justin McTague, who came late to running.On Oct. 17, the Morris native ran the entire 61.5-mile Illinois and Michigan Canal State Trail, from Rockdale to La Salle, in 10 hours, 14 minutes and 58 seconds. The time stands as the official fastest known time for the trail.McTague, 29, now lives in Plainfield. He started at 6 a.m. and reached La Salle at 4:15 p.m., holding a rolling average pace of 9 minutes, 56 seconds per mile.Then he kept going another half mile to reach 100 kilometers, his first ultramarathon at that distance.The last stretch was a bit of a struggle, he said.“Just being out there for 10 plus hours, the body starts to break down a little bit,” McTague said. “It’s a physical and mental battle to stay in the race and in the effort for the last handful of hours. It was a challenge that I welcomed and I anticipated,” he said.A team of family and friends supported him throughout the effort, including his parents, Brian