Keeping it all in the family: Three for the road since '98

Last update: October 7, 2007 - 10:30 PM

Cousins Jenny Chillstrom, Kristin Sailsbury and Beth Jensen ran their first marathon together nine years ago, and about that time they vowed that each of them would run 10 marathons before their 30th birthdays.

They have one to go.

The threesome crossed the Twin Cities Marathon finish line together Sunday morning. Chillstrom and Jensen each surpassed the goal before her 30th birthdays. Sailsbury plans to reach No. 10 when the three get together for a February marathon in California near Jensen's Redondo Beach home, four months before Sailsbury turns 30.

The three ran cross-country together when they attended Rosemount High School. Their first marathon was the 1998 Twin Cities.

"And that's only because my dad registered us without telling us," said Chillstrom, who lives in Burnsville.

They've been running them together since then.

On Sunday, they finished arm-in-arm in 4:04:52.

"We keep each other strong," Chillstrom said.

STORY AND PHOTO BY JERRY ZGODA

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