Jon Hager works as a death investigator and teaches forensic science, but he said it was just a coincidence that he decided to run a marathon in the park commemorating the second deadliest battle of the Civil War.
“I’m originally from Minnesota, and I didn’t know anything about it until I entered this race and started getting emails about the history,” the 39-year-old Cumming, Ga., resident said Saturday morning in Fort Oglethorpe after winning the 36th Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon in 2 hours, 40 minutes, 22 seconds.
“I needed a 12-week span for training, and I started August 1st looking for something,” said Hager, who now has run four marathons with the last previous one in February 2014 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. “This was the only one (reasonably close to home) that fit that span.
“I loved it. It was very challenging.”
Hager saw three deer during the picturesque race and said the sunny, slightly chilly weather was perfect.