'Hobby jogger' sets PR in fastest time at 2026 Milwaukee Marathon
· Yahoo Sports
David Vannucchi has rock-solid running credentials.
He was a three-time WIAA cross-country champion at Luther High School in Onalaska. He was a distance runner at the University of Wisconsin.
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But now that the 24-year-old Vannucchi is a financial analyst, he makes it sound like he’s just like any of the over 4,000 runners who participated in the Journal Sentinel Milwaukee Marathon on April 11.
“To be honest, I haven't really kept up with running as much as I should,” he said. “I describe myself as a hobby jogger these days.
“I’ve had some solid training the last two months, so I was able to get my legs back under me. But I’m definitely not in the same shape I was back in college.”
So Vannucchi didn’t just roll out of bed and finish the race in 2 hours 30 minutes and 24 seconds for the overall fastest time. But he did kind of just sign up for the race on a whim after his former UW teammate Tony Adriansen won the event last year. Vannucchi hadn’t even really studied the course.
“I looked at the map online, but I really had no idea,” he said.
That’s an impressive time for just his second marathon. He ran a 26.2-mile race in the Twin Cities in the fall, but he hurt his calf in the build-up, so he wants to consider the Milwaukee Marathon his first real finish.
“Just training,” Vannucchi said. “Having more miles in my legs. Also the weather was incredible. Course was flatter.
"And I had the police escort, so of course it’s going to be a faster day.”
He finished nearly seven minutes ahead of Sam Jannsen (2:37:19).
"About as expected," Jannsen said of his race. "Wind was kind of tough at the end for a little bit. Running alone all day, but it was fun."
Vannucchi was also running alone, so he had to push himself toward the finish line at Humboldt Park. He had a handful of friends and family to greet him after he finished alongside runners who were completing their half-marathons.
“The last mile, the crowd was really, really nice,” Vannucchi said. “And it was kind of downhill, which I wasn’t expecting.”
Up next for him is the Chicago Marathon in the fall.
“Hopefully another PR,” Vannucchi said. “More miles in my legs.”
But nothing beats a race in the city he calls home.
“I knew this course was faster,” Vannuchhi said. “From my understanding, this is the premier Milwaukee marathon, so I’m glad I’m able to come out and get it done today.”
Pretty good for a hobby jogger.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 'Hobby jogger' sets PR in fastest time at 2026 Milwaukee Marathon