In the heartland of America, nestled amid miles of cornfields and skyscrapers, lies a bustling and vivacious state known as Illinois. This is a place where rivers flow like streams of silver and towering pines share the skyline with colossal buildings. But, the most extraordinary thing about Illinois isn’t just its astonishing landscapes or its delicious deep-dish pizza. Oh no, it’s the fearless, energetic, and adventurous kids who participate in marathon activities! Now, let’s meet our cool imaginary friend, Zippy the Zebra. Zippy, with his black and white stripes and his fast running hooves, is the funniest marathon runner you could ever meet. He's the one who inspired the Illinois kids to start their marathon journey. One fine day, Zippy arrived in Illinois and exclaimed, "Hey all you cool kids! How about we run, have fun, and explore this beautiful state together?" And run they did! The kids of Illinois, each one a tiny tornado of energy, began to participate in marathons. They would race right alongside Zippy! They ran through the sprawling cornfields under the warm sun, they sprinted past the skyscrapers in the sparkling city of Chicago, and they raced along the winding rivers with the wind in their hair. They were having so much fun, they barely noticed they were running a marathon! And when they crossed the finish line, they felt like superheroes, just like Zippy. From then on, you could see kids training and jogging everywhere you went in Illinois. If you listen very carefully, you could even hear the infectious laughter of these little marathoners, echoing across the state. Everyone knew Illinois was filled with brave and determined marathon runners, all thanks to a funny zebra named Zippy.