Joe Beilstein of Jefferson Township was among four runners who ran the Boston Marathon virtually the morning of Sept. 13, running a portion of the Freeport Rails to Trails.

JEFFERSON TWP — It wasn't Boston.

But it was close.

Jefferson Township residents Jim Csonka, Joe Beilstein and Micci Hutterer, along with former Mars resident Christie Beavers, all qualified to run in this year's Boston Marathon.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced postponement of the fabled event in March. It was moved to September, only to be postponed again and turned into a virtual race.

Runners were given a two-week window to run a 26.2-mile marathon and submit their times. This quartet did so the morning of Sept. 13, running a portion of the Freeport Rails to Trails.

They began the run at 6:30 a.m. and finished within four and a half hours.

“We measured 13.1 miles out, turned around and came back,” Csonka, 59, said. “It wasn't sanctioned or anything. We wanted to get together and do it.

Read more in Thursday's Butler Eagle.