Police Officer Takes #1 In Half Marathon

Niles Police Officer John Gaba has added another top finish to his growing list of marathon and half-marthon races. 

He came in first out of the 368 runners who finished the Splish Splash half-marathon, sponsored by Key Lime Cove, an indoor waterpark in Gurnee. 

Gaba ran the 13.1 miles in one hour and 31 minutes. 

Gaba's father, John Gaba Sr., who also works for the Niles Police Department, told Niles Patch his son has run four marathons and a half Iron Man triathlon, which involves swimming 1.2 miles, biking 56 miles and running 13.1 miles, for a total distance of 70.3 miles. 

During October's Chicago marathon, which attracts runners worldwide, Gaba came in 2,621 out of 36,088 runners. He'll run it again this October, hoping to qualify for the Boston marathon. 

Carly Gaba, John's wife and a Glenview police officer, is also a runner, but has to take it easy right now. Gaba Sr. said the couple is expecting their fourth child.