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Chicago Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Chicago Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.7 
Organization 4.3 
Spectators 4.9
Number of comments: 949 [displaying comments 361 to 371]
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Dean Meixner from Pittsburgh
(10/10/2007)
"HOT but not as bad as some say" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Sure it was HOT, and you all should have known that by no later than Friday and prepared properly. Don't blame the race or those who coordinated it. You shouldn't have tried for the PR, but just to finish it. Sure they had to shut it down, but we were all susceptible to the weather, every one of us.... It could have been you in the hospital or the medical tent. If you are reading this, it probably wasn't and that is good so be thankful. Maybe you had enough juice to get you to the finish line on time.... I did. I'm thankful that I run with a heart rate monitor and knew my limits. When I was pushing too high, I walked and backed off, then started up again. I finished nowhere near what I anticipated, but I also did not anticipate 91 degrees (according to electronic temperature sign on course) when I signed up months ago. Roll with the punches. Everyone did a great job. There was water and plenty of it; the problem was that people were using the water to cool off with rather than to just drink. People were taking 3-4 glasses of it (I am included in that during certain points, so I blame myself as well). The CROWDS were fantastic! I have never seen so many rally around the circumstances. People handing out ice and bottles of water from their own personal coolers. Thank you to all of you spectators who supported us during this hellashish marathon day. Kudos to all of you who had the oomph to finish, running or walking. Kudos to those of you who had the oomph just to line up on such a treacherous day, regardless of whether you got cut off or not, you made history on Sunday. I am thankful that I was not one of the 300+ who needed assistance and I am certainly glad that they had enough courage to shut it down for fear of something tragic occurring. Remember... it could have been you - you never know. | |
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J. S. from Champaign, il.
(10/10/2007)
"Marathoners should have endured circumstances" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I, like just about every one else, trained very hard for this marathon. I am still trying to qualify for Boston. I started from Corral B and kept my Boston qualifying pace for about 10 miles. At that point I realized that I would not be able to keep it up and switched to just having fun at the marathon. During my training there were days much hotter than this day, some of us just chose not to run those days or adjusted our training and we paid the price. I did not qualify for Boston, but I did finish. This is what I experienced: I saw thousands of spectators cheering and supporting us - so many offered me water, food, beer, anything to keep me going. Thank you. The volunteers that I saw were working so hard to keep up with the demands of the hot day. Thank you. I never wanted for anything during the marathon except for cooler weather and faster legs. I trained very hard to qualify for Boston and I alone fell short of that goal. I will try again next year in Chicago this time knowing that the people there will take care of me and cheer for me and encourage me to finish no matter what. | |
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B. Y. from Atlanta
(10/10/2007)
"Errors were made, but decision to end was correct" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I, like other commentators, attest to the fact that water was absent or in very low supply at several points along the first half. It is frustrating to hear race officials say that plenty of water was available when I know was not the case. I believe the organizers should have planned for additional water. On the other hand, the conditions were extreme and, in my opinion, forgiveness is in order. Although I was angry at first, it did not take long for me to realize that the organizers made the correct decision to end the race. Certainly many of us (especially Southerners, like myself, who are used to the heat) could have finished the race. The fact of the matter is, however, that medical resources were showing signs of strain and could have been overwhelmed if runners continued to drop at an unprecedented rate. My primary recommendation is that the race begin at an earlier hour in the future. Eight is too late, especially when it takes at least an half hour to get all of the runners over the start line. Also, the school buses used for shuttles were very disappointing (and hot). Aside from these problems, I thought the race was well organized. Gear check was quick and easy, and the massage tent was a godsend. Although ice was in very short supply when I arrived in the finish area, I was able to find some ice bags discarded by others and really appreciated the thoughtfulness of an ice tent. | |
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M. A. from ohio
(10/10/2007)
"Organizers should have planned ahead" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 My sister and I were running for charity and really didn't care about our time-we just wanted to raise money and finish. Because of the weather I had a fuel belt and carried gatorade, extra gel, and money. We were running around the 5:15 pace group-it is our first marathon. I am not sure how organizers can say there was plenty of liquid b/c there just was not. The second station was just empty tables-nobody was even there. We saw no mist provided by the race organizers-just spectators with garden hoses and a few firemen. We never had bananas or ice or the cold rags. Thankfully we had family at several locations who handed us chilled water and gatorade bottles. So, we had water-but many didn't. Our family members said people were begging them for drinks. How can people take gels and energy blocks/beans without water. Secondly, if you notice in the photos-it was not just runners dumping water on themselves, the people working the water tables were dumping gallons of water on runners. I saw this at quite a few places - other places were out all together. Another question I have is why we were told we had to reroute? We were past the 25k, heading to mile 17 around 11:30 and were told to reroute and run back through the finish (from the wrong direction), step on the red mat and go get our medal?? Why did some people 5 minutes ahead of us get to continue on the regular course? We were 3.5 miles past the halfway point. We felt completely fine-we ran a slow pace and had our drinks in hand-there was no doubt we could have finished in the time allowed. The reroute almost seemed worse because some people really needed drinks and the road they sent us down had no fluid stations and we never saw 'cooling' buses to give rides back.When we finished, there were 1000s of water and gatorade bottles at the finish line that could have been better used on the course.I don't want to sound bitter, but I have a hard time when I continue hearing the race director act like all the blame should fall on the runners and the heat. Plenty of us ran all summer in the heat. When they decided to move the marathon to an earlier date they should have moved to a 6:30 start. With the predicted weather,there should have been at least 25 locations for fluids. | |
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D. F. from New York
(10/10/2007)
"I trained 5d, raced, finished AND had a good time!" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Thank you Chicago for another great marathon! This was my third time in Chicago and I know I will be back for years to come - rain or shine / sun or sleet! | |
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H. A. from Massachusetts
(10/10/2007)
"Missing results for this runner" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 ran the 2007 Chicago Marathon as far as mile 16 before I was diverted to the finish. I crossed all the timing wires through 25 K and my family was tracking my progress on-line. At mile 16 runners were informed that the course was closed and were directed to continue down Jackson St. to the finish area. We then were instructed to cross the finish line North to South (the wrong way), turn around, and go South to North (the correct direction) across the finish line a second time. Somehow I have disappeared from all the 2007 entry database and the results database and would like to know why. Have others suffered the same fate? | |
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J. S. from Chicago, IL
(10/10/2007)
"Organizers really dropped the ball" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 6+ Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 This was my seventh Chicago Marathon and my first negative experience. While the weather was unseasonably hot, I have completed marathons in much worse conditions in other parts of the country. However, those race organizers provided adequate fluids to runners, and thus did not create the carnage that the Chicago organizers created. Shutting down the race was the right thing to do, not because of the warm weather, but because of the poor race preparation by the organizers. Runners who did not receive the promised hydration at least deserve a refund. | |
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E. S. from Chicagoland
(10/10/2007)
"Tell the truth Carey!" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 6+ Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 I applaud the Chicago Marathon organizers for shutting down the marathon. It was the right thing to do. What I am upset about is the fact that Carey Pinkowski keeps blaming the runners for the water shortage! I read that he said the claims of water shortage by runners was not exactly true. Bull Hockey! I was on that course! At mile one, there were only cups on the road, as a tell-tale sign that there was ever a water station there! No tables, no water, no volunteers! Just trampled cups! I am tired of the runners being blamed for this fiasco! Of course the marathon directors cannot be blamed for the weather, nor for the decision to call the marathon. But, do NOT blame the runners! This marathon is not the first in which runners dump water on themselves to cool themselves! What did Pinkowski expect? Should we not do that and just die? Take your lumps Carey, and admit that you did not have enough water for the situation which your organization fore-warned in an email sent a week prior to the race! If you continue to blame the runners, I myself, will never run the Chicago Marathon again. You are angering the very community who has supported your marathon for years. Quit trying to cover yourself and admit you goofed! A bit of humble pie would be refreshing at this point! | |
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W. D. from Connecticut
(10/10/2007)
"Wouldn't do Chicago again" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 This is my 15th marathon, but my first Chicago marathon. I did not mind the heat because I have trained in heat, and from my perspective, there was plenty of water and Endurox. There should have been MORE water stations, at every mile, because they seemed to be about 2 miles apart and I got thirsty very quickly. I feel that by cancelling the race they denied the very spirit of the marathon, which is a test of endurance. I understand that the heat made it physically impossible for some runners to complete the course, but those of us that could,should have been given the choice. The marathon ain't a walk in the park, not for anyone, and the runners should have been allowed the make their own decisions. If a person was running for a loved one, or for any other personal reason, cancelling the marathon degraded that effort. Calling off the race makes me think that race officials were looking out for themselves and trying to cut out potential lawsuits. | |
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P. B. from Memphis, TN
(10/10/2007)
"Experienced runners adjust to race conditions" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Adjust to the conditions. Don't whine to the media. |
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