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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 371 to 381]
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Shelby Ricketts from Dallas, Texas
(10/10/2007)
"Being the World's Largest Marathon Doesn't Pay Off" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 I ran it in 2001 as my third marathon. It was great because the fall weather was perfect. But, Chicago's size worked against it this year. When conditions are good, 45,000 runners can enjoy it. But throw in any little contingency and it becomes unmanageable, as it did this year. I have read all the debate about whether they should have cancelled it, whether there was enough water, etc. But I was there, and the bottom line is this: if water was available (which is debatable), it was hard to get because of the swarms of hot, dehydrated people. There are just too many people crammed on to this course! Do yourself a favor - do New York or Marine Corps. They are big, but they seem to know their limits and do not set their sites on being the World's Largest Marathon each year. Chicago has gotten too big and was finally exposed. | |
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E. E. from Chicago, IL
(10/10/2007)
"It's always the cover up worse than the crime" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I'm willing to cut the organizers a fair amount of slack. Even though I think much of this was foreseeable (I had a sense of foreboding from when I first started watching forecasts 10 days out), I'm not sure how much of it was preventable for logistical and other reasons. I am, however, getting pissed off about their deny, deny, deny reactions and their blaming the victims mentality. They've said that no stations ran out of water when there's video of runners lined up in convenience stores to buy water and Gatorade. They've said the reason supplies were short is that runners were dumping water over their heads rather than merely drinking it (they should be happy that was the case). I doubt they did everything they could have, but I also doubt that everything could have been made OK. It was a tough day and it's amazing that there weren't more serious health problems to come out of it. As usual, though, the cover-up or poor response may be worse than the reality of what they did or didn't do. On an up side, I have to commend the aid station volunteers. With frantic runners and tough weather and logistical conditions for the volunteers themselves, I was impressed by how hard they were working to serve us runners. A big THANK YOU from me for their effort. | |
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N. M. from Chicago
(10/9/2007)
"Disappointed and listed Finishers DNF" (about: 2007)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 I ran with the 5:30 pace group. First time marathon-several half marathons all about 2:15. I'm very disappointed I wasn't given the option to finish the course-I felt great. I had just passed the 25k began to pick up my pace; but continued the 3-2 run walk my pace group was doing. Then, I get just past mile 16 about 3 hours from my start 11:30 am and I'm told we can not continue, the course is closed, there is no more water south and no more ambulances. We were instructed to continue down Jackson back to Grant Park where we were then led to the finish and they had us cross it. I'm listed as a finisher-I did not finish and I know many others did not either-the 26000 finishers in reality is probably much less. Water/gatorade for back of the pack was an issue. I almost skipped first aid station-grateful. I didn't, but I'm sure many others did - which is why we had both gatorade and water there. 2nd aid station had nothing for us. Third station might have had water; but no cups or something...I can't remember. And every station after that was ok; but you didn't know what to expect-and no gatorade anywhere-and much needed. Terrible. $110 for what? I want a refund or half back and half off next year or something | |
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M. G. from Arizona
(10/9/2007)
"Lessons to be learned from all angles..." (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 9th Chicago; 45th overall. I will run again and will do Chicago again because I learned long ago to plan accordingly for anything. It's a lesson that especially first-timers (which this race has a lot of) should heed. Look at the posts on this blog; most have run this course several times over; why? Because the organization and spectators have earned your respect. You can't be too critical when you know you'll usually get a great race delivered. Bottom line is YOU have to be the one that comes prepared and ready to realistically readjust your game plan when circumstances warrant it this clearly was the lesson from this past Sunday. Runners scurrying/dodging slower runners early on to pass you illustrated stupidity and futility what were you thinking? Running in the full sun instead of the shade of buildings - huh? Looking at your watches all throughout the race; your time goal should have been tossed like your water cups early on. Almost 10,000 runners scrapped it before it even started - maybe they were the smartest ones of all. Canceling the race before it started? There would have been anarchy in the streets. As it was, runners long after they were told to stop "running" kept running. Timing had no significance once the race was canceled. Did you want to add to the potential victims of heat exhaustion? No doubt, Chicago and other races, will learn from this malaise. You can never have too many cups or too much water - neither spoil. Having supplies in 'biblical proportions' should have been the goal. Though 15 water stops were part of the original game plan, an additional 11 would have eased the crunch at the tables. Like others have said, I was fortunate to not have experienced the lack of water or Gatorade. I'm a 3:40 runner and was at 4:20 when the race was called, so the mayhem was unfolding behind us that we weren't aware of. Hence, the flow of misinformation and inconsistency in numbers/facts/events being reported that transpired. A lack of dependable and reliable information probably doomed this race most of all. Without a network of solid communication, there are opportunities for anything and everything to happen. Were there walkie-talkies/cell phones, etc. available to coordinate the need for additional fluids, cups, personnel, manpower, etc. to be deployed where needed? There were no flags at any mile marker or water stop that could have communicated that the race was canceled, etc. A giant sign at the expo warning of the potential for hazardous weather-related issues a strong likelihood could have been posted. While there were announcements race morning about the weather, it's too late to do much about it - you had to arrive to the start line already knowing it was going to be a rough day and adjust accordingly. Pushing the field to 45,000+ tests the limit of any event; it compounds and sometimes overwhelms the infrastructure. No matter the challenge, it is magnified once in you're in big numbers like this race. I cannot imagine what would have happened had the other 10,000 (or all 45,000) showed up. Calling the race was the right thing to do; it's what an experienced and prepared race committee is prepared to do. This race didn't get this big by resting on its' laurels - it has consistently delivered a great race almost flawlessly year after year - this website proves it. It is a lesson that should give everyone pause, especially first-timers. Look at everything around you, but most of all, look at yourself and be realistic before you step over the start line. | |
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R. R. from Chicago, IL
(10/9/2007)
"The People of My Hometown Made Me Proud" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 3 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Unbelievable, the only word I can use to describe the experience this past Sunday. The heat, too hot to run in, to walk in, to sit and stretch your cramped legs in. The walk for many miles of a marathon, not as part of a race day strategy, but as a 'safety' to keep going. The fascinating discussions with other runners, people who have trained for this event, hundreds of miles, only to realize they were cramping in places they didn't know they where capable of getting cramps. The crowds of people hosing down runner after runner along 18th street, handing out ice on Jackson, watching out and taking care of fallen runners along the way. This is what I will remember from Sunday, the people of Chicago, reacting to and attempting to take control of a bad situation. | |
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E. O. from Alberta, Canada
(10/9/2007)
"Hospitalized...but organizers not to blame!" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 That's right. I was one of those hospitalized. And don't get me wrong, this was my tenth marathon and I have completed ultra-marathons under similar conditions (29 degrees, 95% humidity) but without the proper aid at the stations...this race blew me away. I made it to mile 19 before collapsing and being rescued by pedestrians. There was water at the aid stations if you were willing to wait to get it, but there certainly was not gatorade. By the time I reached mile 18 my electrolytes were way out of balance - regardless of the fact that I brought gu and my own gatorade. The funny thing is that I don't believe there was any thing more the organizers could have done to prepare for this event. It was a bad day for most of us, and if you are an experienced runner you realize that you can't control the external. I will be back next year to finish the race I started. What an OUTSTANDING city! Chicagoans are life savers! | |
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J. A. from Cal Coast
(10/9/2007)
"Responsibility and the Chicago Marathon" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 ...according to the news accounts temperature was 88 degrees with a humidity factor of 50%, ambient temperature mid-90's... Honestly, it was scary at times...seeing ordinary folks passed out on the course (scores of people) and the ambulances running early and often (according to reports they ran out of ambulances and had to use suburban municipal paramedics as a fall back). With regard the danger involved and racing: yes indeed marathons can be dangerous and we do have ambulances at marathons and yes they get used. Strictly anecdotally from my experience, no scientific survey information, nevertheless, once maybe twice in a race of twenty thousand people do you see or hear the ambulances...but on Sunday the ambulances felt like they were 'in play' from as early as mile ten that morning, non stop until for us @ 5 p.m. when we left for the airport. Unfortunately and tragically, one competitor died... we honor and pray for him and his family... In my view, the race was poorly managed: only 15 water stops for 45,000 registered athletes, usually in the States @ our 'big city' marathons, you have water stops every mile...they were at least 11 water stops light... according to published reports organizers ran out of Gatorade and water... the 15 water stops forced bottlenecks at key distribution points forcing folks to make bad choices about getting hydrating, or ' soldiering on ' without hydrating... Focusing on the positive, I would like to offer a couple-three ideas on how we might have a better event: Communications: Email communications to participants notifying them the need for an earlier start: emails generally consisted of sales pitches for marathon-related merchandise, rarely covering real event details. Collaboration: There needed to be better communication on the course: folks were given conflicting directions relative to the cancellation and literal directions to the conclusion of the event from different race and public officials. Coordination: Race Directors must have contingencies; for example, knowing that it was going to be hot 1-2 weeks earlier, there needed to be an alternative start time and additional water stops and supplies for the athletes. Folks it is not unheard of for races to start at 6 a.m. here and abroad when necessary to deal with traffic and or weather. Ultimately, someone has to be responsible, yes accountable for the events plan, and poor execution, enough said... In the end I had a magnificent run on a most surprising and humbling day... indeed, I am glad to be alive... Chicago is a beautiful city... with unbelievably supportive crowds, volunteers and citizens.... | |
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M. J. from Midwest
(10/9/2007)
"Course/crowds were awesome; race disappointing" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon, and what a way to start!! While I feel I was a part of history, I also feel disappointed with my finish. I had hopes of finishing in 4:15 (with a pace group); however I finished a full hour later after being forced to walk. It was a wild experience. I counted the 20th "runner down" around mile 21. There was no water left at mile 4, so many of us were in a deficit by mile 6. The crowds were fabulous!! If it weren't for them and their hoses, candy, water, ice and spirit, many more of us wouldn't have made it to the finish. I'll be back to try Chicago again. I have to right that wrong!!! | |
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R. G. from Battle Creek, MI
(10/9/2007)
"Great marathon, unless it's hot" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 2 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 I ran this one last year, and it was great. This year, despite a week's worth of forecasts calling for record highs, the race officials seemed to put forth only an ad hoc effort. Cooling buses, misting stations, sponges and ice all started on or around the 20 mile-mark, leaving slower runners out in the extreme heat for 3-4 hours without any relief, and some real problems getting water or Gatorade at the water stops. I took a DNF, because I couldn't keep going to the first point (mile 20) where I could cool my core temperature to something under 101. | |
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Jenna Herron from Chicago, IL
(10/9/2007)
"Thank you, spectators, volunteers and coordinators" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 2 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my second Chicago marathon and I was even more impressed with the support provided by spectators and volunteers this year! I shared in the disappointment of thousands of runners and when I made the difficult decision, around mile 9, to modify my pace and by 16, to stop my watch, eventually finishing nearly an hour off pace. That said, EVERYONE of us should be proud of ourselves and thank everyone who tried to help us reach our goals. Marathoners are a mentally and physically tough group of people in varying ratios. The coordinators made a good call as many runners were more mentally tough than their bodies could keep up with. I found no shortage or water, and I believe I was only a few miles ahead of runners who were turned around- yes I did have to wait to have water poured, but considering conditions this is a sacrifice we must understand (I was also taking 2 cups at some stations- so it needs to be expected!) I would rather not own my time, but I can still own my effort. There is no one to blame, as no one can control the weather. Coordinators are being criticized for not making early decisions based on weather, but we need to realize all that they did do in organizing a 40,000 person race and what is required of a city to host this marathon. Plans cannot be changed on a day or 2 notice, and they did made the difficult decision to keep as many of us safe and call the race, and that is what counts! |
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