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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 401 to 411]
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C. L. from Orlando, Florida
(10/9/2007)
"Great race without the heat" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my 3rd year running this race and although the heat caused a problem it was still a great race. Spectators were amazing. They were helping runners out so much, whether they were watering us down or helping runners who had gone down. I know that everyone is complaining about the heat. Chicago had no control over it. I never had a problem with water but I was in corral C so I might have been better than those behind me. Cancelling the race was not an option because of how many people were there from outside of the area. Even moving the race to an early start, although it might have helped, there is no way to get the volunteers changed and the course set up in time. I am in the medical profession, and from my stand-point there was enough medical help. The problem came when runners themselves did not know when to stop. I stopped at mile 23 because of dehydration but I knew what to look for and yes, I had been hydrating all week. I also live in Florida. Although I have trained in heat we start the runs at 4 or 4:30 am to beat the sun and the heat. The two combined just made for a bad race. I know that it is disappointing for some not to be able to finish, you have to understand that from a medical standpoint it was the correct thing to do. I am sure that if you do the race next year things would be completely different. | |
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M. O. from Chicago, USA
(10/9/2007)
"They did the right thing . . ." (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 It was hot, humid, and I think that even though everyone is upset, race officials did the right thing by calling the race. There was plenty of water and gatorade at all of the stations I passed and I'm not going to throw the city or race organization under the bus. They had a tough decision to make and I think they did the right thing. There are only so many contingencies they can plan for. This was my first marathon, and I'm looking forward to running it again when conditions are more ideal. | |
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Krista Niezwaag from USA
(10/9/2007)
"People of Chicago KUDOS!!" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 The people of Chicago came through in spades where the event coordinators did not. When aid stations ran out of Gatorade and water before thousands of runners had reached them, the people of Chicago did their very best to make up for it. Some gave my sister money to buy Gatorade at CVS, others came out with hoses, and even others handed out water glasses. When runners like myself did not get the aid stations they promised and at others had to pick up used cups off the ground to get water there are some issues with planning. If Honolulu and Miami can do this event in heat, Chicago can too. Thank you to the fans and citizens of Chicago along the route! | |
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Phil Gliori from Chicago, Illinois USA
(10/9/2007)
"My Kingdom for a Cup of Water!!!" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 2 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 Too crowded and poorly run in 2007. Dangerous course conditions existed due to the weather and the lack of available fluids. The Chicago Marathon's sponsors felt like they had more than adequate water supplies out there, stated quote Shawn Platt, senior vice president of LaSalle Bank. They certainly did not!! I was running with the 4:45 pace group (I'm slow), and the second aid station had run out of water and Gatorade and in 90 degree heat!! We were not at the back of the pack. The pace leaders were stunned and very concerned about our health. Platt said planners did not anticipate runners would use drinking water to cool themselves when misting stations and sponges weren't available. This is the 30th Chicago Marathon; how could they did not anticipate that we would need water to cool us down internally and externally?!?!?!). He acknowledged many stations were set up toward the end of the route instead of early on when runners first started showing signs of fatigue. People were overheating at 6 or 7 miles. Every medical tent was overrun with runners overheated and dehydrating. For most of them it was not through of any fault of their own. 'Probably we should have been a little more proactive about that,' executive race director Carey Pinkowski said. YOU THINK?!?!? Lastly, I cannot say enough good things about the volunteers and medical staff. They were fantastic in awful conditions. I wonder how Milwaukee handled the heat as it had about the same conditions. | |
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Laura Steinke from Belleville, Illinois (right outside St. Louis)
(10/9/2007)
"Unfortunate events, yes, but our experience great!" (about: 2007)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My son who is 16 ran the Chicago 2007 and it was his first marathon. He finished in 4 hours 46 minutes, 33 secs. He told me after the race, there was PLENTY of water and bananas, etc. on the course and had a completely positive experience. Marathon runners know what kind of stamina this kind of race takes and should be smart enough to listen to their own bodies and not place the blame elsewhere. | |
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R. R. from U.S.
(10/9/2007)
"More things not mentioned" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 1. Negative - for us under four hours, we saw those handing out water, dumping gallons of water on runners, therefore depleting water for the rest of the field. 2. negative - Runners using trees by the race start to do #2 (poop). That was disgusting, that is not race directors fault. no etiquette on runners part. 3. Positive - course 5+, fans 5+ | |
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D. M. from Washington DC
(10/9/2007)
"Loved everything but the temperature" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Have never heard a bad word about this race and was looking forward to a nice cold run, but that was when I registered earlier in the year. Mother Nature had different plans, however, and gave us all a challenge to manage in addition to the challenge that is any marathon. The race planners and volunteers did their best and I congratulate them. I'll be back, and hopefully will have a cold breeze in my face the next time. To the spectators: Please do not cross the course and stand in our shade. It was difficult enough without you taking up valuable cool space and getting in the way of the runners. | |
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K. A. from Ohio
(10/9/2007)
"Not the normal weather" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 In response to one of the other posts.. it was not ING.. it was Lasalle Bank.. and they are just a sponsor; not organizer. Give them a break. They did what they needed to do. If anything, you need to look at the amount of people dumping 6-7 cups of water on themselves. when you have 30k running the race and that much being consumed, the volunteers and race officials can only do so much. its a shame b/c it is one of the best marathons in the world. i will continue to go back. it was a tough day, but cutting it off at 4 hours was the right thinig to do. with medical help being occupied, it was necessary to ensure a safe event. | |
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C. B. from Atlanta, GA
(10/9/2007)
"Chicago spectators rock!" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I was diverted back to the finish at mile 16. Several water stations had no cups or volunteers were frantically trying to keep up with too many runners at once. There were also two stations without gatorade (tables closed, volunteers directing people ahead for water). Although I was more than capable of continuing on course, I was not given the option to do so. I trained in the heat of Atlanta, adjusted my pace and could have easily finished. This was supposed to be my last marathon, but now I'll have to do one more as I simply can't end with that experience. Race officials should have been more prepared given the weather forecast - plain and simple. However, my hat goes off to the people of Chicago, who were absolutely phenomenal. I was already impressed with them during 2006 - they truly can't be outdone in terms of their energy and support. However, this year they raised the bar even higher. I saw so many spectators giving runners water, ice and other refreshments. Although many runners were physically and emotionally beaten down, the fans stayed upbeat, cheerful and super supportive. Congratulations to the people of Chicago - the real winners of the 2007 marathon. | |
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B. S. from Lake County, Illinois
(10/9/2007)
"Very strange race" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 This was my ninth Chicago. The organizers had to move the start time to 6 or 6:30 am. Temps in the mid-80s were predicted for a week before hand. Runners were required to pick up their packets, so all could have been notified of the time change. I've run Disney with a 6am start, and Maui had a 4:30 or 5 am start. Starting at 8 am was too late, it was nearing 80 soon after that. I had water and gatorade at all aid stops, finished the entire race in 3:55. Heard many people behind me stating they had no water at some of the stops. The kids running the water tables were pouring gallons of water on some runners' heads for a cool down; not suprising they ran out. I saw my first runner down at mile 12 and knew we were in trouble. I made it to about mile 25.8 when the cops and MDs walked into the course and started saying the race was canceled. Very strange. They wanted us to stop and walk 0.4 mile from the finish. People didn't know what to do, but being so close to the finish most kept on running. Runners were down at the finish line, workers on bullhorns kept yelling 'runner down!' over and over but no MDs or RNs available, very surreal. Ambulance sirens were wailing. I was sitting off to the side after finishing and suddenly large groups of runners were coming through the finish chute the wrong way; these were the detoured people. Then while leaving the chute through an exit, there were numerous detoured runners trying to get into the chute to get to the finish line backwards, but they couldn't get in due to exiting runners and fans all crowding together. Regarding the results, they are not accurate, as some runners got finish times without running the whole 26.2, others did not, some runners were forced to walk it in, other were not. About the course, it is very good through mile 12. The miles out to the United Center and back are no good. Pilsen and Chinatown are cool. The miles near the Dan Ryan expressway and north on South Michigan Ave. are poor. There is not one view of Lake Michigan on this entire marathon. And for $110, can't we get a technical shirt? Don't need another long sleeve cotton one. This is a very good race overall, don't let this one freak year stop you from running in 2008. The fans are awesome, thanks to the guy with a bag of ice he bought at the Shell gas station around mile 23. That ice on my head and neck really helped! |
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