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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 441 to 451]
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w. m. from Atlanta
(10/8/2007)
"Never again" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 I guess maybe the Weather Channel is not available in Chicago. I checked the 10 day, 5 day & 3 day forecast for October 7, 2007 for Chicago from Atlanta & saw that it was going to be unseasonably hot that day. I guess Carey Pinkowski & no one else involved with the organization (or lack thereof) of the Chicago marathon knows how to check www.weather.com. If they did they would have seen how hot it was going to be in Chicago on Sunday October 7, 2007. They could have been better prepared by doubling the water and Gatorade at all of the water stations & having ice & perhaps oranges and bananas available at them as well. What a tremendous difference that would have made!! Mr. Pinkowski's incompetence & lack of planning has not only resulted in the death of at least one runner but angered thousands of others, including me. And on top of everything he has so far refused to apologize but instead has tried to put the blame for this disastrous marathon on anyone else but himself. He is insulting those of us who actually ran (or attempted to run) this marathon by saying there was plenty of water & Gatorade at every water station. Listen to me Mr. Pinkowski - THERE WAS NOT!!!!!!!!!!! The first water station was a GHOST TOWN!! There was NO ONE there and ABSOLUTELY NO WATER OR GATORADE!!!!!!!!!! THE TABLES WERE ALREADY BROKEN DOWN FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!!!! The next few water stations were either out of cups and/or water. At one we were told by volunteers to hold on to our cups because they had run out. I have to say that Chicago has AMAZING residents. If not for them being out there with their water hoses & pitchers of water & ice for the runners it would have been a much uglier scene. Anything positive about this disaster needs to be attributed to the citizens of Chicago. Definitely NOT Carey Pinkowski. Hopefully this will be his last as 'Race Director' for the Chicago Marathon. This used to be my favorite marathon. I will never run it again. And I intend to ask for a refund for this year. | |
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H. D. from Philadelphia, Pa
(10/8/2007)
"The race officials did their best" (about: 2007)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Everyone wanted this to be a successful race. No one could have predicted the effect of this heat. The fans were great... the course was beautiful... and the volunteers were terrific. This was my 57th marathon and my slowest time. The race officials made a tough call, but the cascading effect of the heat drove the decision. This was my first Chicago and I'm coming back to redeem my time! | |
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D. L. from Akron, Ohio
(10/8/2007)
"Spectators really are 10 star quality!" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I believe the real focus on Chicago 2007 should be on the spirit of the city. The spectators were the most amazing I've ever seen! The weather was not something that could be controlled. I do believe, in hindsight, that the organizers missed some opportunities to make a bad situation better. For example, they could have made the decision on Wednesday, based on the forecast, to move the start time up to 7am. And they could have opened the fire hydrants much earlier in the course. However, the spirit of the city saved the day! Countless spectators lined the streets even after the race was canceled, offering us ice, fluids, snacks, sponges, cold wash cloths and endless support. I would run this race again anytime! | |
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R. S. from Rumson, NJ
(10/8/2007)
"Marathoners may be tough but this was ridiculous" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Almost to a person, everyone that I spoke to on the course said that they would never have done a practice run under those conditions. So why did we do it? Well, because we had trained, because we had traveled long distances, because we are goal oriented and because we probably didn't think through this decision properly. Marathons should be challenging; they should not be dangerous. Sunday was dangerous. I was one of the lucky ones. I had water and gatorade at every refreshment stop and I still had to spend the night in the hospital. But I blame myself more than the course officials. I should have just said no. Having said that, we were told on the course around mile 21 that the course was over and there would be no official times but that we would have to walk to the finish line. Some contingency plan! It would have been great if there was transportation back to the finish. Kudos to all of the spectators who were great and who stood out in the heat for so long. You guys were fantastic. I do have two suggestions for better contingency planning. Contingency plan number one- If the weather forecast calls for temperatures in the 80's, start the race at least one hour earlier if not two. Contingency plan number 2- Refund the money to all 'open corral' participants and only run the race for those entrants who have demonstrated their ability to run a qualifying time. I'm not a doctor but it seems that the longer one was out there, the tougher it was going to be to finish. After all of this, if it wasn't for the fact that my wife made me promise no more marathons, I would be willing to give Chicago another shot. It is a great city with great fans. | |
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C. L. from Chicago, IL
(10/8/2007)
"Poor communication, but Chicagoans are angels..." (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I know the race organizers couldn't do anything about the weather itself, however they could have supplied even MORE water. By the time I got to the 3rd water station they were out! As well, when i got to mile 16-17 there where policemen screaming at me through megaphones that I should stop running and that the marathon was over and the timing has stopped. I kept running and finished the race inspite of this, and wouldn't you know, they DID capture my time. I'm sure alot of the other racers would have kept running if they knew the time was still being recorded.... poor communication over all. Much thanks though to the citizens of Chicago for comming out with your hoses, pitchers, spray bottles and ice bags. I couldn't have made it without you! | |
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G. M. from Southern California
(10/8/2007)
"No win situation" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I have to say that I have very mixed feelings regarding the comments I'm reading here and the reports that are dominating the media. I came to Chicago hoping to set a PR, but as a fairly experienced runner, I always remember that so many other elements beyond my control can factor into that. Starting with the Expo, I felt the organizers (and many vendors) were advising runners regarding the expected heat and how best to prepare. I decided then, that I would have to perhaps scale back my expectations. I did carry my own water (two 24oz bottles) based on these recommendations. I have to respect the organizers' decision making in shutting the race and try to protect as many runners as possible. I guess I was among the fortunate runners who didn't experience any fluid shortages at the stations, but I struggled a lot, none the less. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for the others. This was my first trip to Chicago and my impressions of the city and its citizens are very positive. This really was a no-win situation. | |
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E. P. from Chicago Area, Illinois
(10/8/2007)
"I'm disappointed but I understand" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I was very very disappointed to be unable to finish this race. I'll admit my first reaction when I was rerouted near mile 15 was, 'I was robbed!' However, having discussed and pondered it, I think that the race officials did the right thing. With the amount of medical attention needed at only HALF of the race time (when they called it off), the amount of injuries at the race's full time would have been ten times worse. The aid stations were overrun, the hospitals were full, the ambulances were going off every other minute, the people were sitting on the side of the road, the water/Gatorade situation was strained to name a few things I saw and learned from others. NO. My initial feelings were disappointment, especially because I was ready to FINISH my first marathon, but in retrospect I think the right decision was made. About the water/Gatorade situation: from a runner's point of view, I can see how it seemed there wasn't enough liquid support because at the watering stations I experienced no Gatorade, but still water. And I think I was bringing up the rear, maybe. Maybe it just wasn't coming fast enough because people were taking more than one of each through the stations. I don't know the actuality, but that's what I've thought about. Yes, the perception seems that the hydration stations were inadequate but it remains to be seen whether it was inadequacies in supplies or the infrequency of replenishments that was the actual problem. Don't get me wrong, I'm still VERY disappointed, but I'm not sure anything else could have been done. I agree that the fans were SO supportive with spraying people & offering ice to runners...it really gave people much-needed relief along the way. I rated the course at 3 because I didn't get to complete it. I live in the area and my heart goes out to those who came from so far only to be cut short...their disappointment is only compounded. | |
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M. R. from Iowa
(10/8/2007)
"Bigger is not better!" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 My first marathon was at Chicago in 1979. It was hot that day too, but the crowd was smaller. I think the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon has grown beyond the capability of the organizers to be prepared for days like Sunday's race. They should down-size to a managable size field of runners for which they can be adequately prepared. I have a fondness for the Chicago Marathon, running it three times, but I would be hesitant to recommend it to anyone in the future. I was disappointed that the race course was closed at 11:30. It has been stated that those who had crossed the half-marathon point in the race could complete the course, but that was NOT true for me. I was at the half-marathon clock BEFORE 11:00 am but at mile 20 I was told by a Chicago policeman that runners needed to leave the course. The race was ended. I am sure I could have finished the course by walking/running. My 16th marathon became a 1/2 marathon with a nine mile cool-down! Two years ago I ran the Honolulu Marathon and the weather was also warm and humid. The race started at 5:00 a.m. rather than 8 a.m. They had plenty of fluids. Honolulu is smaller, but maybe that helps in responding to the needs of the runners. Chicago prides itself on being one of the largest marathons but - bigger is not better! As for water stations, many volunteers were doing their best to pour water but they were over-whelmed. The runners most hurt are the runners who run/walk a 4 1/2 hour marathon or slower. Race organizers should anticipate that most will not only drink more water and gatoraide, but also pour water on their head to keep cool. There is an expression in mountain climbing: 'the mountain doesn't care.' The race organizers can't control the weather but they can do something about water stations and volunteer support. And they could allow runners to decide if they want to complete the race. I like the Chicago Marathon, but they missed the mark this year. I hope they can learn from their mistakes to be better prepared in the coming years. An apology would be more meaningful than any excuses they have offered. The majority of runners cannot claim a fast time or a win. But we hope to be able to say at the end of the race, 'I finished!' I can't do that this year. | |
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2003 Runner from Southwest, USA
(10/8/2007)
"88 degrees is NOT that hot! Why the disaster??" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 Sure, 88 degrees is hotter than you may expect for Chicago in October, but come on! Many other races are fully executed in conditions much hotter than this. So why can't a race with 30 years experience pull off giving the runners the event they paid and prepared for? Sounds like a total cop out to me! The kicker is that I can assure you it'll still have a massive field again next year- maybe even bigger for all of those that got robbed this year. I suggest taking your money to a race that is for the runners. | |
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T. B. from California
(10/8/2007)
"A Hot Nightmare!!!" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 A very disappointing day in Chicago. With no water at the first station, it was set up for a bad day. If it were not for the great citizens of Chicago that gave us ice and water, I may have died!!! |
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