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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 311 to 321]
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M. U. from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
(10/15/2007)
"The pacers seemed inexperienced" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 My biggest gripe was with the lack of water at the 4th mile. Many runners, including me, were so thirsty that we had to go off the beaten track to get water from the fountains at a nearby park - which forced us to lose precious time of course, not to mention the chaos this created. We looked like a herd of cattle at the trough! We also lost time grabbing cups at the so-called water stop itself only to find there was no water. I am angry with the pacesetters at the 4:45 pace because at least of one of them said we had to make up time and had us going a lot faster to make up time. I ended up nearly passing out and required medical attention - and that rendered me unable to finish the race. I was so disappointed! | |
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S. C. from Jacksonville, Florida
(10/15/2007)
"Still the BEST!" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I'm so surprised to see so many negative comments by runners. I think race director did the right thing by calling the race off. The Chicago Marathon is still the best marathon I've run in. Move on people - don't be so negative. Maybe water wasn't your problem. Thank you for the great race! I will be back again for the 10th year, next year - hot or cold. | |
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Bob Niven from Saginaw, MI
(10/14/2007)
"Front-runners were treated very well!" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I was in the "A" Corral and ended up nicely. Plenty of H2O and Gatorade. Very pleased with the spectators. They helped me out in the last 7-8 miles. Medical staff was there if needed. | |
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P. M. from Indianapolis, Indiana
(10/14/2007)
"terrible time but a great experience" (about: 2007)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon after a dozen halves and a decent summer of training, so the heat was disappointing and being beat at the half put me in a sober survivor mindset, but I always knew this was possible. I carried fluid and was never out of water or gatorade, and if they ran out for later runners that is indeed unforgivable. I was instructed to walk around 20 miles or so, but by then I had been taking some walk breaks knowing the time would be bad, so I was willing to walk it most of the last 10K and told myself that walking was better than the alternativ, a shuffling jog that would only be 40 minutes faster but leave me beat or worse for weeks. I sympathize with all who spent a lot of money to get to Chicago, as I did as well, but this was a day to go easy from the outset. I started in Corral C, and the porta-johns for the corrals had very long lines, so I did not actually loosen up before dashing from the john to the corral and starting; I would not recommend seeded runners banking on those johns. The finish line was super-crowded, but with all the folks passing out or otherwise leveled by the race I understand it is difficult to manage under even the best conditions. The volunteers on course needed a little better information from the race administrators, since not all were sure the race had been stopped or just what, and the cops were in some cases cranky and did not seem to understand that runners had prepared a long time for the race, were a little loopy from the heat, and were intent on sticking it out - your family is there, you told all your friends about the race for ages, some folks raised money for charities, so they often stuck it out, which sometimes was not a great decision. Still, the Mayor whined the following day that runners were simply being stupid to push on, showing he has no real understanding of the event and the folks who came to his city and probably deserved better. I really had no problem with ending the race, and I think the race administrators will address these problems next year, so the weather is likely to be normal again and I could still see coming back and trying it again. The crowds were still great, the course is actually pretty interesting (and under the right conditions I can see how it would be a quick route), and if you want to run amongst a throng of folks including world class runners and mere mortals, the race will probably regain its luster next year. | |
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r. s. from NY
(10/14/2007)
"Organization a 5?" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 The people who give the organization a score of 5 surely must be crazy. Even if you believe the committee was not 100% to blame, surely they do not deserve a perfect score for this debacle. | |
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John Munro from Alloa, Scotland
(10/14/2007)
"Great event, Great Spectators, disapointing end" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Having travelled from Scotland for this event, it was a disappointing end to all of the training. However, I can always boast that I was in Chicago the year they stopped the race. Despite finishing an hour outside my target time, I was fortunate in that I did not see any shortage of water or gatorade. At some stations the volunteers were struggling to keep up with demand, but moving to a later table usually solved the problem. It was a different story for my wife who was further back the pack and didn't get any water for the first 5 miles. I read some comments from the organizers which suggested that the water shortages were due to people pouring it over themselves. In the heat, this was hardly surprising. I didn't see any cooling buses or misting stations. Perhaps if misting stations were set up before each aid station people would not have needed to use water for external cooling? I have no problem at all with the decision to stop the race. Disappointing though it was, it was probably the correct decision in the conditions. I was more disappointed with the low key approach of the organizers after the race. I almost felt that the 'blame' was being placed on the runners for not being fast enough to get round before it got too hot. A final word must go to the people of Chicago. They were phenomenal. They cheered and supported all the way round the course. They showed great sympathy and support for runners, buying water, handing out ice, turning on hoses etc. They were the real winners on a day when the marathon gods reminded us mere mortals that if the marathon was easy anyone could do it. | |
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k. l. from Brockport NY
(10/14/2007)
"Disappointed" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 The spectators of the marathon and the caring fellow runners that helped one another are all angels. The race organization should have had the foresight to begin the race earlier due to weather conditions and supply enough aid to the thousands of runners who trained thinking there would be support every two miles. The expo was one of the best. The entertainment, runners, volunteers, spectators and medical support were priceless; I liked the flat course layout, but due to my experience and lack of water on the course, I would not recommend this marathon unless changes were made to accommodate ALL runners. A lot of money was wasted on a disappointing marathon. | |
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Erin Kennedy from Massachusetts
(10/14/2007)
"A Question for those in charge" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon, though I've been running for years. The weather was a let down, but that's not where my disappointment stems. I realized after the 2nd water station that there was something wrong with the organization of the race. I searched for 3-4 full minutes to find a drink at the 2nd water station, while the volunteers were simply overwhelmed, and I hadn't even run 5 miles yet. I was able to complete the full course, but was told several times after mile 17 that if I was running I was 'putting my health at risk because the water had run out.' I was feeling well prepared, energetic, and just fine to run at that point. But with police announcing that there was no promise of water/g-rade ahead, the only common sense thing to do was walk. I tried to maintain a positive attitude throughout (and did for the most part), and completed the full course. So, a question for the race director/ PR team/ whoever's in charge: Why are you lying to the general public? We did run out of water and Gatorade, and I was there to witness these announcements and the empty tables. I did not over push myself in the heat, or put my health at risk at any point; I was careful. You are discrediting thousands of people who are in the same position as I am, and I do not think it's fair. *Please just admit to and apologize for your lack of preparedness, and we can all move on. I will run Chicago again because I believe this was a fluke. Both the course and the spectators are awesome! I couldn't have done it without the people who offered ice and brought their hoses out to spray us down! | |
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J. G. from California
(10/14/2007)
"Character-building run" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 Great course and fan support. Water and Gatorade were chilled, supplies adequate but with some bottle-necking at aid stations. Crowds of runners were rather thick and difficult to navigate through, aid/water stations were too far apart (1.5-2 miles... should have been 1 mile), and marathon start should have been moved to 6 a.m. (Organizers could have informed all runners at expo when we picked up our bibs.) All of this should have been anticipated ahead of time, and when I queried the race director about these issues at expo lecture, he complacently reassured us that number of aid stations and supplies would be more than adequate. Though I was between mile 21 and 22 when the race was called, and I started walking as directed like everyone else, once I realized we were all simply walking to the finish line, I started running again. Fortunately no one stopped me or forced me to walk, and this measure of "free will" was appreciated since I had run a smart and well supplemented race, crossing the finish line strong. Most challenging marathon to date. Though I would not wish these weather conditions on anyone running a marathon, the sense of accomplishment crossing the finish line was second to none. | |
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H. W. from China
(10/13/2007)
"Everyone's fault; no one's fault. I will return." (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 I think the organizers of this race did not do the necessary work ahead of time. They were complacent and it was obvious they did not call their counterparts in places like Honolulu or L.A., who have run marathons in heated conditions. They were obviously caught short in terms of cups, aid station volunteers and liquids given the conditions. Some of these problems could have been averted via phone calls to organizers at hot weather marathons (I'm sure Honolulu would have suggested starting it earlier: given the amount of lead time, I am sure they could have executed a start an hour earlier if necessary - there are phone trees for aid stations for this sort of thing, and an announcement could have easily been included in the packets at the expo). But on the other hand, runners were to blame as well. Faster runners, perhaps unthinkingly, went for multiple cups of water without thinking about the consequences for those behind them. Under-trained marathoners could have skipped this one and went for a marathon with saner weather afterwards (and Lasalle Banks should have provided at least partial refunds to subsidize this wiser choice). I think Chicago's reputation for organization has certainly been sullied, but the enthusiasm and helpfulness of its spectators has now been enshrined. The course would have been fast had it not been for the heat and the lack of shade on the South Side portion of the run, and I'm certain that after the disaster this year, the organizers will be careful to avert another PR problem - also, after an ice storm in 2006 and a heat wave in 2007, I hope the weather will revert back to the mean in 2008. I'm happy to play contrarian and to show up for the next running - I placed better than I would have hoped, but 30 minutes behind where I'd like to have run after a spectacular blow-up on the back half of the race. |
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