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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 561 to 571]
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S. K. from NW suburbs of Chicago
(10/23/2006)
"Best place to run my first marathon" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Everything was first-class, from start to finish. This was my first marathon, and I couldn't have had a better experience. I'm from Chicago, and seeing my hometown from the streets was really cool. I'll be back! | |
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M. C. from Portland, Oregon
(10/23/2006)
"Amazing!" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Fantastic fans (I think the official number of spectators was 1.5 million!), organization, route... and an all-around well-done course. Cheers to the race directors, who manage to stage an event this snag-free for nearly 40,000 participants. It's a great chance to get a different perspective on Chicago's neighborhoods: the course goes as far north as Lincoln Park and then down to the Bronzeville area, with downtown, Pilsen, Little Italy, Chinatown, Bridgeport, and more in between. And just because it can't be stressed enough, I'll say it again: the BEST crowds. Thanks for a great event, Chicago! | |
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D. W. from Rockford/CHICAGO
(10/23/2006)
"The best gets better!!!" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 39th marathon and 10th Chicago. If other towns want to learn how to put on a marathon, just come here on race weekend. If Nobel Prizes were awarded for marathons, Carey Pinkowski and the City Of Chicago would win. | |
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B. B. from Baton Rouge, Louisiana
(10/23/2006)
"FANTASTIC!" (about: 2006)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race was AWESOME! I got crazy cramps in my legs from mile 14 on 'til the end and it was STILL my favorite race. Definitely doing it next year. | |
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D. B. from Indiana
(10/23/2006)
"Flat, but not necessarily fast" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Yes, the course is flat, but I would caution people not to expect to set a PR if they are not in a preferred corral. I ran a fine race, but spent most of it bobbing and weaving in between people, and there were several jam-ups even in the 2nd half of the race (only one traffic lane in some spots). I was in open seeding, but if I were in preferred, I don't think this would have been a problem. As mentioned with previous comments, spectator support is great, and the organization is top-notch. It's a true "event," but I'd only participate again if I were able to start preferred. | |
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N. C. from Palatine, Illinois
(10/23/2006)
"Cold and windy, but worth it" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my second marathon after running Quad Cities one month earlier. Despite the cold, windy weather, there were plenty of spectators, even with us 5+- and 6+-hour finishers. The organization was top-notch. Be prepared to go to the expo early on Friday. It is much too crowded on Saturday. I can't wait for warmer weather in 2007, when the race moves back to its traditional weekend in early October. | |
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A. R. from Chicago, IL
(10/23/2006)
"The Gold Standard - The Rolex" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Tons of Gatorade and water. Tons of fans. Smooth course. Plenty of food for finishers. Smooth exit from the finish line. Tons of port-o-potties.... This race is amazing. Run Chicago! | |
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K. H. from Washington, D.C.
(10/23/2006)
"Chicago lives up to the hype" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race was awesome, even with the wind and really cold temperatures. I was dressed appropriately, so the weather didn't really play a big impact. The course is very flat and the crowds were fantastic. The first half flies by quickly with all of the crowd support. The waterstops were at just the right spots. It was easy to drop off and pick up your gear before and after the race. The expo was the best I have ever seen at any running race and had everything. I am happy to say I beat my goal of breaking 4 hours. Only issues were that the course is very crowded in the beginning and its frustrating trying to weave through the crowd so you can get moving. I also wasn't impressed by the t-shirt. It should have been a higher quality fabric, different design, and different colors. Highly recommend this race for a first-timer or a veteran marathoner. | |
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R. N. from Chicago suburbs
(10/23/2006)
"Want to get to Boston? Run Chicago!" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 First, I'm not originally from Chicago, but now live in the suburbs. I can say that Chicago is one of the finest cities in the world for its beauty, cultural richness, entertainment and people. That fact alone should bring here to visit. Now, for runners, the marathon here is incredible. The course is flat and the spectators are phenomenal. If you are a faster, experienced marathon runner, you need to apply for a preferred start. Otherwise, forget about any PR's. For first-timers, this is an excellent place to start. One-third of yesterday's field were first-timers. Yesterday's race was my 7th marathon, my first Chicago. I had a very specific goal to qualify for Boston with this race. I did it. The weather was dicey. It was cool, blustery - but the rain held off. The winds weren't as bad as they could have been. Very minor detail that I would improve upon if possible: While there were plenty of porta-johns, it seemed that they were stationed in some cases a little too far off of the course. I was working against an ambitious time and was worried that I would lose many seconds going off the beaten path. All and all, I am thrilled. It was a great day. You need to run this race. | |
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George Morgan from Miami, Florida
(10/23/2006)
"Too Cold - Early October is Better!" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great course. Even greater support from the spectators!!! |
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