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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 661 to 671]
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B. R. from Mount Orab, OH
(12/5/2004)
"A Great Marathon" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 7th marathon and one of the best that I have run. The organizaton was great and the course is flat and fast. I would recommend it to everybody. | |
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Brian Sullivan from Newbury Park, California
(11/28/2004)
"Tremendously well organized and lots of fun" (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Considering there were 40,000 runners, this was the best organized race I have ever been involved in. The course, although not scenic in the natural sense, gives you all the great sights of Chicago. We lived in Chicago for three years and love the city. The spectators are fabulous (makes sure you display your name on your shirt, hat or body: they cheer you on by name). Lots of water and drink stops. I highly recommend running for a charity. It makes the run much more meaningful, contributes to a great cause (lots of choices) and the charities participating are also very well organized. They take great care of their runners and show real appreciation. The expo is terrific. Overall, a fabulous experience. I will be back again next year. | |
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G. R. from Annapolis, MD
(11/23/2004)
"One of the best..." (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Asdie from the shortage of port-a-potties at the start, this one is a no brainer. My second Chicago Marathon, and the same great experience. Make sure you leave aside a day to see this great city. | |
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M. M. from Arlington Heights, Illinois
(11/19/2004)
"Excellent Race!" (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 2 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This marathon is very well organized and just a spectacular experience. The crowds are there to cheer you on the entire route and the entertainment was great. When I crossed the finish line I cried joyful tears and sobs of happiness. This race is a personal journey that everyone should take. | |
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R. L. from Los Angeles, CA
(11/17/2004)
"I Love This Race!" (General Comments)
3 previous marathons
| 3 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My three marathons to date have all been in Chicago ('98, '03, and '04), and it just keeps getting better. This year, I took my wife and brother through their first marathons, and they loved it! Going with me to the expo last year is what convinced my wife to run the race this year. The energy and buzz in the air are exhilarating; you get the feeling that you're about to be part of something big. The course itself is fast, flat, and scenic, taking you through a number of Chicago's ethnic neighborhoods. Somehow, though, they always manage to squeeze in a little hill at the end -- no big deal. The crowd support is phenomenal; the cheering, screaming masses make you feel like you're running in the Olympics, especially towards the finish. The only place where it gets a little thin is Miles 21-25, after you leave Chinatown. Aid stations are frequent and well-stocked, although the sheer number of runners makes it slow to get through. Timing is by chip, so it's quite accurate (and necessary given the field of 40,000.) This year's medal is particularly nice, though I liked the previous color scheme of their logo better. The reunion area around the fountain is a zoo, but again, a function of the number of runners. Overall, this is a great marathon, and I intend to return to Chicago yearly to run it -- even though we now live in LA. This is definitely a fun race! | |
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K. M. from Durham, NC
(11/16/2004)
"Great mass-participation marathon" (about: 2004)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Okay, that being said, I actually hated it, but I think that is mostly because I'm more used to the classic trail run mentality, so jumping into a Boston qualifier-type race was a bit of a culture shock. I didn't like having that many people around me the whole time and sometimes the crowds just felt plain invasive. I don't want to say my fellow runners were unfriendly, but they definitely seemed far more interested in racing (even mid-pack) than meeting the people around them. Also, the last out-and-back (miles 18-26 or so) was particularly heartbreaking since you not only knew every step you took was heading away from the finish, but you could see the people on the other side of the waterway and knew they were on their way in. Last, the post-race food situation was embarassing. Two tables with fruit, cookies, and a breakfast bar? That, however, is a trail runner's perspective. As someone who runs the Bolder Boulder every year, I can say if you're looking for a race where you will constantly have people around you, this is a great one. The crowds are amazing and cheered their hearts out for everyone. The aid stations were well-stocked and well-staffed, and you can pretty much just ride the wave of your fellow runners if you're starting to fade. I guess over all, it's a good race if you want to be around a ton of people the whole time and really enjoy crowd support. | |
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a. g. from flint, michigan
(11/9/2004)
"Chicago remains a MUST-run marathon!" (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Am new to marathoning (this was my 5th) but I loved Chicago enough to make it the first marathon I repeated, and I'm hoping to do it every couple of years or so for the rest of my life. People understandably complain about the crowds; yes the course gets congested at times for us middle-of-the-pack runners, but I found comfort in the sheer volume of runners around me - that and the spectators around us the whole race carried me along. I've run small marathons and found myself alone for long stretches towards the end; here all was friendly and active and lively even until the very end. Every runner should do this race once. Is the race too crowded? I started in the middle of the pack and I managed to not get boxed in too often - I got in and out of the water stops easily, and I found no lines at the port-a-johns at mile 2. The course is flat but challenging as it twists and turns, and the sights were varied. You want a personal best? Run elsewhere. Then again, I've struggled all this year but managed to knock 7 minutes off my personal best and 16 minutes off my previous Chicago Marathon time. So it is possible to run well even with the crowds. Quibbles? The race is so well run, the expo was the best I've been to, but this year the stretch from, say, miles 21 to 25 seemed long, empty, and too quiet - the running got hard there, the runners couldn't feed on the crowds, and mile 24 was my way slowest mile. That stretch needs something - more signs, more balloons, more bands? And the end seemed a little too long - there were few signs that the finish line was nearing until you were practically there. Chicago is becoming an instition. I signed up in April planning on going alone, and by August over 20 fellow local runners had signed up too. Many were the sort of first-time marathoners and I'm glad they got to run this in spite of those who feel the race needs to cut down on the number of entrants. Post-race needs help - the meeting place at the fountain was way too congested, and all those runners with aching legs and backs needed some place to sit. Carey, could we rethink that? Qualifying for Boston? Run somewhere else? Looking for a great running experience? I don't know if I'll want the crowds and expense every year, but I'm already marking this in for my 2006 calendar. Thank you Chicago organizers. | |
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K. B. from Chicago, IL
(10/26/2004)
"Great First Marathon!" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I had a great time running this marathon, which was also my first. The course was beautiful and the water stations were always fully stocked. You should really run this one, this was a great experience. | |
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Charles Samenow from Nashville, TN
(10/26/2004)
"Will everything else be a letdown?" (about: 2004)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon. I can't get over how wonderful the entire experience was. For such a large crowd, it ran like clockwork. And the fan support was amazing. People warned me about running such a big race and the problems of having 40,000 people on the course. I found the opposite... it was exactly what I needed to obtain a PR (3hrs 20min) and feel like a king for a day! Thanks Chicago! | |
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M. B. from Coventry, England
(10/24/2004)
"I am a marathon runner!!!" (about: 2004)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and I travelled from the UK to take part. I had a fantastic time and finished within 6 hours - which I was very pleased with. However I must give a big thanks to the New Balance pacing team who helped get my round in the run/walk program, this was a superb service - Thanks! Chicago and the supporters were also in top form, I would love to take part again and achieve a time nearer the 5 hours!!! |
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