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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 671 to 681]
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Glenn Griffith from Shrewsbury, MA
(10/22/2004)
"Phenomenal!" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My first marathon experience could not have been better thanks to the experience provided in Chicago. Course is flat and runner friendly, the organization is great, and the spectators are the best! Hats off to the million+ spectators that made my debut marathon an incredible experience. Whether you are a first-timer like me or a veteran marathoner, Chicago is a must-do race that you will never forget. | |
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M. B. from Atlanta, GA
(10/21/2004)
"Great race, but here's why I didn't BQ" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 First, the good: Amazing crowd support, fast course, terrific organization, tons of volunteers. This is THE race if you want to run in a mega-marathon... Now the bad: No Boston qualifier for me this year, see reasons below. For point of reference, ?David? below was one of my training buddies who did qualify for Boston. 1. Started the race too fast. 2. Didn't drink enough. 3. Stopped to pee at 15 miles. Peeing was probably OK, it was the stopping part that got me. 4. Spent too much energy jumping to high-five the Indian from the Village People Tribute Band in Chicago's gay neighborhood. 4a. Should have high-fived the policeman instead. 5. Did high-five the real Chicago policemen at two intersections and said 'Chicago's finest - show me the love!' (not sure if doing it twice was too many or too few). 6. Wore sunglasses while running for the first time. 6a. Paid too much for the sunglasses ($5 more than David). 6b. Didn't color-coordinate the sunglasses with both the shoes and shorts (like David did). 7. Spent too much energy on drawbridges moving to the mats covering the grates (should have run on the grates like a man). 8. Threw out right shoulder tossing somebody else's discarded sweatshirt to the sidewalk from middle of a six-lane street just before start. By the way, I was in the middle of the street, the shirt came from two lanes over to the right. Why didn't the overdressed runner throw their nasty orange hooded fleece to the right? 9. Ordered the wrong pasta at California Pizza Kitchen the night before the race (David ordered the spaghettini). 10. Didn't wear the headband-towel combo (although neither did 39,999 others who received a free one in their pre-race goodie bag). 11. Did not receive a single beer at water stops despite asking 'Cold Beer?' at the first 13 aid stations. 12. Was not named 'Sully' (Mr. Sullivan was apparently running near me and David for 15 miles or so and had his name on his shirt, causing literally hundreds of people to yell 'Go Sully'.) 13. Sticky ground at late-race water stops from semi-evaporated Gatorade slowed my turnover speed. 14. Slippery ground at the 17 mile aid station from discarded Cliff Shot pouches and banana peels caused me to run very gingerly for at least 200 yards. 15. Failed to notice the 'Chinatown Gates' we allegedly ran under around 21 miles (slight case of delirium had set in by then). 16. Wore Nike wrist pace band with staple holding it together. Should have gone with New Balance version, Cliff Bar version, or homemade one. 16a. Spent too much time thinking about wrist pace bands. Oh well, maybe the extra 5 minutes I get for approaching 40 will get me a BQ in Chicago '05... | |
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Lee Campbell from Chicago
(10/21/2004)
"Can you have better supporters?" (about: 2004)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I live in Chicago - however, I am not a native. This was my first marathon, after many halves, and I am so glad that I chose this one as my first. I really felt proud to be a Chicagoan after this race. First off, I am slow. I went to the marathon alone and brought some stuff - husband was to meet me at a couple of points later in the course, and when I got there, an announcement is made that all gear checked items would be taken to the marathon office after 6 hours. I was thinking: What about chip time? There was a 6-hour pacer group - I was reeling with the math in my head. Could I get my purse out with a 6:20 gun time? No one at gear check had any answers. Petrhaps this was a great thing that happened to me because I booked it (for me!) so I could get my purse! I realize that I am a slow runner, so I did not expect much crowd support. However, all of Chicago stayed out there and cheered for us slow ones!!!! It was so wonderful - all of the 6-hour pace group felt like rock stars. Much thanks to everyone in their respective neighborhood for staying out to watch us. Also, thanks to the 6-hours pacers. They were wonderful. Come see Chicago - it is a race not to be missed. | |
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N. T. from Washington, DC
(10/20/2004)
"Couldn't have been better." (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 * Chicago is a great city to visit when the weather is fine. * Mmmmm Chicago-style deep dish pizza. * The marathon expo was the biggest and best by far that I've ever attended. They had EVERYTHING there. I could have shopped for hours, except I didn't want to stay on my feet that long. The only bad part of the whole weekend was the long long line for the shuttle bus to go back to the hotel. * Even when you pick a specific place to meet before and after a race, it's really difficult to meet up with people in a crowd of 40,000+ runners. * I love the excitement of those last few minutes hanging around the starting corrals before the race starts. * It's amazing to have so many runners that you have to walk about 3/4 of a mile from the last corral just to get to the starting line! * It's fun to run under big overpasses when several thousand runners are hooting and hollering. * The YMCA dance is always fun to do on a race course. * One sight on the course guaranteed to lift any runner's spirits: passing a nursing home where a few dozen elderly residents have lined up in the second story windows in their wheelchairs and are waving, smiling, and giving you 'V for Victory' signs. * I loved the big dragon-head costumes in Chinatown. * I loved the kid running around working the water stop - who had two big springs where his feet used to be. * I love big races when there are tons of spectators and fellow runners around you the entire way to the finish line. * The race organization was truly superb. The aid stations were frequent and amply stocked, the course was closed and well-protected from vehicles, photographers were everywhere, volunteers friendly, spectators enthusiastic (plus I got a 17-minute PR) - who could ask for more? | |
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D. C. from Bolingbrook, IL
(10/20/2004)
"Overall experience was good" (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 2 Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The overall experience of the marathon went well. Thank you. | |
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M. K. from South Bend, Indiana
(10/20/2004)
"Terrific first marathon, well organized" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Well, this wasn't exactly my first marathon--I attempted Columbus last year and broke my tibia at mile 4, quitting at mile 10. However, when I compare organization for both races, Chicago being challenged by more than five times the participants, Chicago wins hands down - plenty of port-a-potties, plenty of wonderful spectators (especially you guys in Uptown!)and I didn't miss spectators in miles 20-23 (that is when I actually needed to concentrate and focus). Thanks for making my first completed marathon the terrific experience I hoped it would be! (Special thanks to the 6:00 pace group, Melissa et al.) | |
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Benjamin Coffey, CSCS from Marshall, MO
(10/20/2004)
"No Blues HERE!" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Having the Lasalle Bank Marathon as my first has created a high standard. The crowd support was amazing - maybe add the Chicago Bears cheerleaders somewhere on the course! If you are traveling from afar, I recommend staying the night after the run. My training partner and I chose to drive 9 hours back home that night (she had an 8 am class on Monday). Kudos to the staff, great experience. | |
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H. C. from RSM, CA
(10/20/2004)
"What If Chicago Gave You A 26.2 Mile Hug?" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What an incredible experience! After running at three West Coast marathons a group of six crazy Californian's were looking for a 'cool' weather marathon and Chicago was the ticket. The crowd level, organization and actual marathon route is the best we've seen. Upon arriving on Friday I was able to take the 'L' into Chicago from O'Hare and take the shuttle (marathon supplied) from Chinatown to the expo. Sign-in was a breeze and the expo was excellent; everything from your usual 10 x 10 booths to large corporate displays by Nike and Mizuno. One note, if you're flying in, it is much easier to stay downtown than out at O'Hare, and with Chicago's transit system, getting around is great. But downtown is pricey and out by O'Hare is real reasonable, $60 a night. By using the marathon maps, on Saturday we were able to drive the course. This is really worthwhile if you have time. On race day it's nuts; we either walked or took a cab to get close to the starting area. There were plenty of port-a-potties, if you hit them early. Allow at least an extra hour if you want to do baggage check - luckily we had friends along to take our stuff. The start is really an experience. We were split-up into 4:00 & 4:15 pace groups, and it took us 10 minutes to get to the start and we had a tough time averaging even a 10 minute pace for the first three miles. But the initial crowds and sights make up for that, although slight PR panic starts creeping in. (Our group finished between 3:58 and 4:30.) Starting corrals would really help! The first 13 miles are incredible and filled with spectators 5-6 deep. The only area that we thought would be sparse is down by mile 20-22, by the old stockyards, but there were people hanging from bridges and underpasses pushing us on. The support in Chinatown was really rewarding and pushed you on to 23. I have to agree with everyone, if this course has a gap, this is it, straight and boring. But, things pick-up at 25 and your on your way to the finish with a jaunt over a bridge into Grant Park and thousands of spectators. Word of advice, watch the bridges, they have a metal grate surface that can be slippery and cover part of them with mats, but it's crowded. Also, if your using a GPS unit, the buildings, tunnels and bridges will give it fits. All in all, it's a great marathon and a 'cool' marathon to run. | |
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John Coleman from LaGrange, Illinois
(10/19/2004)
"Excellent, Huge Race" (about: 2004)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Chicago Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first big race, and it is extremely well organized--it has to be! I have a few picky comments, as there is always room to improve. This is a fantasic race. Shuttle buses from downtown to the expo from more locations (like the train stations) would be helpful. Chicago is a very scenic city and organizers could look at a more scenic route--I know it is sponsored by LaSalle Bank, but there are more interesting streets to run on than LaSalle Street. Another gel stop before mile 17 would be nice, too. Get the early mile markers up higher, so you can see them from the middle of the pack. Also, any way to spread things out (wave starts do work) would make for a safer, faster race for everyone. If you start in the open field, things don't open up until about 6 miles. This is a fantastic race. | |
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B. M. from California
(10/19/2004)
"Very disappointed" (about: 2004)
50+ previous marathons
| 6+ Chicago Marathons
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 I have run over 80 marathons and they have ranged from a couple dozen runners to tens of thousands like Chicago. I ran Chicago ONLY because a friend paid for my entry. I waited over 45 minutes in front of the host hotel to get a bus ride to the expo. (What happened to all the food of the past Chicago Marathon expos?) Then I waited another 45+ minutes standing in line to get the bus back to the Hilton. Thankfully I had preferred seeding and started at my race pace. The support was great and I'm sure was appreciated by all first time marathoners. To say the post-race food was the WORST I've seen would be an understatement. Instead of using all the money from the expensive entries for the purse awarded to the elite runners, maybe the organizers should try to please the average marathoners. |
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