and I shaved my chest for this?

the down side

If you followed the Chicago Marathon 2007 you’ll know that it was a brutal affair.

At the start the temperature was 80+ with humidity to match, as noon approached it was pushing 90 degrees which on the city streets felt more like 100. Of the 45,000 registered runners about 10,000 didn’t start and about 10,000 didn’t finish leaving about 25,000 who actually completed the 26.2.

The organizers canceled the race after about 3½ hours as the emergency services couldn’t keep up with the collapses on the course … this morning there are still about 10 runners in hospitals in “critical” condition.

I was at about mile 17 when I heard what was happening. This is where the southbound leg that takes you through Chinatown starts – anyway that loop was closed and we were sent from there straight back to the start line … so I ended up doing about 19-20miles in total in 4 01′ – about the same time as my last 20-miler!

It was so hot, and the organizers were right to stop it, but I was pissed – I felt really good and was so looking forward to finishing and the jaunt through the South Side.

For the record, whoever managed the water and Gatorade along the course needs to be fired. The really hot weather had been predicted for 5/6 days. The people at my pace and slower had almost no water/Gatorade for the first six miles. All the very thirsty faster runners had drunk and showered (as you might expect in the heat) using more than planned leaving none for us slower folks. This had to be a contributing factor to heat exhaustion for many people. I picked up an empty paper cup and gathered a enough as I went along from spectators and kind people. I picked up an empty water bottle and stood in line at a drinking fountain in Lincoln Park and filled it up. When that was gone I detoured to an ornamental fountain and filled from there – fortunately I didn’t need to drink that at the next water station had water (no Gatorade) – I refilled my bottle with clean water and continued on.

Now there seemed to be water at each station – but it was chaos, and you were always anxious that there’d be enough. If all 45,000 had started it would have been a catastrophe.

Now for some positive stuff

What a great experience. We organized as a family group. Jeff, Tori, Charlotte, Lesley and me – Michael says he’ll do it next year. We spent a night at a friend’s house on Saturday (thanks Travis and Kelly) and ate our pasta meal. We all got a decent night’s sleep and piled into a cab for the start line at 7am on Sunday.

Porta pottie lines, standing with your pace-conspirators at the start line starting the slow move forward at 8am (20 minutes for me to cross the line), listening to the rock music – what unbelievable energy – it gets very emotional. You can feel the overwhelming force of humanity right there, you’re tuned in.

It is everything you hear about marathons, the wonderful support from the spectators – what a buzz to hear “Keep going, you’re looking great Neil” (I’d taped my name to my chest). The entertainment, the cooling hoses, and, and, ….

Sign me up for next year, but please I want 60º weather!

Ingredients