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Race Reports for Chicago Marathon

[76]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: We had such a good experience last year that I had this race on a pedastel. I guess the only thing they could control that wasn't great was the post-race party which was a rip. Other than that I think they did as good as they could have considering the crazy weather.
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[77]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This was my favorite marathon to date. Great crowds, neighborhoods, and atmosphere. But the race was called shortly after I finished and for the back of the pack was something of a debacle. They really did need more aid stations (had just 15), and had significant distribution problems to the aid stations that they had. But I didn't experience any of this. While I was really hurting for the last 3-4 miles, it wasn't any worse than my other marathons. I believe this is my best, gutsiest race performance to date.
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[78]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: The chicago people are amazing. They were out there with their hoses and jugs of water trying to cool people off. <3 chi-town
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[79]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?No
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Bad
  • Overall course based on my ability: Too hard

  • Comments: On this date, this was an average race. I wasn't happy with the weather but you can't control mother nature. The crowd support was great considering the heat. I believe the race official made the right decision although it was tough. I truely believe this decision probably saved lots of lives.
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[80]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This was my very first full marathon, and aside from the obvious difficulties this year, I found it to be a terrific race! I had a great time in Chicago and truely enjoyed the majority of the race. I would recommend the Chicago Marathon to other beginners...you can do it!
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[81]
Reported by:
Race rating (2)
User photo
  • Organised?
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Hard to answer these. I had plenty of supplies but I know there were issues out there. I just can't comment because I wasn't there for that part.
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[82]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Despite the crazy heat, my first marathon was a positive experience. I had no problem getting enough water but feel really bad that people after me ran out. I have a lot of respect for all the people who finished the race even though it was turned into a "fun run" (who thinks running in 89 degree temps is "fun"?). The volunteers and crowds were wonderful. I can't wait to run this marathon next year under more typical conditions.
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[83]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?
  • Events on time?

  • Lots of volunteers to help?
  • Plenty of drink stations?

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability:

  • Comments: The questions above like organized? mental effort? race difficulty? just don't make any sense to me. I don't know how to answer them. They could run this race again for the next 60 years and it will never be this hot again. It was a disaster of epic proportions and cannot be quantified accurately on paper. I had two moments of clarity this day. The first one was somewhere between miles 14-17. I realized that I had to let it go. I was so worried that all my hard work at having a respectable time in a marathon was shot by the weather. I realized it didn't matter. This was my race. I needed to live in the moment and not worry about the race I could have run. I needed to run the race I had in front of me. From that moment on it was much more enjoyable. Instead of regretting the situation and being stressed about I relished it. So what if I walked most of the second half? Who cares. I also realized that the whole "dig deep and keep running" attitude that I used in Racine
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[84]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?No
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: The marathon organizers are taking a lot of heat for the chaos that this became. I guess because of the heat and the early runners drinking more and dumping more water over their heads, the later runners were not getting enough. I never went through a water stop where I couldn't what I needed, but it was obvious the volunteers were working their asses off to keep up. The volunteers were great, even at the end they kept encouraging us. I still want a mulligan, just not today!
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[85]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?No
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Too hard

  • Comments: I signed up for this race because I had watched it from the sidelines last year and it was everything I could do to not jump in and run with them. I also wanted to see if I could do this leg of the race if I would ever seriously think about doing IM distance. I think I learned a lot. It was hell. A nightmare really. But you know it will be an experience that will be talking about for the rest of my life. An experience for a lifetime. I am damn happy that I did it. I am pretty sure I will be able to PB my next marathon without much of a problem. I hope. :)
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[86]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?
  • Events on time?

  • Lots of volunteers to help?
  • Plenty of drink stations?

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability:

  • Comments: I think next time I'll hopefully know I'll be racing more than a day ahead of time... and I LLOOVVEE my new Newtons. My knees/hips never hurt on the run, and while I'm sore today, I think it's because I kind of went away from that 10% rule thing (quads, hamstrings, and side gluts hurt), and I CAN still walk today.
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[87]
Reported by:
Race rating (2)
User photo
  • Organised?No
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability:

  • Comments: Unprepared for the heat & humidity. This race was not cancelled due to heat, but cancelled due to lack of planning and preparation by the race organization.
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[88]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?No
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: I can't say much about the water stations being empty because when I went through they were pretty well stocked. I heard the later runners went without starting with the second or third water station. THat's bogus and the RD should be FIRED if that's the case. REally -- how the fu** do you run out of WATER during a marathon. That's just poor planning. I was ready for the heat and slowed my roll considerably. When my legs cramped, I walked, when I felt like I needed a drink, I got one. Too many unprepared people and first-timers who've never done an endurance race fu**ed it up for the people who WERE prepped.
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[89]
Reported by:
Race rating (1)
User photo
  • Organised?No
  • Events on time?

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability:

  • Comments: I won't ever do this race again. I have never liked large races. I only did this race because my brother had asked me to. It was an emotional day for the both of us. We both raced together for the first time and we endured quite a bit on the race course. I really don't anything else to say other than the volunteers and the crowd were great and supportive and I tried to thank every volunteer who was out there and gave me something to drink and encouragement. Without your help I would not have finished this race. I thank you for standing out in that heat all day with nobody cheering you on. I only wish you all know how important you were to me during this race.
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[90]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?
  • Events on time?

  • Lots of volunteers to help?
  • Plenty of drink stations?

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability:

  • Comments: There was no water at aid station 2 and some other station the tables were not setup so there was no water. Luckily I brought my fuel belt. I started with heed and pedialite. As the heed vanished I put water and sustain energy, but stopped and drank lots of water. I was trying to the run walk technique but was losing so much time half way through I decide to just run but by that time the heat had fried my legs and I had no power. My brother started the race with me but jumped out at mile 3 because I was going to fast for him (9min pace), then I remembered I need to rest for a minuted after every mile. My good friend Eileen jumped in at mile 13 and luckil;y she did. I was getting a stomach ache from the sustain energy and she carried my fuel belt. That releved pressure from my stomach and my arms. She is truly a good friend. Thank you Eileen, you Rock! My family was waiting for me at the jumping bean again. Brett and Chris were there too. Its always nice to see friendly people
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[91]
Reported by:
Race rating (2)
User photo
  • Organised?No
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: *Sigh* I know this is always a popular race. I know many people who have done it many times multiple years in a row. This was clearly an anomaly. Poor planning. Poor poor planning.
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[92]
Reported by:
Race rating (2)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: I will be back to run this race the way I know I can.
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[93]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: The only thing I would have changed about Chicago was the weather, and my injury. It would be nice if the course was run backwards since you spend the last few miles in a not so nice part of town, but overall, the course was beautiful. Just wish there had been more sunshine!
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[94]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Great race. Great atmosphere. Best and worst is there are so many spectators. Best - Great that you run the whole course and there isn't a area where someone isn't cheering you on. Worst - Setting up meeting points for my family and to see them...and there are so many people that you can't find them.
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[95]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: In spite of the time, and in spite of the pain, I consider this one of the best times I have ever had, and a total success. I am excited to do another one and already have a preliminary list of potential race choices. After all, with a 6 hour finish time, I have GREAT PR POTENTIAL !!
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[96]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: I couldn't believe how smoothly everything went with the sheer number of people. I won't do this race next year because trying to marathon train during the school year was just to stressful, but I hope to go back in 2008 :)
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[97]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Well I definitely left Chicago with some hugs/looks/runs/dances/pictures/medals...of a lifetime. Great race...can't wait for what is next...
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[98]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This is by far the best and hardest thing I have ever done and I hope to have many more challenges ahead. I'm glad I could share this experience with great people who have now become more to me than running buddies-they are true friends.
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[99]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Chicago is a great event. It is done very well. Amazing volunteers and spectators. Even in the cold, the people were out in force and the energy was amazing.
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[100]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Awesome post race party in millenium park. The band was great, there was plenty of food and drink.
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