Chicago Marathon
Encyclopedia
The Bank of America
Chicago Marathon (formerly the LaSalle Bank
Chicago Marathon) is a major marathon
held yearly in Chicago
in Cook County
, Illinois
, United States
. Alongside the Boston
, New York
, London
and Berlin Marathon
s, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors
. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race. The October 9, 2011 running was the 34th anniversary running of the race. The first race was held on September 25, 1977 under the original name the Mayor Daley Marathon, which drew a field of 4200 runners. The race has been held every year since, except in 1987 when only a half-marathon was ran. It is among the fastest growing marathon road races
in the world, due in part to its largely fast and flat course which facilitates the pursuit of personal records and world record
performances. The race has achieved its elite status among marathons by developing relationship with sponsors who provide prize money to lure elite runners who have produced American and world record performances.
There is no qualifying time to participate in the Chicago Marathon, but only runners who finish within 6½ hours are officially timed. The race is limited to 45,000 runners on a first-come, first-served basis. Although the race has limited registration, exceptions include elite runners and charity
representatives. Increasingly, local (e.g., Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital), national (e.g., American Cancer Society
) and global (e.g., Global Business Assist
, British Red Cross
, Asha for Education
, World Vision
) charities and humanitarian organizations encourage sponsored participation in the event as a means of fund raising.
The 2008 marathon featured a new sponsor name in Bank of America, (as Bank of America acquired LaSalle Bank in 2007). Registration for the 2011 race opened to the general public on February 1.
The first marathon at the 1896 Games of the I Olympiad generated interest in the sport which led to similar races throughout most western countries
and across the United States
. While marathons sporadically occurred in New York City
and St. Louis, the Boston Marathon
had established an annual marathon in 1897, soon to be followed by Chicago. Beginning in 1905, the Chicago Marathon (organized first by the Illinois Athletic Club 1905 to 1909, then sponsored by the Chicago Daily News after 1910) was held annually, with significant community and spectator support, until the early 1920s.
The First Chicago Marathon was run on Saturday, September 23, 1905. That first race began in Evanston and finished in front of a standing-room-only paying crowd at Washington Park race track. In a stunning upset, a reported 100,000 or more spectators watched Rhud Metzner come from behind to steal a late-race victory from the favored Louis Marks. With that first race, the Chicago Marathon began an annual run of epic races that continued until the early 1920s on a revised course that largely resembles today's marathon route. Over the years elite fields included Olympic champions, world records were continually sought, and the marathon continued to inspire Chicago communities and spectators until challenges of the early 1920s sidelined the event.
It was not until the health consciousness of the 1960s that marathon growth gained traction in the eyes of the nation. Frank Shorter
's 1972 Games of the XX Olympiad marathon victory
represented the convergence of many middle-class American ideals. Then the 1976 New York City Marathon, which was the first New York City Marathon to embrace the five borough
course, popularized the big city marathon. As the New York marathon began to grow exponentially in the 1970s, the Chicago Marathon was established as a rival to the New York City Marathon. By the mid 1980s, the Chicago Marathon was ensconced as one of the big four marathons. During the mid 1980s, it was named America's Marathon/Chicago and opened up the way for appearance payments. Joan Benoit Samuelson described the Chicago Marathon's of the mid 1980s as "The World's Marathon". The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is an open race with no qualifying time to participate.
The Modern Era Chicago Marathon was founded over the objection of Ed Kelly, Chicago Parks Superintendent who refused permission to run in the parks or along the Lake Michigan
lakefront. With the help of Lee Flaherty, the event's founder who operated out of Flair House in the Near North Side
community area
of Chicago, Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley
's support for the marathon was enlisted. Although Mayor Daley died, his successor Michael Anthony Bilandic
approved the race and got Kelly on board. Michael Bilandic, a runner, and his wife actually passed out medals at the first marathon on September 25, 1977. Flaherty footed the bill for the first race, which had no sponsors. He again footed the bill in 1978 when the race was again called the Mayor Daley Marathon. In 1979, however, Beatrice Foods
became the first race sponsor.
In the early years the Chicago Marathon was held in August. It has from its inception with 4200 runners and 2128 finishers been one of the nation's largest marathons. The 2000 running was second only to New York. The 1979 and 1980 events, however, continued to be gatherings of amateur runners. By 1982, the race finally had sufficient prize money to attract world class athletes. The 1982 was the first with world class times such as the 2:10:59 by Greg Meyer
, the last American-born male to win the race. By 1983, the Chicago Marathon had achieved its status as one of America's most important marathons. In 1984, Beatrice raised the purse to $250,000 ($50,000 more than New York's). The race had become a legitimate rival to New York and continues to vie for top runners. The 1985 race was spectacular with Steve Jones
breaking his own course record (2 seconds short of the world record) and Joan Benoit Samuelson the 1984 Olympic Champion, two-time defending Chicago Marathon Champion and Olympic Bronze Medalist, Rosa Mota
and the fourth place Olympic finisher and world record
setting Ingrid Kristiansen
. Benoit set a record that stood nearly a generation. At that time, it was considered the premier marathon in the United States, if not the world. Although 1986 had 40 world-class runners among the 8000 participants the times paled in comparison. Beatrice dropped out as a sponsor in 1987. Because of this only a half-marathon race was held that year and the marathon was moved to the spring of 1988 and attracted Heileman Brewing Company to sponsor the 1988 Old Style Chicago Marathon. The race resulted in three women who had been passed over for the 1988 Games of the XXIV Olympiad placing in the top positions. In 1991, Heileman discontinued its sponsorship and both the prize money and performances waned. In 1992, the race again had no sponsorship, but 1993 brought new sponsor LaSalle Bank
. In 1994, the race became the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. In 1996, LaSalle Bank purchased the Chicago Marathon from Major Events, Inc., who had purchased the race three years prior from Flaherty. In 1998, the race began using transponder timing
. In 2001, when Catherine Ndereba
broke the women's world record marathon time, both the men's and women's then-current world records had been set at the Chicago Marathon. For 2008, the race was sponsored by Bank of America
following the purchase of LaSalle Bank from ABN Amro
to Bank of America
, and the new title will be in use.
The 2007 race made history with the first ever CEO Marathon Challenge. The race featured a special competition among the CEOs, presidents, company owners and c-suite executives of companies with at least $5 million in annual gross revenue ($2.5 million for women). The 2007 race also made history for having three (men's, women's & men's wheelchair
) of its four races decided in the final 100 meters in a day of record setting heat. The race was partially shut down early (after three and a half hours) as temperatures rose to an unseasonably hot 88 degrees, which surpassed both the temperature records for the Chicago Marathon and official Chicago records for October 7. Over 10,000 registrants chose not to run in the record temperatures, while 10,934 people did not finish (many were called after the course closed early for safety). One runner died, over 30 were hospitalized, and over 400 others sought medical attention. Marathon owner and sponsor Bank of America
, which had just acquired LaSalle Bank, has denied culpability. Similar hot conditions have been experienced in other city centre races. In London in 2003 The British 10K also had extremely hot weather that affected many runners.
. From here, the current course winds through 29 of the city's neighborhoods. The course loop can be generally divided into three sections: North, West, and South. Near each of these directions, three of the city's main stadiums are nearby at their turning points. Wrigley Field
is near the north. The United Center
is to the west. US Cellular Field is to the south.
For the first three miles, runners wind through Chicago's downtown area
. Eventually, they head north along LaSalle Street
.
Runners are supported by 20 aid stations. Each are spread about 1–3 miles from each other. In addition, medical staff is available at each of the stations.
Digital timers are positioned at every 5 kilometers, as well as the halfway point.
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has grown significantly from its beginnings. In 1905, 20 runners registered for the first Chicago Marathon, 15 actually started the race, and 7 finished. For the first "modern" marathon race in 1977, just over 1000 people signed up for the race, with expected numbers of just 200-300. In 1995, 9000 people registered, and in 1999, over 29,000 people registered. The 2001 marathon run on October 7 reached its cap of 37,500, which was instituted after the 2000 race drew 33,171 runners, just prior to the entry deadline on September 19. In 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 it reached its cap of 40,000. The October 10, 2004, October 9, 2005 and October 22, 2006 races reached their 40,000 entrant caps on August 16, July 14, and May 26 respectively. On April 18, 2007, the 2007 race run on October 7 reached its cap of 45,000 entrants. There was a late registration exemption whereby elite runners (marathon times of less than 2:31/3:01 or half marathon
times of 1:11/1:21 for (men/women)) could register until September 1 even though the race had reached its registration cap in the spring. The 40,000 registrants and 33,000 finishers in 2003 made the Chicago Marathon the third or fourth largest marathon depending on which metric (registrants or finishers) is used.
The Chicago Marathon is entered by predominantly Caucasian
entrants from middle- to upper-middle-class affluence with a wide range in age and near equality in the sexes. The Chicago Marathon has never excluded women. Historically, however, the women's field has been smaller than the men's. This seems to be the result of older age categories having large multiples of men to women, but the women are beginning to outnumber the men in the 20s age group of the field.
Radcliffe's world record is also the course record; while the men's record is 2:05:37, set in the 2011 race by Moses Mosop.
9.2 million for charity. Charity fundraising is now closely intertwined with the event as the runners now raise money for research, aid the suffering and heighten public awareness of different causes. The marathon offers all registrants the opportunity to sign up to run with a charity partner. The marathon recognizes four levels of charities based on the number of participants recruited. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
required participants to raise $1400 to be a team member in 2004. Children's Memorial Hospital
has a $500 requirement. This program has existed since 2001:
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
Chicago Marathon (formerly the LaSalle Bank
LaSalle Bank
LaSalle Bank Corporation was the holding company for LaSalle Bank N.A. and LaSalle Bank Midwest N.A. . With $116 billion in assets, it was headquartered at 135 South LaSalle Street in Chicago, Illinois...
Chicago Marathon) is a major marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
held yearly in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Alongside the Boston
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
, New York
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
, London
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
and Berlin Marathon
Berlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...
s, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors
World Marathon Majors
The World Marathon Majors is a championship-style competition for marathon runners that started in 2006. It comprises five annual races for the cities of Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and New York City. Two other races are also included in the series: the IAAF World Championships Marathon and...
. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race. The October 9, 2011 running was the 34th anniversary running of the race. The first race was held on September 25, 1977 under the original name the Mayor Daley Marathon, which drew a field of 4200 runners. The race has been held every year since, except in 1987 when only a half-marathon was ran. It is among the fastest growing marathon road races
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
in the world, due in part to its largely fast and flat course which facilitates the pursuit of personal records and world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
performances. The race has achieved its elite status among marathons by developing relationship with sponsors who provide prize money to lure elite runners who have produced American and world record performances.
There is no qualifying time to participate in the Chicago Marathon, but only runners who finish within 6½ hours are officially timed. The race is limited to 45,000 runners on a first-come, first-served basis. Although the race has limited registration, exceptions include elite runners and charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
representatives. Increasingly, local (e.g., Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital), national (e.g., American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
) and global (e.g., Global Business Assist
Global Business Assist
Global Business Assist is an international non-profit micro-development organization based in Crystal Lake, IL, USA. GBA was founded in 2001 by Doug Mann. The focus of the micro-development is in several countries including Sudan Global Business Assist (GBA) is an international non-profit...
, British Red Cross
British Red Cross
The British Red Cross Society is the United Kingdom branch of the worldwide impartial humanitarian organisation the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with over 31,000 volunteers and 2,600 staff. At the heart of their work...
, Asha for Education
Asha for Education
Asha for Education is a volunteer-run action group dedicated to radical change in India by focusing on basic education, in the belief that education is a critical requisite for socio-economic change...
, World Vision
World Vision
World Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...
) charities and humanitarian organizations encourage sponsored participation in the event as a means of fund raising.
The 2008 marathon featured a new sponsor name in Bank of America, (as Bank of America acquired LaSalle Bank in 2007). Registration for the 2011 race opened to the general public on February 1.
History
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
and across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. While marathons sporadically occurred in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and St. Louis, the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
had established an annual marathon in 1897, soon to be followed by Chicago. Beginning in 1905, the Chicago Marathon (organized first by the Illinois Athletic Club 1905 to 1909, then sponsored by the Chicago Daily News after 1910) was held annually, with significant community and spectator support, until the early 1920s.
The First Chicago Marathon was run on Saturday, September 23, 1905. That first race began in Evanston and finished in front of a standing-room-only paying crowd at Washington Park race track. In a stunning upset, a reported 100,000 or more spectators watched Rhud Metzner come from behind to steal a late-race victory from the favored Louis Marks. With that first race, the Chicago Marathon began an annual run of epic races that continued until the early 1920s on a revised course that largely resembles today's marathon route. Over the years elite fields included Olympic champions, world records were continually sought, and the marathon continued to inspire Chicago communities and spectators until challenges of the early 1920s sidelined the event.
It was not until the health consciousness of the 1960s that marathon growth gained traction in the eyes of the nation. Frank Shorter
Frank Shorter
Frank Charles Shorter is a former American long-distance runner who won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics. His victory is credited with igniting the running boom in the United States of the 1970s....
's 1972 Games of the XX Olympiad marathon victory
Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics - Men's Marathon
The official results of the Men's Marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany held on Sunday September 10, 1972. The race started on 15.00h local time. A total number of 62 athletes completed the race, with Maurice Charlotin from Haiti finishing in 62nd and last position in...
represented the convergence of many middle-class American ideals. Then the 1976 New York City Marathon, which was the first New York City Marathon to embrace the five borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
course, popularized the big city marathon. As the New York marathon began to grow exponentially in the 1970s, the Chicago Marathon was established as a rival to the New York City Marathon. By the mid 1980s, the Chicago Marathon was ensconced as one of the big four marathons. During the mid 1980s, it was named America's Marathon/Chicago and opened up the way for appearance payments. Joan Benoit Samuelson described the Chicago Marathon's of the mid 1980s as "The World's Marathon". The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is an open race with no qualifying time to participate.
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
lakefront. With the help of Lee Flaherty, the event's founder who operated out of Flair House in the Near North Side
Near North Side, Chicago
The Near North Side is one of 77 well-defined community areas of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located north and east of the Chicago River, just north of the central business district . To its east is Lake Michigan and its northern boundary is the 19th-century city limit of Chicago,...
community area
Community areas of Chicago
Community areas in Chicago refers to the work of the Social Science Research Committee at University of Chicago which has unofficially divided the City of Chicago into 77 community areas. These areas are well-defined and static...
of Chicago, Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley
Richard J. Daley
Richard Joseph Daley served for 21 years as the mayor and undisputed Democratic boss of Chicago and is considered by historians to be the "last of the big city bosses." He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F...
's support for the marathon was enlisted. Although Mayor Daley died, his successor Michael Anthony Bilandic
Michael Anthony Bilandic
Michael Anthony Bilandic was an Illinois politician who served as the mayor of Chicago, Illinois and as Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. He was a member of the Democratic Party....
approved the race and got Kelly on board. Michael Bilandic, a runner, and his wife actually passed out medals at the first marathon on September 25, 1977. Flaherty footed the bill for the first race, which had no sponsors. He again footed the bill in 1978 when the race was again called the Mayor Daley Marathon. In 1979, however, Beatrice Foods
Beatrice Foods
Beatrice Foods Company was a major American food processing company. In 1987, its smaller international food operations were sold to Reginald Lewis, a corporate attorney creating TLC Beatrice International, after which the majority of its domestic brands and assets were acquired by Kohlberg,...
became the first race sponsor.
Greg Meyer
Greg Meyer is best known for his accomplishments in distance running. Most notably, he is the last American male to win the Boston Marathon.-Education:...
, the last American-born male to win the race. By 1983, the Chicago Marathon had achieved its status as one of America's most important marathons. In 1984, Beatrice raised the purse to $250,000 ($50,000 more than New York's). The race had become a legitimate rival to New York and continues to vie for top runners. The 1985 race was spectacular with Steve Jones
Steve Jones (athlete)
Steve Jones is a Welsh athlete and former world marathon record holder.Steve Jones was born in St James' Hospital Tredegar and grew up in the neighbouring town of Ebbw Vale, Wales, Jones began his career as an aircraft technician in the Royal Air Force...
breaking his own course record (2 seconds short of the world record) and Joan Benoit Samuelson the 1984 Olympic Champion, two-time defending Chicago Marathon Champion and Olympic Bronze Medalist, Rosa Mota
Rosa Mota
Rosa Maria Correia dos Santos Mota, GCIH, GCM is a Portuguese former marathon runner, one of her country's foremost athletes. She is also considered to have been one of the best marathon runners of the 20th century....
and the fourth place Olympic finisher and world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
setting Ingrid Kristiansen
Ingrid Kristiansen
Ingrid Kristiansen née Christensen , was one of the best female long distance runners in the second half of the 1980s. She finished in fourth place in the first women's Olympic marathon race, at the 1984 Summer Olympics.-Career:Kristiansen started her career quite unremarkably, running 2:30 - 2:40...
. Benoit set a record that stood nearly a generation. At that time, it was considered the premier marathon in the United States, if not the world. Although 1986 had 40 world-class runners among the 8000 participants the times paled in comparison. Beatrice dropped out as a sponsor in 1987. Because of this only a half-marathon race was held that year and the marathon was moved to the spring of 1988 and attracted Heileman Brewing Company to sponsor the 1988 Old Style Chicago Marathon. The race resulted in three women who had been passed over for the 1988 Games of the XXIV Olympiad placing in the top positions. In 1991, Heileman discontinued its sponsorship and both the prize money and performances waned. In 1992, the race again had no sponsorship, but 1993 brought new sponsor LaSalle Bank
LaSalle Bank
LaSalle Bank Corporation was the holding company for LaSalle Bank N.A. and LaSalle Bank Midwest N.A. . With $116 billion in assets, it was headquartered at 135 South LaSalle Street in Chicago, Illinois...
. In 1994, the race became the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. In 1996, LaSalle Bank purchased the Chicago Marathon from Major Events, Inc., who had purchased the race three years prior from Flaherty. In 1998, the race began using transponder timing
Transponder timing
Transponder timing is a technique for measuring performance in sport events. A transponder working on a radio-frequency identification basis is attached to the athlete and emits a unique code that is detected by radio receivers located at the strategic points in an event.Prior to the use of this...
. In 2001, when Catherine Ndereba
Catherine Ndereba
Wincatherine Nyambura Ndereba is a Kenyan marathon runner. She has twice won the marathon at the World Championships in Athletics and won silver medals in the Olympics in 2004 and 2008. She is also a four-time winner of the Boston Marathon...
broke the women's world record marathon time, both the men's and women's then-current world records had been set at the Chicago Marathon. For 2008, the race was sponsored by Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
following the purchase of LaSalle Bank from ABN Amro
ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is a Dutch state-owned bank with headquarters in Amsterdam. It was re-established, in its current form, in 2009 following the acquisition and break up of ABN AMRO Group by a banking consortium consisting of Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Santander and Fortis...
to Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, and the new title will be in use.
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
) of its four races decided in the final 100 meters in a day of record setting heat. The race was partially shut down early (after three and a half hours) as temperatures rose to an unseasonably hot 88 degrees, which surpassed both the temperature records for the Chicago Marathon and official Chicago records for October 7. Over 10,000 registrants chose not to run in the record temperatures, while 10,934 people did not finish (many were called after the course closed early for safety). One runner died, over 30 were hospitalized, and over 400 others sought medical attention. Marathon owner and sponsor Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, which had just acquired LaSalle Bank, has denied culpability. Similar hot conditions have been experienced in other city centre races. In London in 2003 The British 10K also had extremely hot weather that affected many runners.
Course
The marathon course is a loop course, starting and ending at Grant ParkGrant Park (Chicago)
Grant Park, with between the downtown Chicago Loop and Lake Michigan, offers many different attractions in its large open space. The park is generally flat. It is also crossed by large boulevards and even a bed of sunken railroad tracks...
. From here, the current course winds through 29 of the city's neighborhoods. The course loop can be generally divided into three sections: North, West, and South. Near each of these directions, three of the city's main stadiums are nearby at their turning points. Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
is near the north. The United Center
United Center
The United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
is to the west. US Cellular Field is to the south.
For the first three miles, runners wind through Chicago's downtown area
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
. Eventually, they head north along LaSalle Street
LaSalle Street
LaSalle Street is a major north-south street in Chicago named for Sieur de La Salle, an early explorer of Illinois. The portion that runs through the Loop is considered to be Chicago's financial district...
.
Runners are supported by 20 aid stations. Each are spread about 1–3 miles from each other. In addition, medical staff is available at each of the stations.
Digital timers are positioned at every 5 kilometers, as well as the halfway point.
Runner statistics
| Year | Finishers | Male | Female | Avg Finish Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 27870 | 16802 | 11068 | 4:21:46 |
| 2001 | 28390 | 17129 | 11261 | 4:19:28 |
| 2002 | 31093 | 18111 | 12982 | 4:19:51 |
| 2003 | 32395 | 18720 | 13675 | 4:25:09 |
| 2004 | 33033 | 19073 | 13960 | 4:26:53 |
| 2005 | 32995 | 18673 | 14322 | 4:26:22 |
| 2006 | 33618 | 18904 | 14714 | 4:25:02 |
| 2007 | 28815 | 16945 | 11870 | 4:52:11 |
| 2008 | 31343 | 17675 | 13668 | 4:46:30 |
| 2009 | 33475 | 18983 | 14492 | 4:27:20 |
| 2010 | 36159 | 19973 | 16186 | 4:43:48 |
| 2011 | 35670 | 20256 | 15414 | 4:40:34 |
| Source: MarathonGuide | ||||
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has grown significantly from its beginnings. In 1905, 20 runners registered for the first Chicago Marathon, 15 actually started the race, and 7 finished. For the first "modern" marathon race in 1977, just over 1000 people signed up for the race, with expected numbers of just 200-300. In 1995, 9000 people registered, and in 1999, over 29,000 people registered. The 2001 marathon run on October 7 reached its cap of 37,500, which was instituted after the 2000 race drew 33,171 runners, just prior to the entry deadline on September 19. In 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 it reached its cap of 40,000. The October 10, 2004, October 9, 2005 and October 22, 2006 races reached their 40,000 entrant caps on August 16, July 14, and May 26 respectively. On April 18, 2007, the 2007 race run on October 7 reached its cap of 45,000 entrants. There was a late registration exemption whereby elite runners (marathon times of less than 2:31/3:01 or half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
times of 1:11/1:21 for (men/women)) could register until September 1 even though the race had reached its registration cap in the spring. The 40,000 registrants and 33,000 finishers in 2003 made the Chicago Marathon the third or fourth largest marathon depending on which metric (registrants or finishers) is used.
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
entrants from middle- to upper-middle-class affluence with a wide range in age and near equality in the sexes. The Chicago Marathon has never excluded women. Historically, however, the women's field has been smaller than the men's. This seems to be the result of older age categories having large multiples of men to women, but the women are beginning to outnumber the men in the 20s age group of the field.
Records
World records have been broken at Chicago four times. In 1984, Steve Jones broke the world record with 2:08:05. In 1999, Khalid Khannouchi was the first to surpass 2:06:00 with 2:05:42. The women's record was broken in two consecutive years. In 2001, Catherine Ndereba broke the record in 2:18:47, and Paula Radcliffe surpassed that mark with 2:17:18 the year after.Radcliffe's world record is also the course record; while the men's record is 2:05:37, set in the 2011 race by Moses Mosop.
Economic impact
Much of the marathon's impact is derived from the tourism industry. More than 10,000 of the runners in 2010 have indicated their first visit to Chicago. Of that, 6000 have come from 100 countries. Due to the travelers, the event increases hotel occupancy rates during the marathon. In the 2009 edition, the marathon contributed $150 million worth of activity. The local economy produced 1310 jobs.Charity program
Although entrants have registered on a first-come first-served basis and elite runners have an extended deadline, numerous official charities have additional late registration rights to award. The 2007 event had 85 charity partners. The 2006 event raised $United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
9.2 million for charity. Charity fundraising is now closely intertwined with the event as the runners now raise money for research, aid the suffering and heighten public awareness of different causes. The marathon offers all registrants the opportunity to sign up to run with a charity partner. The marathon recognizes four levels of charities based on the number of participants recruited. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society , founded in 1949, is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. LLS's mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of...
required participants to raise $1400 to be a team member in 2004. Children's Memorial Hospital
Children's Memorial Hospital
Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois is a pediatric hospital. The main hospital is located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood on the north side of the city. With more than 1,100 physicians on staff and approximately 4,000 employees, Children’s Memorial focuses on 70 specialties in 17...
has a $500 requirement. This program has existed since 2001:
| Year | Charity Count | Charity Runner Count | Funds Raised |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 7 | NA | NA |
| 2002 | 14 | 1,674 | $2,950,000 |
| 2003 | 19 | 2,527 | $4,540,000 |
| 2004 | 29 | 2,449 | $4,740,000 |
| 2005 | 43 | 3,000 | $6,317,000 |
| 2006 | 60 | 4,500 | $9,500,000 |
| 2007 | 85 | 6,600 | $9,985,482 |
| 2008 | 110 | 6,745 | $9,209,000 |
| 2009 | 123 | 8,768 | $10,183,855 |
| 2010 | 150 | 9,842 | $12,109,000 |
| Source: 2011 Chicago Marathon Media Guide | |||
Deaths
- 2011 - William Caviness, 35, Greensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
- Believed to have died from cardiac arrestCardiac arrestCardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
five hundred yards from finish line. - 2007 - Chad Schieber, 35, Midland, MichiganMidland, MichiganMidland is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan in the Tri-Cities region of the state. It is the county seat of Midland County. The city's population was 41,863 as of the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area....
- Mitral valve prolapseMitral valve prolapseMitral valve prolapse is a valvular heart disease characterized by the displacement of an abnormally thickened mitral valve leaflet into the left atrium during systole. There are various types of MVP, broadly classified as classic and nonclassic. In its nonclassic form, MVP carries a low risk of... - 2003 - Rachael Townsend, 29, The Plains, OhioThe Plains, OhioThe Plains is a census-designated place in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,931 at the 2000 census.-Geography:The Plains is located at ....
- Mitral valve prolapseMitral valve prolapseMitral valve prolapse is a valvular heart disease characterized by the displacement of an abnormally thickened mitral valve leaflet into the left atrium during systole. There are various types of MVP, broadly classified as classic and nonclassic. In its nonclassic form, MVP carries a low risk of... - 2001 - Luke Roach, 22, Seattle, Washington - Collapsed near finish line. Body temperature reached 107 °F (41.7 °C)
- 2000 - Danny Towns, 45, Edmond, OklahomaEdmond, OklahomaEdmond is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area in the central part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the population was 81,405, making it the sixth largest city in the state of Oklahoma....
- Cardiac arrestCardiac arrestCardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively... - 1998 - Kelly Barrett, 43, Littleton, ColoradoLittleton, ColoradoLittleton is a Home Rule Municipality contained in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Littleton is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area. Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County and the 20th most populous city in the state of...
- Believed to be caused by hyponatremiaHyponatremiaHyponatremia is an electrolyte disturbance in which the sodium concentration in the serum is lower than normal. In the vast majority of cases, hyponatremia occurs as a result of excess body water diluting the serum sodium and is not due to sodium deficiency. Sodium is the dominant extracellular...
External links
- Chicago Marathon official site
- Chicago Marathon Charities
- Marathon Info
- archive at Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...