It has been more than a month since the chicago fiasco. No one is willing to be honest and to tell the truth. I came from Miami and trained in the heat for 5 months. I didn't like it but i did it. I have run 4 complete marathons before this non-event. The reason they are giving, severe weather conditions is only partially complete. The rest of the story and the most important is that they ran out of water, gatorade and cups. If any of the organizers actually participated they would know instantly that THIS IS THE REASON AND THE PRIMARY REASON. In all the marathons i have run in they all had water at every mile, not sporadically placed about the course in haphazard fashion. people coming to participate sign a waiver, yes. however the race is responsible to provide appropriate liquid replenishment for its runners. The marine corp, airforce, miami and new york marathons all had water and gatorade at every mile. they also had enough cups. I was picking up cups off the ground because there weren't enough on the tables. some of the tables were empty or turned over with no one there to give out liquids. I had been watching the weather channel for weeks leading up to the race and saw that the temps were going to be over 80'. didn't the race organizers see this, were they watching the weather channel for example? I brought my own gatorade from miami, just in case they ran short, what a joke. The runners, at least for me, made a serious committment and paid a lot of money to come to chicago, plane fare, hotel, time away from family, time out of my medical practice. I was expecting a professional, well organized, and well supported event. after all they had 30 years to practice and get it right. Not even to get a personal message from the race directors to the runners on their email, i have received no contact from anyone, and by now i would have expected it. at least we should be compensated in some way for their shortcomings and mis-management. examples: reduced fee on a future race, special rate at hotel, something. yes it was a hot day, and there have been others. but none of them cancelled during the event. unfortunately, other runners have died at races and i know this is a very humbling and serious issue, but they did not cancel the race. previous marathons, ie boston was held on a very hot day very recently and they did not stop the race.
to say the least i am very upset and disappointed in this marathon. the organizers should step up and be willing to take full responsiblilty for this non-event and not simply blame the weather. They ran out of water and gatorade and did not have a plan to make up for the deficiency and did have a plan B. They knew well in advance that liquids would be running fast and early in the event and should have had more than what they thought they would need. why not ere on having too much and giving the excess to charity or other chicago citizens who would need. Wow what a novel idea, have more water than what they would need. i'm getting redundant, sorry. i am just very angry. i don't even want to display anything associated with this event in my office and i do proudly display all of my past certificates, photos and medals. however for this, nothing, they just don't mean anything.
What does anyone else think, or am I one of a few who feels this was?
Dr Larry

I think you are spending alot of energy on something negative and that you should get over it. I can't even read your lengthy diatribe.

Why don't you spend your time on something more positive. I know you are pissed off, but what good does that do you?

RE SENT MENT - Comes from the latin word "RE" to do over, and "SENTIERE" - TO FEEL. Why do you keep reliving this bad memory? Do you reslam your finger in the door every day too?

I mean, move on!

Your not the only one. I will not wear anything with the Chicago marathon logo on anymore. I used to wear it with pride but now I am just embrased by it.

I am also still upset about the "marathon." I'm guessing that the person here who loves to run and urges you (and I suppose us) to focus on the positive didn't spend their summer working hard, didn't spend money and time to travel, didn't make the countless personal sacrifices that accompany marathon training. People who offer their opinions on a subject they know nothing about aggravate me almost as much as the marathon "organizers." If you didn't train for it, pay to run it, line up for it, or endure the pure chaos of it, JUST SHUT UP.

I continue to wait for something from the management of this "race." What galls me is that in addition to not taking any responsibility for the inadequacies, they blame runners. The shortcomings of this poorly organized event aren't the fault of a single runner. And I am sure that they are counting on the passage of time to compensate for any real action.

I will never run another Chicago Marathon, but I do wear my jacket for a few reasons. It's a conversation starter. People ask me how it went, and it's an opportunity to educate people who don't know much about marathon running. They were just fed the spin here, and think, yeah, runners are crazy, it's their fault. But the main reason I wear it is because it never symbolized that one run for me. I am very proud of a summer's worth of serious training, and marathon training has given me far more than Carey P. & Co. can ever take away.

Edited Sat Dec 1st 2007 11:22 am by IranChicago07

The marathon was actually run very well. Think about how they ran out of water at the aide stations after an hour for the very first one. If you are not at mile 2.1 in a hour, you are in trouble and probably should not be running. No one actually needed that water that early, people could have easily skipped one water break, and if you couldn't of you weren't prepared for the race.

the second fact of the matter is, who told you to run this? Did someone recruit you to run chicago? Or did you choose it for yourself. If someone recruited you, you are clearly an elite athlete and water won't be a problem. But no one forces anyone to run a 26.2 mile race. It is the choice of the individual. People need to take responsibility for themselves and not blame things on other people. 15,000 people did not show up because they thought they could not brave heat, hence taking responsibility for themselves.

I have ran 4 marathons now, best time being at 3:13, and i have not received better support then Chicago ( I ran Lake Geneva, WI,,, Chicago, Memphis, and then Green Bay, WI). People can not continue to blame stuff on other people, that is the beauty of running, you have no one to blame but yourself

Edited Thu 29th May 2008 8:31 pm by sxtxb4