The air conditioning in my car is broken; a week and a half ago I figured I wouldn't have to worry about getting it fixed until next June. Was I wrong or what? This weekend was SWELTERING... enough for race officials to actually cancel one of the world's most famous marathons midway into the race. No, there were no world records broken in yesterday's marathon heat. Even just watching the Chicago Marathon from the sidelines, I could feel the trickle of sweat down my forehead. Eighty-eight degrees by 10am will do that to you.
The race always begins and ends right near Buckingham Fountain and usually attracts an enormous number of spectators and volunteers. Starting at Grant Park and going straight up north through Lincoln Park, the crowds can get up to 20 people deep to watch this morning display of will power. Get there early if you plan to cheer on your friends! An easy spot to watch the race is right at the corner of North Avenue and Sedgewick - however this area can get VERY crowded due to its proximity to the purple line. If you want to cheer somewhere that the runners would really appreciate and that you will have a better view, I'd head south. Also, don't expect to be able to watch the finish up close and personal. The finish line is bordered by bleacher seats reserved for those who have special tickets. And if you're going to be watching for someone specific, tell them to wear BRIGHT COLORS. Black and white don't stand out very well in a sea of 30,000 runners. And in weather like yesterday's, don't forget to bring your own ice cold waterbottle.
This year was the 30th anniversary of the Chicago Marathon and most likely the last year for its LaSalle Bank sponsorship. The well-known Chicago area bank has recently been purchased by Bank of America.
What's going on? Maybe this whole global warming thing is hitting us faster than I thought. When I was a kid, I would spend hours of October outside shivering, bundled in my OshKosh B'Gosh jacket and carefully building what I believed was the world's largest pile of leaves, constructed only to break my fall from the picnic table as I jumped from it. This October I'd be better off floating on a raft in a swimming pool with a strawberry daiquiri in hand.
No matter the reason, it's happening. This October is no longer October - it's July. And this "July" there was one very hot marathon. About 10,000 runners didn't even show for the race and another 10,000 were unable to finish. One after another, I saw people struggle to cross the finish line only to collapse at the feet of those in front of them. Talk about determination.
The race always begins and ends right near Buckingham Fountain and usually attracts an enormous number of spectators and volunteers. Starting at Grant Park and going straight up north through Lincoln Park, the crowds can get up to 20 people deep to watch this morning display of will power. Get there early if you plan to cheer on your friends! An easy spot to watch the race is right at the corner of North Avenue and Sedgewick - however this area can get VERY crowded due to its proximity to the purple line. If you want to cheer somewhere that the runners would really appreciate and that you will have a better view, I'd head south. Also, don't expect to be able to watch the finish up close and personal. The finish line is bordered by bleacher seats reserved for those who have special tickets. And if you're going to be watching for someone specific, tell them to wear BRIGHT COLORS. Black and white don't stand out very well in a sea of 30,000 runners. And in weather like yesterday's, don't forget to bring your own ice cold waterbottle.
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