Marathon weekend in Chi-town never disappoints. Especially on the rare occasion when Mom Nature cooperates, which she did this year. I’m so glad I twisted Jill’s arm hard enough to keep her from bailing on this one. I ran Chicago in 2007 and 2010, volunteered in 2009. This was my first year spectating: the last frontier, and probably the most fun.
The fun started with a mad dash from the airport through badly snarled traffic to the expo for packet pickup and a blogger meetup. Mission accomplished. Better late than never right?
Michel, Jill, me and Marlene. So much fun to hang with you girls, although way too short!
Next was a frenzied drive to the Chi-town boonies for a carb load with Bobbi. Alas none of us captured this in pics. Blame it on the rigatoni.
Race Day: Jill and I were up and out dark and early thanks to my phobia of not securing adequate parking. 45 minutes and $$$ later, we had our wheels safely ensconced in my A spot. This was going to be a great day.
Starting area pre-dawn.
Soon it was time to leave the concrete confines of the parking garage and head out in the chill air to the seeded corrals. Nothing is too good for Jill. Nothing.
Jill, Mr. P and me.
We bid our farewells and Mr Pumpkin and I jockeyed for position at the start. No easy task. The waves went off smoothly then I was off to my second spectating stakeout: State St. just upstream of mile 2. The wheelchairs came thru, then a couple of vision-impaired runners with their guides, elites, fasties, charity runners and the rest of the horde.
The lead pack approaches mile 2.
Somehow I missed Marlene and Patty but I saw Jill, a cow, Minnie Mouse, and Michel. Maybe I was hallucinating but I think I saw Skinny Runner and one of the RunningSkirts twins in the new snow leopard skirt I am badly jonesing for.
Mr Pumpkin worked his magic while I worked the cowbell.
I worked my way up Adams heading to cheer stakeout #3.
How sweet is this guy?
Kids this is why you NEED to risk the uncertain weather and DO this race: Chi-town spectators cheer like it’s their job. Seriously people haul out 8-ft. tables, George Foreman Grills, donuts til the cows come home, wrap their dogs in Snuggies and give them their own chair to cheer the runners on. It’s an all-day marathon tailgate party. There are no dead spots on this course. None. If you feel like you can’t finish this race, the fans will carry you in. Either that or offer you a beef sandwich. Count on it.
Stakeout #3: Lupus Tent at the Charity Block Party approx mile 14.5. It was great fun to see MP and the gang again. I ran on this team in 2010 and flopped down here for a good long time that year. I was ‘done’ with the excessive heat and had no intention of going on. But after stuffing ice pretty much everywhere, a pep talk and a shove (ok nudge) back out on the course by the Caveman, I reconsidered and finished. Here I added a purple pom pom to my cowbell, Mr. P. and poster AND I handed out bananas. Multitasking at it’s finest.
Marlene and Patty sailed through making it look effortless and shortly after my sandbagging friend Jill (who assured me she wouldn’t finish under 5:30) came by at 2:17 looking strong and having no problemos with her foot. Let the record show I had alternate shoes for her in my backpack just in case. I stayed and cheered awhile longer but given how strong Jill ran the first half I knew I needed to make my way back to the finish before long.
So that’s what I did. Back down Adams, cheering and cowbelling all the way.
I think Carey Pinkowski hired Brinks to seal off the finish area. There were fences everywhere, electrically charged and topped with barbed wire, I suspect. Any hopes I had of watching the runners finish were quickly dashed. So Mr. P and I pressed ourselves against a chain-link fence and settled in with a zillion other adoring fans.
Eventually the officials had a change of heart and allowed us into the area around Buckingham Fountain. The atmosphere was electric: I cannot tell you how fun it was to see the finishers. Some limping, icing or in wheel chairs, all very tired and emotional but so proud. I don’t think I’ve ever been asked to take so many pictures.
It was cool to hear how great the runners thought the race was. While I’m not sure I totally agree, I heard “better than Boston and NYC” more than a few times. It was an exciting and exhausting day!
Congrats to everyone who raced this weekend! Did you?
Yay! It was so great to meet you, even if only briefly! And loved seeing your smile and Mr. P at mile 14! I was looking forward to that through the first half of the race. Even with all of those spectators, a little familiar face goes a long way. Thanks so much!!
Definitely an awesome race and a top two fave for me. 🙂
Thanks to you and Mr. P for being awesome spectators! Sorry I missed you on the course, but it was great carb loading with you and jill 🙂
Awesome!!! I had a great time “spectating” my friend’s various marathons Sunday from my couch while watching Step Brothers on cable. LOVE live tracking!!!
Yep, we’ve whittled our fall race to Portland, Chicago, and MCM – I plan on leaning heavily on Chi!!!
Yes it was great meeting you and Jill and Marlene!! I agree with the crowds after this year compared to 2010. Plus at least you know what I mean about the fences at the finish line!!
Sounds like a great time! I’ve always heard such great things about the Chicago Marathon….now if I could just work up the nerve to register for a marathon 😉
Great recap! I really enjoyed it! Hope your Tuesday is great! Spa love!
What fun! Spectating is almost as fun as running the race! So nice that you had shoes for Jill 🙂 I was carrying a hat and gloves for a friend, just in case, and forgot to tell her I even had them, ha ha.
The social media buzz about the marathon was so cool to follow this weekend! I have never spectated a race but there are a few on my list of must-do’s. I will have to add this one! I have also always wanted to spectate Boston. I did watch for my mom for a bit in the NYC Marathon a long time ago, but I was young and impatient and didn’t appreciate it, so that does not count.
Sounds like fun! I enjoy spectating and being a course monitor, I get to enjoy all the race energy without being exhausted at the end!!
You sound like the world’s best spectator! That’s awesome that you had so much fun and I’m sure gave a ton of runners a boost along the way!
What an awesome experience, thanks for sharing!
Chicago is definitely on my marathon bucket list – your post only makes me want to run it that much more. Mr. Pumpkin is especially awesome. 🙂
Sounds awesome! I really don’t like great big crowds, but I’d still like to do the Chicago Marathon. Spectators sounds awesome since my marathon was seriously lacking them! You’re a great friend for being out there, cheering, sherpa-ing, and multitasking.
What a great experience! Sounds like an amazing race:)
Sounds like so much fun. The atmosphere of races can really make the whole event and it sounds like Chicago really knows how to DO a race.
I’m certain the highlight of the weekend were those damn shoes in your backpack! 🙂
I hope you know what a special friend you are to me…the race – and the weekend – would not have panned out so perfectly had it not been for you. You and Mr. P. ROCK! Thank you from the bottom of every achy joint in my body…I can’t stop reliving parts of that race – what an incredible day (well, more incredible if I could have run as strong the 2nd half as the first. Ha!).
xoxo
Sounds like a fun experience!!
Sounds like you had a blast!!! You are an awesome spectator!! Yes, Cindy from running skirts ran…I saw her too and then later I saw on facebook that she ran a 2:57(!!) Glad you were able to have a great weekend with Jill!
I bet you are the BEST of the best Chicago spectators! It’s definitely on my “someday” list–I guess I better get a move on before global warming takes us all over.
Congrats to Jill! She always exceeds her own expectations (even though the rest of us know she’s a badass).
I spectated too and thought I would be bummed not to be running it after having to pull out for injury, but it was SO FUN to cheer everyone on. You’re right that the energy of the spectators is crazy! Every spot we went had TONS of people. I heard the entire course is bascially lined with spectators cheering like crazy. I really hope I get to do this one next year.
And love Mr. Pumpkin. Such a good idea to have something easy to spot.
This looks so aweseome! I am cheering some friends on this weekend so am looking forward to cowbelling them home.
Marcia: Did you know that Heather from Better With Veggies is going to run MCM also?
http://betterwithveggies.com/2012/10/can-you-run-a-marathon-for-fun
What a great cheerleader you are! I need someone like you at my races, Marcia! I love to crew/cheer at races, too – sometimes more than run them! 🙂 Sounds like a wonderful day!
Sounds and looks like you had a great time! And you can never have enough cowbell!!
I love how you described all the crowd support along the course. Those seem to be the little things that stick with me long after a race is over.
Sounds like an amazing race venue! I think I’d rather cheer than run though :-).
Love this and the photos have a lot more meaning for me now that I have been to Chicago! I would love to run this race someday!