LETS FINISH!

What We STARTED.

This was a saying and a phrase that I saw a lot of on (custom) t-shirts around town the last couple of days.

I am in Chicago for one of the greatest races that I have ever been able to participate and or be part of in the last two years.

One of the reasons that it is so great, is that my girlfriend probably loves the city of Chicago more than she loves me, and then last year the race was cancelled midway through due to health issues.

Marathons are not easy, they are meant to be hard, I forget that for some reason, and every time I step on the course I am easily reminded.  There are health risks and death can happen as we saw last year.  It is a test of endurance, pride, and physical strength.  Some will finish strong, others will meet goals, and yes, there are those that will not finish the event.  If it was easy, then everyone would be doing it, and the challenge would lose its magnetism.

My girlfriend, My Fiancé, did not relinquish, and finished her first marathon today in the city that she loves the most!

I have to admit, it is not hard to love this town.  As I am not completely excited about the winters, the people, atmosphere, and all of the ambiance does draw you in.  I have been to a lot of places, and Chicago is on my top five hands down.

This year as I ran around the course on the famous CTA, I did notice some differences that were added this year to prevent some of last year’s fatalities.  First the fire hydrants were open in the streets; second the water stations were full from the top to bottom!  Although some of the banana stations were low or at zero, water is the most important element while doing a test of endurance.

The support from sponsors and the city were easy to find and played roles that were very important to the race.

McDonalds, had people with lap tops all over the city to help you track your racer down real time.  They also provided maps and suggestions on the fastest way of arriving to the runner’s next location.  The maps were provided by the Bank of America, and I found this tool to be very useful for me!  The map was also done really well and was made easy for anyone that was not familiar with the City of Chicago.

The CTA also paid for anyone that raced the race!  I was really proud of Chicago for that one!

I have always had this saying stuck in my head:
 

“If you want to win something, run a 100m,  If you want to experience something, run a marathon…”