Denver Marathon Offer Second Chance to Chicago Runners

Runners whose Chicago Marathon race was cut short because of the heat last Sunday, have a chance to finish what they started. The kind folks with the Denver Marathon have offered to waive the entry fees to runners who registered for the Chicago Marathon but were unable to finish. Runners can register online at www.denvermarathon.com and enter referral code ChicagoRunner. Chicago runners need to present proof of registration for the Chicago Marathon and a photo ID. The only caveat is that the race is this Sunday, Oct. 14, so you need to book your travel and hotel – fast.

Heat Cuts Short Chicago Marathon

Ask any runner and they will tell you that they’d rather run when it’s 40 degrees outdoors than when it’s 85 and humid. So it comes as no surprise that officials halted Sunday’s Chicago Marathon because of the unseasonably hot, humid weather, which caused hundreds of runners to become ill during the race. One Michigan man also died, but an autopsy today revealed he had a heart condition and the heat was not a factor in his death. Nearly one-fourth of registered runners did not bother to participate in the race at all. Hundreds of other racers probably should have done the same. (photo courtesy of Chuck Berman, Chicago Tribune)

Some runners were angry and complained that there wasn’t enough water at the water stations along the race route. But race organizers claimed there was enough water and also brought in cooling buses to help the runners. Even if there was a water shortage, why weren't more runners carrying their own water bottles? I saw very few runners with their own water supply. If you have a water bottle with you, you don't have to wait for the next water station to replenish yourself.

If you know you’re participating in a race in warm, humid weather that may challenge your body, you do whatever it takes to prepare yourself for the extreme conditions. Experts suggest that runners consume more water the day before the race to keep your body hydrated before the race begins.

I also wonder about the lack of proper conditioning of some of these racers. I watched part of the race and I could see that many runners were not in the best condition and had no business participating in the marathon under the extreme conditions. Even though there's more and better information available about training and conditioning, I wonder if some of the amateur racers understand what they need to do to prepare properly. We may have better knowledge of training and conditioning methods, but sometimes we forget that long-distance running can still be a dangerous sport if you don’t take proper precautions.

Kenyan Marathon Champion Seeks Compensation

Robert Cheruiyot, the Kenyan athlete who won the Chicago marathon last fall, plans to seek compensation for a nasty spill he took just as he crossed the finish line at the end of the race. The champion runner was taken to a nearby hospital after he hit his head on the pavement, and was released the next day with no serious injury. But he told Reuters that he has been suffering from headaches ever since. Race officials attribute the accident to slippery pavement from a painted logo on the street.

The 28-year-old Cheruiyot plans to participate in the 2007 Chicago Marathon to defend his title next October. “I will run because they want me back, being the title holder, but I will pursue the matter to its logical conclusion,” he told Reuters.