‘Chicago is a bunch of doers’
Runners determined to complete 26.2 miles — even if this year’s race is virtual
Gloria Rojas had been looking forward to the 2020 Chicago Marathon after missing last year’s race while recovering from being hit by a taxi as she crossed the street downtownafterwork.
When this year’s marathon was canceled because of COVID-19 concerns, she was disappointed but determined.
“I think I was with everyone: I was hoping the marathon was going to happen,” Rojas said. “But Chicago is a bunch of doers. We’re doing to do, whether it’s (in a group) or trying to prove it to yourself.”
Rojas, 26, is one of hundreds of runners competing in the Chicago Marathon virtually this year.
Registered runners could defer to next year’s race or were offered a chance to sign upto receiveamedallionand T-shirt by competing as part of an online community this weekend in self-designed courses throughout Chicago. The virtual marathon was designed to help replace what would have been the 43rd running of the annual event that takes over the city’s streetsandbringsmore than 40,000 participants fromaround the globe.
Running groups such as Chicago AreaRunners Association and Black Chicago Runners will space hydration stations along the Lakefront Trail. CARA will also provide stations in five suburban locations.
CARA, which usually has about 2,000 runners in the marathon, will have about 700 members participating in the virtual event.
Some groups will hand out oranges, vaseline, running gel— and perhaps most important— support.
“A lot of our runners have been excited for the opportunity to accomplish this
goal,” said Greg Hipp, CARA executive director. “A lot of them are taking pride running 26.2 (miles): ‘No matter what, we’ve found a way to accomplish this goal.’ ”
While runners head to the lake, forest preserves or neighborhood streets this weekend to fulfill their missions, they still will be longing for the sights and sounds along the traditional Chicago Marathon course.
The colorful parties in Lakeview East. The lively dancing dragons in Chinatown. The bridges crossing the Chicago River.
Cheering spectators who linethesidewalks, oftenwith hilarious encouraging homemade signs, will be missed by some runners when they toil alone this weekend. Being one of thousands with the same goal was a meaningful experience to others.
“There’s nothing like the experience of being in Grant Park with 45,000 other runners,” said Gabriela Perez, who ran the Chicago Marathon 24 times and will run on Sunday. “It’s one of the most profound experiences, one of the reasons that brought me back every year. It’s that camaraderie.”
Downtown will look starkly different this weekend. Absent are the spectators jumping on the “L” to encourage friends along the course. Restaurants will be void of carb-loading runners on marathon eve. Hotels won’t reach capacity because of out-of-towners pouring into the city.
“We will miss the business that the marathon brings to Chicago tremendously,” said Liz Lombardo Stark, director of marketing and public relations for the Gibsons Restaurant Group. “Historically, the marathon brings in thousands and thousands of people to downtown Chicago. Runners and their families would come to Quartino the Saturday before the marathon to carb-load. Since we opened this has been Quartino’s single busiest night of the year.”
But the race will go on for many.
Some are driven by a worthy cause.
Lisa Niehaus, 60, a nurse from Kentucky, will run several half-mile loops on a trail in Cincinnati as part of her virtual experience. She plans to carry a red bandana with names of people who have donated to the charity she is raising money for — the AmericanHeart Association.
“There’s a long history of heart disease in my family,” she said. “It was never an option to not do it for the people who are not here because of (heart disease).”
Niehaus said her father died of a heart attack at 64. She hopes her 94-year-old mother, who has survived multiple heart attacks, will make it to see her finish.
“I’ll be carrying this bandana,” Niehaus said. “It’s emotional. It will be great. It’s for everyone.”
Rojas will participate with GumboFit’s running series Road Less Traveled, which also featured 5-kilometer, half-marathon and marathonracesandis afundraiser for generating $10,000 in grants to five Black running and fitness organizations in Chicago.
The Chicago Marathon joined with GumboFit to allow 50 runners to earn a second medal with them during the Road Less Traveled socially distanced group run at Sauk Trail in Chicago Heights.
“Mentally, it will be hard,” Rojas said. “It’s not going to be around city. It’s eight loops of the same thing. I’m looking at the positives. It will be really nice to have nutrition every 3.4 miles. I’ll see my friends in the same spot.”
Randy Burt, 72, is one of fourwhohave finished every Chicago Marathon since 1977
He ran his virtual race earlier this week, starting at his Antiochhomeat 2:15 a.m. and running a 2-mile loop a little more than 13 times. He left power gels and water bottles in his mailbox to refuel.
It was his second slowest marathon time ever, he said, but that didn’t matter much this year. He talked to Chicago Marathon director Carey Pinkowski over the phone when he finished, complimenting the executives for offering the virtual option.
“When they said there was not going to be a marathon, at first I thought, OK, I’ll let myself heal,” he said. “ThenI said, ‘Nope, I’vebeen running 43 years. I’m running the marathon.’ Eventually they came out with the virtual marathon and I said that’s perfect. You miss all the excitement, the other runners and the spectators. Was I disappointed a little? Yes. Butwe have to settle for whatwe’ve got.”
Burt planned to drink a glass of wine and sit on his deck to celebrate before an early bedtime.