Chicago's Marathon: Marathon Week Day 1

     This Sunday, 45,000 runners will take to the streets of Chicago in an attempt to conquer the Marathon. 26.2 miles of pure, unadulterated, grit and determination. But did you know we've had a Marathon here ever since the first Roosevelt Administration? That's right. The 1896 Olympics turned the world's attention to the Marathon distance, and within a year, Boston had already started running their own yearly Marathon(which is still going to this day). Interest eventually spread to Chicago, and the city held its first Marathon in 1905. The course ran from Evanston all the way to Washington Park, where 100,000 people gathered to watch the thrilling finish. The first iteration of the Marathon continued until the 1920s, when it was sidelined.


     In 1972, Frank Shorter won the Olympic Marathon in Munich, spawning renewed interest. Then in 1976, the New York City Marathon ran a course that encompassed all of the city, popularizing that concept. At that same time, Mayor Richard J. Daley was thinking about re-establishing the Chicago Marathon. Lee Flaherty entered the picture, and helped push the idea. Daley died before the Marathon started, so Mayor Bilandic had the first race in 1977 called the Mayor Daley Marathon. Bilandic even handed out medals at the end with his wife. The race didn't truly become a world class destination until 1982, when sponsorship allowed for better prize money, attracting better runners. This was also the final year that an American won the Men's race, with a time of 2:10:59. In 1987, only a half marathon was run due to a lack of sponsorship. In 1994, LaSalle Bank became the sponsor, and then in 2008 Bank of America began to sponsor the race.


     The race itself goes through 29 of Chicago's 77 neighborhoods, giving a diverse glimpse of all the areas of the city. And the residents put on a show of their own. As the runners go through Boystown, they'll be treated to an all-male cheerleading squad, and in Chinatown they'll meet up with dragon dancers. Not just that, there are also several cheer zones set up along the course where spectators can cheer on the runners.  But the spectators aren't only restricted to the Cheer Zones, they line the streets of the city from start to finish.  Some of them even climb up on the city's bridges to get a better view. Regardless of how you watch it, the Chicago Marathon is truly a sight to behold, and a great time for all ages.  Make sure to come down to the city on Sunday to catch all the action live.