Hot, Humid, and CANCELED

It's hard to believe . . . but yes, the Chicago Marathon was canceled about 3 1/2 hours into the race.

My heart goes out to the runners. All those people who trained so hard who won't have an "official" time.

Still . . . it was BLOODY HOT. And I was just standing there!

I don't quite know how to feel about it. I'm relieved I couldn't run. I have run three marathons in mid-80 degree weather and can sympathize with the masses. And you can't stop at just the air temperature - add in the humidity (something like 74% yesterday) and the 10 or more degree rise in body temperature and you're looking at trying to run 26.2 miles in what feels like over 100 degrees! Ugly. Painful. HELL.

And yet I'm really mad at the race officials. This weather had been predicted for several days. And regardless of what the race director says, there was a real lack or water along the route. Ask any runner who might have expected to finish in 4 or more hours. Coach P said he had no water for the first TWO water stops and then only ever other stop after that! WHAT? How does that happen??? There are a number of marathons who run in high heat regularly. They're prepared for it and they don't have to cancel.

I understand it is normally 20 - 30 degrees cooler this time of year in Chicago. That's no excuse. Any race director needs to be prepared for the worst - in either heat or cold.

As I left the course, I saw a group of spectators taking the water shortage into their own hands: they had purchased countless 10 gallon water jugs at a nearby grocery along with bunch of plastic cups and were handing water out to the runners. I heard this occurred at numerous places along the course. And the fire officials had opened up hydrants and were spraying the runners as they walked or slowly ran by.

Those poor runners!

I was standing at mile 25 and I was there early enough to see the elite runners fly by . . . but even they looked like they were working hard. In my 5 + hours on the course, I saw two runners go down and get medical attention. I was surprised it wasn't more, frankly. Nearly all looked miserable and before long the majority of them were walking. Come to find out it was because they had been informed the race was canceled and they should WALK the rest of the route. It was inspiring to see so many still determined to FINISH. It brought tears to my eyes.

And still so many didn't finish. Over three hundred were hospitalized. And that poor runner who collapsed and died. How awful for the family and friends . . . my heart aches for them.

I know several from Team in Training who were running their FIRST marathon. How disappointing to have your first be canceled! You never get your first back. We had one runner who had hoped to qualify for Boston . . . no way that was going to happen yesterday. I understand he's planning on running Columbus in two weeks to try again.

Still . . . without water I suppose they were smart to cancel.

So, the race has come and gone. The heat is still here (92 predicted today) . . . but expected to be gone tomorrow. Two days too late for 36,000 runners.

SIGH.

Alaska is looking better and better.

THERE IS NO FINISH LINE.