What a difference a year makes! Last year's weather for the Boston Marathon was epic. They considered calling off the race for the first time in history because of the rain and cold. The storm, a Nor'easter, made for much less than ideal running conditions, although once the race began, it 
was not nearly as bad as predicted. In any case, this year's weather was just about completely opposite!
I was, unfortunately, nowhere near Boston as they started the race on Monday morning. I had to request a deferral of my entry until next year, and I was in Atlanta at a wedding. I was envious of everyone who did get to run!
I have not yet talked to many of my friends who ran, but those I have heard from describe ideal conditions. The temperature was cool, the winds were calm, and the skies were
mostly sunny. That led to some times a lot of people were happy with, and a reward for all the hard winter training in Chicago.
It was really a great couple of days for marathon news, with Deena Kastor (a Boston area native) winning the women's Olympic trials on Sunday, and two good races on Monday. Kastor's time was not all that amazing, but with the Olympic race just four months away, she said she was expecting to recover quickly and pick up training for August.
It was also great to see another amazing run by Robert Cheryiot, who overcame all the strife in his native Kenya, to join the elite ranks of 4-time Boston winners! He is also a previous Chicago winner, and I was excited for him to have a good day.
And, of course, much of the media attention was devoted to the recreational marathoner who happens to have won the Tour de France 7 times. Marathon purists, I'm sure, appreciated Lance Armstrong's description of Heartbreak Hill. It was much more difficult than he even imagined, but he survived it, and gutted out an impressive 2:50 marathon. If you have followed his progress in some of the stories about him in Runner's World, you know he has never really put in a lot of miles or hard training. It would be really interesting to see what he could do if he trained really hard, using the same dedication he had on the bike.
And now that Boston is over, it's time to start thinking about Chicago right? Well, maybe not. The Chicago marathon registration closed as of this morning. Here is the release:
2008 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
as Race Reaches 45,000 Participant Capacity
Limited Number of Entries Available Through Charities and Tour Groups
CHICAGO (April 23, 2008) – Bank of America announced today that registration for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon has closed as 45,000 runners have signed on to complete the 26.2-mile race, marking the event’s established capacity. A limited number of entries are still available through affiliated charities and tour groups.
“It is encouraging and rewarding to see the intense commitment from running enthusiasts across the globe registering for this race more than six mont
Runners who missed the deadline and are still interested in registering for the 31st running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon may do so through one of the event’s 65 charity partners or affiliated international tour groups. More information on entries available through these organizations is available on the event web site, chicagomarathon.com.
Since its inception in 1977 with 4,200 registered participants, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon has grown to a field of 45,000 runners attracting 1.5 million spectators and generating more than $10.5 million for charity in 2007.
The 2008 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will start and finish in Chicago
See you on the roads....
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