World Marathon Majors Series 2 of 6: Running through the Windy City at the Chicago Marathon

Ready to lace up your running shoes and traverse through the streets of the Windy City?

Join us, along with our seasoned marathoner Coach Christine, as we take a deep dive into the exciting world of the iconic Chicago Marathon. From its humble beginnings at a golf club to its evolution into one of the most coveted races on the planet, we share fascinating stories, milestones, and record-breaking performances that have shaped this momentous event. We even take you through the 26.2-mile loop course, passing by 29 neighbourhoods and legendary landmarks like Wrigley Field and Soldier Field.

But it's not all about the race; it's about the city too!

Let's explore Chicago's food scene, especially its mouthwatering desserts. Beyond the world-famous Chicago-style hot dogs and pizzas, we will tempt your taste buds with decadent delights like Atomic Cake and Lemon Fluff. And yes, there might be a fuel tasting with Garrett Popcorn's famous Chicago Mix!

As we navigate through the marathon, we also reflect on the inspiring documentary, Spirit of the Marathon, and its deep connection with the Chicago Marathon. Hear amazing tales of how training for this race has transformed lives, instilling a sense of achievement and resilience that goes beyond just crossing the finish line. So, whether you're a marathon veteran or a running enthusiast, buckle up for an intriguing journey that celebrates both the race and the vibrant city of Chicago.

Wanna learn more about what running workout you should add to your training and what best practices you should add to your plan? Read the Chicago Six Star blog here. 

Chapters

• 0:03 Exploring the Chicago Marathon
• 14:44 Iconic Desserts in Chicago
• 18:45 Spirit of the Marathon in Chicago

Transcript

Coach Shelby: 0:03

Hey friends, coach Shelby and coach Christine, welcoming you in and letting you know it's time for brunch, quick Fights edition, where here you can grab your miles with a size of smiles, take them on the run, midday in the afternoon or maybe a late night snack attack. We are back again with major knowledge, major runs and major funds as we go through the world marathon majors, going into the fall racing season, hot in the heels of that sizzling hot summer, we're going to tackle all of the world majors and with our resident six star finisher, coach Christine, making sure to add her little isms all throughout this entire series, not just with these episodes but also with the accompanying blogs. Coach Christine, is this like a walk down memory lane for you?

Coach Christine: 0:54

It is. A little bit it is, but I think when we talked about this, we wanted to make sure that we brought in a lot of information that was really relevant to the folks that we're going to be running it. So I'm trying to appreciate the great memories and yet, like, get super excited about some of the information that we're going to be bringing to folks, because actually we did our homework and we've got some really interesting little factoids about each race and what makes it unique. Again, over in the blog it's a little different. It's more about what you should take into your training to maximize that race day. We're here. We're going to talk about all the extra fun that you need to make sure that you plan for Coach. You know Chicago is near and dear to my heart, so how about you drop some of that insane knowledge about how the Chicago Marathon came to be?

Coach Shelby: 1:37

Which this is super fun because not only do we have an athlete training for Berlin, we have multiple athletes training for Chicago and all throughout the series we actually, I think, have a runner in almost every one of these races. So really, really excited. So, of course, the Chicago Marathon is held in guess where? Chicago Illinois. It is held every October. This year it's on October 8th and it is the fourth largest race by number of finishers worldwide, and I know that you love Chicago because it is a really nice, easy quote, unquote course and annually Chicago Marathons were held from 1905 to the 1920s. However, the first race in the present series was September 25th of 1977 and it drew a field of 4200 runners, which in 1977, I mean that's pretty, that's let's not brag about size now, but yeah, that's pretty big.

Coach Shelby: 2:45

It's always matters when you're talking about the majors we were talking about shit's the last week, so it works.

Coach Christine: 2:51

Yeah, I think that's absolutely fascinating. Actually, it feels like it was a really large draw from the get go. Also, again, barring of the little bit of like that covid pandemic, it's been continuing to grow in popularity. It is among the fastest growing modern marathons in, or road races in general in the year in the world because it is largely fast and flat, so very similar to Berlin that we just left last week. It has a lot of PR's, a lot of world records. People really enjoy it themselves.

Coach Christine: 3:24

So now the race is capped at 45,000 runners and usually they ask the people to finish up the course in about six and a half hours. So if you are a bit more of the back of the pack runner and you want some details or you would like some information as to what you could do with your training to maximize your time on that course, please do reach out to Coach Shelby and myself. We'd be happy to help answer some of those questions to make sure that you do finish in that time and go at timeforbrunchcom. But I think that it's fascinating that also the first race not necessarily the one in the present series, but the very first one back in 1905 was held at a golf club and it finished in front of a standing rim. Only crowd that paid to see people finish the race, which is weird. Can you imagine having people pay now to come witness and spectate at a race?

Coach Shelby: 4:17

Listen, if anybody wants to pay to come see me vision, I will send you my Venmo. I guarantee you will get some really funny faces. But yeah, no, I don't think I would have thought that that. But I guess only seven completed the course, with a little bit of over a dozen runners even attempting it. But I think again, maybe the thrill of can people actually do this was probably still in play.

Coach Christine: 4:41

You know, I have to be honest, that goes to show the difference between you and I. I think that people were betting on people that were going to finish the race and that's the reason why they paid to be there at the track. And you're thinking, oh, it was like exciting whether they finished it or not. So I don't know the runner of me, I don't think they cared, I think they had money on it. That's just from what I know of the windy city. I bet you that they turned it into some kind of a way to kind of gamble through that. But now the marathon course is a loop course, starting and ending at Grant Park. So again, a little similarity to Berlin, and that they're logistically, from a runner's perspective, a little easier to navigate when you have that loop course and that start and finish in a same area. Of course, the current course winds now through twenty nine of the city's neighborhoods, which is another reason why it's so spectacular, because we really get to have a personal tour on your own two feet of this incredible city.

Coach Shelby: 5:37

I think that's really a shining star not intended of all of these majors. Yeah Is the diverse look you get of so many different areas. I personally would like to do Chicago because of Wrigley Field, even though I'm not a huge sports person. I think that'd be really cool.

Coach Christine: 5:56

That's fascinating. I mean, yeah, it goes by Wrigley Field, soldier Field, so there's definitely a lot of that aspect and I know that folks that are really big into those athletic type of pursuits love that. They love how patriotic it is or how much it's kind of that Americana vibe as well. So I think it's fascinating. I also love big shout out to all the folks that make it possible for us to run these races, because it's supported by over 12000 volunteers, so that's a whole lot of people that are getting up really early to make it possible for us to run a whole lot and 12000 is I mean, yeah, big shout out of like big races are like the entire big race field.

Coach Christine: 6:37

So, yeah, it's incredible.

Coach Shelby: 6:39

We like big races and we cannot lie. We just said it's always going to be the go to.

Coach Christine: 6:44

Yup, absolutely so. In 77, when it became the official race that we now know it, 4200 people took part. Like you said, it's now up to over 4500. But the race went to lottery in 2012. Prior to that, it just broke the Internet, kind of like any of us that are used to trying to sign up for run Disney. So I think it's it. I can understand where there's pros and cons of the lottery aspects of the races, but I think that from the perspective of the World Marathon majors, this lottery seems to be a little bit easier to get through and get in eventually.

Coach Shelby: 7:19

One going into one of your love languages, opening up those history books, cracking it open and brushing off the dust. Fun fact the Chicago marathon race, the Google marathon, has never excluded women. Well, historically, I'm still going to give up, boo, the women's field has been smaller than the men's. It at least has always been there.

Coach Christine: 7:40

So yeah.

Coach Shelby: 7:41

Chicago is winning.

Coach Christine: 7:42

I thought it was going to get a little bit of like a yay, but you booted anyway OK it's cool.

Coach Shelby: 7:47

It's cool. Listen, my coffee cup is half empty today, so it's getting booze coming. It's only I'm here for the booze Getting a little, get a little fall vibe for you oh yeah, I'm excited about that.

Coach Christine: 8:00

Well, with the fall races, it only makes sense. Well, world Records which is definitely your jam, my friend have been broken at Chicago five times. In 1984, with Steve Jones breaking the World Record at that time Two hours eight minutes and five seconds. I think that's pretty phenomenal for the record. That's actually an amazing half marathon finish time. In 1999, khaled Kanuchi was the first to surpass two hours and six minutes flat with a 205-42 for the finish time. Now I'm definitely going to turn it over for you for all of the other incredible World Records that have been had there. In course records, coach, I know that the women's records got to be speaking to you a little bit.

Coach Shelby: 8:37

That's going to get a yay. So the men's record was broken in 2013 by Dennis Cameto with a time of 203-45. And that World Record has since been broken, but it remains the Chicago course record, so he still gets a record in that. That's amazing. The women's record was broken in two consecutive years. So in 2001, catherine Ndreba broke the world record, or the broke the record in two hours 18 minutes 47 seconds. And then somebody we all know and love, paula Radcliffe, surpassed that mark in two hours 17 minutes 18 seconds. The year after Going again because this is a lot of record breaking In 2019, bridges Pascal won in a world record time of two hours 14 minutes four seconds, which is now the women's course record. I'll be interested to see, because we had 2019, then we had pandemic all of that nonsense when New York and Chicago were ran back to back too, to make up with the time frame. So maybe this year there'll be another record.

Coach Christine: 9:55

I honestly think that that may be a little bit too. We talked about is Berlin possible that they had as many great 2022 was a banner year for them, after people maybe had a little bit of a lull, a little bit of what you called kind of that gap year. I do wonder if maybe that's what we're gonna see when Chicago, new York, all the other races they came on the heels of, like it was race after race after race of people trying to fit it back in. So now that it's back to more of a quote, unquote, normal or BC kind of before COVID, if we're gonna see some more world records happen here. So this should be a very exciting year for Chicago. I cannot wait to see it televised and, of course, cheering on all the Chicago runners. So I am so glad we're doing this series right now because we're also in that point of people's marathon training. This is when they start getting into their peaking. They're getting into those peak miles. They're hitting a lot of double digit. We're also running through what's considered one of the hot. Well, actually not. What's considered is, as far as temperatures go, record breaking temperatures. So this is just a great reminder, hopefully, that you guys know that you have this. Your eyes are on the prize. Keep working toward it. That incredible race day will be here before you know it, so we're super excited for you all.

Coach Christine: 11:09

Let's talk about some of the really fun things that you shouldn't do while you're there for the race week, cause it's not just about the 26.2 miles. You have to like experience the entire race weekend. So, before the race, exploring the iconic Millennium Park, taking a nice little bit of a shakeout, maybe our light stroll through Millennium Park. We can marvel at Cloud Gate which is the bean, I love it and Crown Fountain and just kind of really soak in all of the beautiful gardens there. But if you want to save your legs a little bit, but you still want to see the incredible architecture there, cause, girl, if you think that I'm a geek architectural digest, I wash it like all the time, like all their documentaries on, like all different architects. But join the architectural boat tour. It'll save your legs. You still get to see the city from a different from you. Know the waterways, you get to see the skyscrapers. Learn a little bit about it and really feel well rested leading up to your race day.

Coach Shelby: 12:03

I swear, when I first was thinking about it and you say said crews, I thought about jungle crews. I'm like there's Disney in Chicago.

Coach Christine: 12:12

But you know there is Disney in Coach Shelby and you will take Disney everywhere you go, my friend.

Coach Shelby: 12:17

I mean that is pretty true. But during the race I've heard a little birdie say there are quite a few stranger danger aid stations. And I mean I understand, it might not be my jam, but I think it's really cool that each neighborhood gets to exemplify what makes it special and the people who live there. So I appreciate the stranger danger aid stations, even though I of course would not be partaking.

Coach Christine: 12:47

Yeah, but you would partake in the fact that each neighborhood has usually brings out music that's very specific to the culture that represents that neighborhood. You have the actual people who live in that community coming out really representative of the pride and the spirit of their culture, and I think that's one of the things that makes it so beautiful to be in these US cities that are so diverse in how they're actually structured and brought out. So you get to have like little Greek area, like little like Hispanic section and all of that and kind of like. While you may not personally have partaken all like the cultural dishes that people offer up for stranger danger, I think you would still love the music, you'd still love the vibes. It's a lot of fun for sure.

Coach Christine: 13:34

So definitely partaking in those getting into Old Town, river, north Streeterville, west Loop is gorgeous and West Loop is probably someplace you guys are gonna wanna be before, during and after, because that's where all the amazing restaurants are at. It's got such a great foodie scene there and you're definitely gonna wanna make reservations. Make them now, don't play it by ear, because it's gonna be so packed Well and I would.

Coach Shelby: 13:55

I'd be, I'd be pretty cool to go towards Stryterville because the proximity to Lake Michigan, because I have a lot of family in Michigan, so maybe I'll just turn it into a triathlon and just swim. I mean, why not?

Coach Christine: 14:06

Like I'm totally allowed, right, I feel like, sure, absolutely. And, of course, michigan Avenue with a magnificent mile, something to be super cool to say that you're there. So I would say that these are all great things to experience. It makes it super amazing of a race, but after the marathon, some of the really fun things to do, exploring Navy Pier, I think it's actually really important that you just take selfies everywhere you go in the city, so like it needs to be selfies with, like the buildings, the skyscrapers, with Navy Pier. We'll go back to the bean, going to the local breweries, the art places I'm going.

Coach Shelby: 14:44

Oh yeah, talking about art, I might not be a history buff, but I'd love to go visit the Art Institute of Chicago. I love museums. I think they're just so beautiful and the creativeness that flows. I feel like you leave museums and just want to create art.

Coach Christine: 15:03

So that would definitely be on the top of my list, and you know what looks beautiful with every single masterpiece that you would see at the museum A medal, a smile.

Coach Shelby: 15:10

Yes exactly.

Coach Christine: 15:12

Hello, medals Monday hashtag. Make it happen, friends. We want to see it like with every single gorgeous thing there. So, yes, there's also some really great little unique places that would look great with your medals, like from Willis Tower, the Willis Tower platform. Getting up there with your medal would be super cool. Okay, enough about all the places. You could take medal photos, but make it happen, let's talk about food, shall we?

Coach Shelby: 15:36

Yes, because I am starving and I need a snack. So where are we going? Okay, well.

Coach Christine: 15:40

I mean team savory girl, Like, if you're going to go, let's talk about your favorite. It's going on your like hashtag who you are. I feel like come on, you know you're getting some pizza.

Coach Shelby: 15:51

I'm getting some pizza, Even though I don't eat meat. There has to be a vegetarian Chicago dog.

Coach Christine: 15:58

I know that there is, and I think that it too speaks your love language with having a little bit of like that sauerkraut relishy kind of favor.

Coach Shelby: 16:06

Yes, and the poppy seeds on the buns, and then I would find an alcoholic beer to have a beer and a dog, chicago style. I mean, hello, I would. I would have this the pizza, oh, maybe a pizza as the bun of the hot dog. Could we do that?

Coach Christine: 16:23

Is that sacrilegious? It's your world. You do whatever you want.

Coach Shelby: 16:25

I don't know how to tell that.

Coach Christine: 16:27

I wouldn't tell somebody from Chicago that you're doing that, but you do, you growl, you do you? So over on team sweet side, there are some iconic desserts that are found in Chicago. Atomic cake is at the top of the list, especially for me, because I love cake with berries, like I love all the things with berries. Just throw berries in it and I am good to go. So Atomic cake definitely. It's kind of considered more like a trifle, which always feels like I'm calling somebody something bad, like your trifle in, but it's delicious. It's got some bavarian custard all the way around, absolutely super, super yummy. And then I would say the another one would be lemon fluff would be phenomenal. I like lemon cake too, though I feel like it's.

Coach Shelby: 17:09

I love lemon. Next to lavender, lemon is one of my favorite scents.

Coach Christine: 17:15

I'm thinking too, like maybe a punch key. It's like it's a Polish little pastry kind of dish. I think that's something people should have, so anyway, what do you just call me Is?

Coach Christine: 17:25

that like a pet name. It's hello, I love you, you're my little punch key. Oh, please pronounce it If you guys. If I'm mispronouncing it, let me know I'm sure you will. We love you guys for that. But what I love about Chicago is that there's a savory and sweet iconic dish that everybody has to have, and I feel like if there's ever going to be a representation of brunch, it has to be savory and sweet, and for Chicago it's Garrett popcorn, and they have a mixed of caramel, corn and cheese.

Coach Shelby: 17:56

Um weird yes, Do you eat it together?

Coach Christine: 18:00

Yeah, I mean you could get the tub, like the popcorn, a little separated, but they have it as an actual mix and they suggest that you have it. It's actually the Chicago mix. Is the caramel and the cheese popcorn. I mean it feels savory, feels sweet, feels like we have to have it.

Coach Shelby: 18:18

Oh, I may have to order some online, Okay okay, I feel you this might be. Is this our live fuel? Tasting of what this tastes like? Uh, yeah, Ooh we should do that.

Coach Christine: 18:29

We should get some New York bagels to test, oh girl okay, you guys will have to let us know if you want that for the next fuel tasting which is coming back. It'll be coming back in September, so stay tuned.

Coach Shelby: 18:39

We may need to use some of the brunch plus support money to go ahead and fund that live For real, Because that's gonna be expensive.

Coach Christine: 18:45

The must see movie and or documentary if you're gonna do Chicago is Spirit of the Marathon. We know that it's been around for some time, but go ahead and bring it on back because you'll get to see. Is it impolite to say little baby Dina? I mean, I feel like you know it was from Dina from 2004. Life has changed quite a bit, but what hasn't was that she was part of the crew that was followed, the group of six runners, and what I think most people who walk away from watching Spirit of the Marathon is how everybody resonates with the fact that these folks, while they trained, feel like it changed their lives, and I really do feel like that's one of the iconic aspects of training for these races.

Coach Shelby: 19:23

So 20 years ago?

Coach Christine: 19:25

Oh my God, how is that it makes me feel super old. Thanks a lot. Same Well, friends, we are done with Chicago. We wanna hear from you If you're going so we can cheer you on. Don't forget, though, that we are celebrating our Pottery all month long. Become a monthly time for brunch plus supporter at any level this month for an exclusive, limited pot of grocery gifts. Time for brunch community on Facebook has more details. Of course. You should be able to use the link that's in your episode notes to get more details out as well, and then join us again for Time for Brunch. The long run edition that's gonna drop this Friday. Of course, it's gonna be lots, lots of fun, and come back, because next week we're heading to the Big Apple, because, regardless of when or where, we're gonna keep serving up more miles with some major smiles.