Chicago Marathon Has its Own Special Allure

CHICAGO - Living in Connecticut Gives one an East Coast bias Toward the running world.

Think of That famous New Yorker magazine cover depicting the view west from Manhattan, Which is shown in great detail, with a bit of New Jersey in the background and then a great Nothingness stretching behind it to a tiny speck at the horizon Labeled California.

WE TEND to Think That Way about races, marathons in Particular.

There's a New York City, of course, since it's so close and So Many People from the area run it, and Boston, since we're technically part of New England and it's the most storied 26-miler in the country.

But after That, it's all "other" When we think of marathons around the rest of the country.

It's not that way here in Chicago, M this morning the 33rd edition of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will be run.

Entrants at 45.000, it's close to New York in size. And for people in the Midwest, it's just as big an entry is a running bucket list as New York is for Those of us back east.

It's also a huge draw for Elite Athletes Due to the ITS pancake flat course and Generally the favorable weather.

Indeed, it's the only Domestic race in the Recent Past That has witnessed world and American records, and regularly turns out impressive quanties of Boston and the Olympic Trials qualifying performances.

Those Fast Times: 'may be hard to come by this year, as an early dose of Indian Summer has descended on the Windy City. It is a run along Lakeshore Drive yesterday morning, it was warm and a bit humid, albeit breezy, Even at 7 am, half an hour before today's start time.

That's Somewhat unfortunate, as Chicago has Assembled Perhaps ITS Deepest and Most Competitive in the field over the past Several years, with Defending champ and 2008 Olympic gold medalist Sammy Wanjiru facing the winners of this year's Boston and London marathons.

The Women's Field Is not quite as strong. But the focus there is: 'may be Joan Samuelson, Celebrating the 25th anniversary of her Chicago That run ended in a winning clocking 2:21:21 That Stood as the American record for 18 years.

Samuelson, Who Made history by winning the first Olympic women's marathon in 1984, has only expressed a desire Publicly To Break Three hours. But There Have Been Rumors That Her ultimate desire is to Run 2:46 and Qualify for the 2012 Olympic Trials at the age of 53

There is a small contingent of local runners Who Made the trip here to run. Hopefully, slogging through the record heat of the past summer will stand in good Stead Them As They traverse the toasty pavement of Chicago.