A Sunday with 33,000 Champions
Watching the Chicago Marathon

 

For the last seven years, I’ve made it a point to block out one Sunday every year. I get up early, prepare cameras, a backpack full of snacks, a water bottle and take my lawn chair over to a Chicago neighborhood street. I usually arrive by 8:30 a.m. and stay until 1 or 2 pm.  This is when my voice grows hoarse.  What tradition am I talking about?

My annual Chicago Marathon Cheerleading Extravaganza!!

I hit a rough patch this year because of a horrible cold I caught on Saturday afternoon.   I didn’t get to bed until 4 am and had to be up at 8 am. I was incredibly groggy, but knew I had to make it to my precious spot on Roosevelt road.  Over 100 Chicago 2016 volunteers were in Little Italy, but my cold forced me stay close to my South Loop home. 

I always get curious looks when I make my way in the early morning. Complete with lawn chair, coffee and a scarf, I was ready for whatever came my way. This preparation also turns me into a mini guide for family and friends of runners that need to know where to go. I consulted a few visitors with their race maps, Chicago questions and overall tips. Heck, if I am not running IN the race, I need to contribute, right?

The elite runners glided by, followed  by the wheelchair racers.  The inspiration and emotion that comes over me every year began to grow. With every arm swing and push the wheelchair athletes displayed, my cheers grew louder.  I cheered right before the 26 mile marker, so when the athletes passed me, the race was almost over.   flew passed me, winning the race with a time of 2:06:25. Other elite runners followed, we continued to clap, then, it started to happen. The amateur athletes from the entire globe were coming. It was time to get my vocal chords ready - a big job was ahead of me.

As a cheerleader, you need to be there for the runners.  Clapping, yelling words of encouragement, making eye contact and being LOUD are all equally important.  Standing at the 26 Mile Marker adds complexity to the task. Runners are close to their goal - finishing the race - and the hill that goes up Roosevelt is one of the last hard treks of the Chicago Marathon.  Fellow Channel writer, Theresa Carter, joined me and we took turns with cheering.  I was nursing a cold, trying to breathe properly and was thankful for Theresa’s ability to pick up the pace and cheer on the runners.I was able to see a dear friend, Michael VanderWoude, clear our area before I had to head home. My sinuses were about to explode, but I was thankful I made it to the race.

We saw athletes running for a cause. We saw international flags. We saw friends holding hands up the hill. We saw a father pushing his daughter in a stroller. We saw runners dressed up as Minnie Mouse and Batman. We saw anguish, tears, happiness and joy. We saw family members hugging their runners from the sidelines. 

We also saw Chicago 2016 race shirts on a great deal of Marathoners. That’s when I became even more excited. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon included over 33,000 runners - imagine what Chicago would be like with millions of international spectators and athletes for the Chicago 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games?

Kudos to the race organizers at Bank of America for including more medical staff and water stations. Temperatures rose to the 80s this year!