Chicago Marathon boss: After 40 years, we're still the people's race
Editor's note: Carey Pinkowski has served as executive race director of the Chicago Marathon since 1990. He writes about the race's 40th anniversary on Sunday, and the miles it has covered in terms of prestige and importance.
In 1990, I had a vision for where we could go, but I knew that it was going to take us more than 26.2 miles to get there.
Three decades ago, the Chicago Marathon was an obscure event in the city's sports profile. People would crinkle their noses and laugh, “But who runs a marathon? Why would you do that?!” But on Sunday, a new story emerges: Everyone knows someone involved with the race — running, volunteering or spectating. And that's what the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is all about: The people, the communities and the city that built this race into a global sensation.
Just look at where we've been. Organizers launched the marathon on Sept. 25, 1977, as the “people's race anyone can come and enjoy.” The numbers tell one story: from 4,200 runners to 45,000, from 700 volunteers to 12,000, from zero charity dollars raised to $167 million since 2002, and to 1.7 million annual spectators and more than 740,000 total finishers. But I like to tell another.
When you break the numbers down, the marathon is a reflection of our collective human spirit: It's about the elite runner climbing back from 30 seconds down to gut out the win, the debut runner covering 42K for the first time, the charity runner making a difference, the six-hour marathoner getting it done.
It's about the volunteers who show up at 4 a.m. in Grant Park, the community leaders who take care of our aid stations, the police who keep us safe, the corporate community that sponsors our race, the family members riding the CTA to see their loved ones. Together, we have all created and shaped this event. And we keep the momentum going year after year. People know what “Marathon Sunday” means now, and I am proud of the unique, inclusive community that continues to make it an integral part of Chicago's sports culture.
That's because running isn't just about running. Joan Benoit Samuelson, 1984 Olympic gold medalist and 1985 Chicago Marathon champion, said it best: “As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are.”
Everything can go right on race day or it can go wrong. You can spend months training, only to have your heart broken in a second. But we always rise. We remember that it's about the journey, and that running is a personal expression of who we are and where we're going.
I also think about how the marathon connects us across 29 neighborhoods, 100 countries, finishing times, languages, cultures, ages and personal stories.
The marathon speaks to something special about our human capacity to persevere, to cheer each other on and to keep putting one foot in front of the other. It's who we are and we know where we're trying to go.
We have experienced unprecedented growth since 1977; we've had to adapt and evolve, and we've been fortunate to work with a city that has been willing to grow with us. And I've been fortunate to hear so many stories about how the Chicago Marathon transforms lives and lifts up communities, and about how it shows all of us that we can come together and celebrate together.
I love this race, and since 1990, my primary job has been to deliver a race day experience that makes you — whether you are running, volunteering or cheering — love the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, too. Forty years later, we remain true to our roots: We are the people's race anyone can come and enjoy.
40th Bank of America Chicago Marathon
<b>Where:</b> Grant Park, 337 E. Randolph St.
<b>When:</b> Sunday, Oct. 8
<b>Times:</b> Wheelchair, handcycle and athletes with disabilities start about 7:20 a.m.; runners begin at 7:30, 8 and 8:35 a.m.
<b>Extra:</b> 27th Mile Post-Race Party: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Butler Field
<b>Source:</b> Bank of America Chicago Marathon