30 years on the run

In 1977, people who ran marathons were mavericks. Extremists. Oddballs. Organizers of Chicago's first marathon that year were stunned and thrilled to draw 4,200 runners.

Thirty years later, the Chicago marathon has become an institution. Its popularity has grown so much that part of the race is the race to register; organizers cut off registration at 45,000 runners in April and turned away thousands more.

"It's become almost a rite of passage for the middle class," said Andrew Suozzo, a professor of modern languages at DePaul University and author of a history of the Chicago marathon. "You get a lot of social approval for doing it now, which initially was not a given."

Randy Burt, 59, of Antioch ran the first Chicago marathon in 1977 -- and every one since.

Like most runners at the time, Burt didn't really know how to train for a marathon. He worked up to a few 10-mile runs before the race and dined on pizza and wine the night before. On Sept. 25, 1977, he laced up his 10-year-old sneakers and put on an old cotton shirt and two pairs of socks.

He finished in 3 hours, 37 minutes, blistered and chafed.

MARATHON COVERAGE
30 years on the run Even opposites can keep in stride Fittin' your feet Wadsworth dad running to do his part "I was sore from head to toe," Burt says. "I wore all the wrong clothing."The inexperience of the runners and lack of knowledge about effective training showed up in the 1977 race results: Roughly half of those who started dropped out somewhere on the course. Today, the vast majority of runners -- including many first-timers -- finish all 26.2 miles. "Our participants are much better trained, much better equipped, and they're much more aware of pace and what they can and can't do," said race director Carey Pinkowski. "To a certain extent, in 1977 there was a lot of guesswork that went into planning a marathon."What else has changed? The money. Bigger sponsors mean better prize purses, which attract world-class athletes to Chicago. Today's marathon pumps plenty into Chicago's economy -- and into its charities, which get millions of dollars pledged in support of runners.You'll also see more women on the race route. A female marathoner was a novelty in the 1970s. Today, women dominate the younger age groups.The early runners entered to compete. They wanted to win the marathon, win their age group or qualify to run in the Boston Marathon, Pinkowski said. Today the marathon lures thousands of runners who enter in a quest for personal validation. They might never run a second marathon, but that day gives them bragging rights forever.On Sunday, Burt will approach the starting line in lightweight training shoes, ankle socks, high-tech running shorts and a racing singlet. This year, like every year, his goal is to qualify for the Boston marathon, which means he must finish in 3 hours, 45 minutes. "My practice is going well enough for that to happen, however, you never can tell," he said. "You can put in months of hard work and dedication, and for whatever reason it doesn't click or it's too hot or too windy. That's the beauty of the marathon." A tale of two marathons: 1977 and 2007Then: The Mayor Daley Marathon Date: Sept. 25, 1977Runners: 4,200Finishers: 2,128Dropout rate: 49 percentFemale runners: A tiny minorityVolunteers: 700Entry fee: $5Champions: Dan Cloeter of Indiana and Dorothy Doolittle of TexasBest time: Cloeter finished at 2:17:52. Doolittle finished at 2:50:47.Prize money: 0How they timed the race: Runners tore off their bib numbers and turned them in to record their place at the finish. A volunteer called out times from a stopwatch.Course route: From the start at the Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza, runners kept mostly to the lakefront path, ending at Buckingham Fountain.Runner amenities: Water, bananasWhat they wore: Cotton T-shirtsNotable: The ceremonial starter's cannon misfired into the crowd, injuring two spectators. Atmosphere: "There were just a few people milling around at the finish. That was about it," said runner Randy Burt of Antioch. "Nobody really knew much about these things." Now: The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Date: Oct. 7, 2007Entrants: 45,000 (37,700 expected on race day)Expected finishers: More than 35,000Expected dropout rate: 7 percentFemale runners: 44 percent of the fieldVolunteers: More than 10,000Entry fee: $110Runners to watch: 2005 champion Felix Limo of Kenya and Australian record-holder Benita JohnsonTime to beat: The course record is 2:05:42 for men and 2:17:18 for women. Prize purse: $650,000How they time the race: Runners wear a transponder called the ChampionChip, which registers their times as they cross checkpoints throughout the race. Course route: Runners will start at Millennium Park and run in a loop through Old Town, Lincoln Park, Wrigleyville, Little Italy, Pilsen, Chinatown and Bronzeville before running up Michigan Avenue to end at the park.Runner amenities: Water, Gatorade Endurance, Power gel, fruit, massages, beerWhat they'll wear: High-performance wicking fabricsNotable: More than 13 percent of participants are running for a cause. Last year, $9.5 million was raised for charity. Atmosphere: "It's more of a carnival atmosphere," said George Mueller of Roselle, who has run in every marathon since 1977. "It's more about an event that you participate in, rather than a race you compete in."Sources: Daily Herald interviews; "The Chicago Marathon" by Andrew Suozzo; 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon media guide 488512