One dead, many fall ill during annual race

One man died and more than 300 others needed medical attention after record-high temperatures cut short Sunday's LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon for the first time in its 30-year history.

Chad Schieber, a 35-year-old from Midland, Mich., collapsed during the race. A race official said it is believed that he lost his pulse very fast and died on the race course.

About noon, the annual marathon was cut short because of temperatures that soared in the high 80s.

Runners who had not yet reached the halfway point of the 26.2-mile run were diverted to Grant Park via Halsted and Jackson streets.

Officials say that because of the heat, more than 312 of nearly 36,000 runners needed medical help. Of them, 49 were taken to local hospitals.

By 10 a.m., temperatures already had reached a race-record of 88 degrees. The previous record, 84 degrees, was set in 1979.

Officials say they took action when it was obvious it was too dangerous to keep the marathon going.

"We were seeing a lot of our participants slowing," race director Carey Pinkowski said. "It was a contingency plan we had in place and we decided to implement as a precautionary measure."

When officials announced the course was closed, George Mueller, 59, of Bloomingdale already was at the 20-mile mark. He kept on going, finishing in less than six hours.

"I did walk the last couple miles, which was smart," he said.

"This was a survivor marathon," he said. "I haven't been in a race like this in 20 years in terms of watching people drop."

Of the 35,867 runners who crossed the start line, 24,933 completed the entire race, officials say.

Even people who had crossed the halfway point encountered helicopters and police on loud speakers telling people to slow down and walk.

Runners reported a number of ambulances on the scene -- some from suburbs like LaGrange, Mundelein and Rosemont. People were collapsed on the sidewalk, some with IV's, some vomiting.

As she was one block from Halsted Street, Jenn Marston saw the barricades closing the route.

Instead of continuing on the course, the 19-year-old was sent back to Grant Park, walking the entire way without water.

"It was chaos," said Marston, of Glen Ellyn.

People were standing in fountains to drink water, and others had to take used bottles to get a drink. By the fifth mile, people were "fighting for water," Marston said.

"I am disappointed because I trained so hard for it," she said. "But then again, I am glad I wasn't taken away on a stretcher."

On the days leading up to the marathon, officials said they added additional cups, more fluids and more ice to the stations.

"Groups that work at these water stations are experienced," Pinkowski said. "Some have been with us for 10 years."

Race medical director George Chiampas said the numbers of medical treatments were not necessarily larger than last year.

Had the race continued, he said, those numbers would have been higher, he said.

There are 700 medical volunteers at the race, and of those, 100 are doctors. The marathon has 16 medical stations along the course, located every mile or two and two main medical tents at the finish line.

Antioch resident Randy Burt has now run 60 marathons. He finished this one in 5 hours and 10 minutes. Last year, his time was 3 hours and 45 minutes.

"It was brutal," he said.

Burt plans to write race officials and suggest the marathon be moved to the third weekend in October to avoid another race like this.

"I do think that given what unfolded in front of them, they probably made the right decision," he said.

• Daily Herald correspondent Brian Pitts contributed to this report.