advertisement

Neuqua grad second-fastest American in Chicago Marathon

Chris Derrick has shattered running records and captured U.S. Cross Country Championships from 2013 through 2015.

But there was something the former Naperville resident still wanted to try: running a marathon.

On Sunday, the 2008 Neuqua Valley High School graduate and 2007 state cross-country champion not only returned home to run his first 26.2-mile race, but finished ninth in the 2017 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

His time of 2:12:50 was the second-fastest by an American in the race.

Derrick said he was “a little sore” Monday but loved coming back to Chicago to compete where his running career began in 2003.

“I had so much fun. Going in, I tried to measure my expectations a little bit just because the marathon, as I learned, definitely takes some experience and some knowing,” he said.

Derrick, who competes mostly in 5,000- and 10,000-meter events, said he was surprised by how “slow” the first half of the race seemed to go before the front-runners kicked into gear.

“It was at that point that I decided to go and try to compete and be at the front instead of being in time-trial mode,” he said. “So I approached that second half with the goal of getting experience in a lead pack and trying to learn what those are all about for future races.”

He quickly learned running with the leaders means pushing your body far past the point of having nothing left to give.

“Those last two or three miles were really hard for me,” he said. “It was a miserable place to be, but the only thing keeping me in it was thinking, ‘I've run so far already I can't blow it now.'”

Running in Chicago allowed him to reflect on the beginning of his running career.

“I wasn't very good. I certainly wasn't an immediate talent, at least, but (Neuqua Valley cross country) coach (Paul) Vandersteen's enthusiasm and ability to see my potential really pushed me to try,” Derrick said. “And that ultimately revealed more talent than either of us could have ever expected.”

Derrick said a lot of coaches could learn from Vandersteen and his Neuqua staff.

“I coach children, so I know it's not always easy, but we need to continue to see how stuff that doesn't seem like a big deal at the time can snowball into someone's life and make a big impact on them,” he said.

Nearly 15 years later, Vandersteen is still cheering Derrick on.

“Chris always had the desire to succeed. He understands that success comes with consistency and confidence in oneself,” he said Monday.

Derrick said he's thankful he had the opportunity to attend Neuqua and got “a little emotional” when he learned about 50 runners from the school were cheering him on.

“It's really cool they still care about me after all these years and that they came out to support me,” he said.

Derrick also heard from his mom around the 19-mile mark

“She has a very distinctive Long Island accent,” he said. “It's faded a little since we moved to the Midwest, but there's a distinctive timber to her shouts.”

Despite his success Sunday, Derrick, a member of the Bowerman Track Club in Portland, Oregon, said he isn't ready to become a full-time marathoner.

“I want to go back and run some track events in the spring and come back in the fall and possibly run another marathon,” he said, “I don't know if it will be Chicago again. There's other marathon majors in the fall, but I had a wonderful time here coming home.”

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.