Liliya Shobukhova won the Chicago Marathon. Photo: PhotoRun.net

What Liliya Shobukhova lacked in marathon experience she made up for with track speed. And on a day when the women were content to play a cat-and-mouse game relying on slow pace and strategy, Shobukhova was able take advantage of her strengths. In only her second race at the distance, Shobukhova won the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2:25:56. The time was a minute and a half slower than her previous PR in London earlier this year, but it was apparent from the start that the women’s race wasn’t going to set any records this year.

With pre-race favorites American Deena Kastor and German Irina Mikitenko both returning from injuries, it appeared that no one wanted to set the early pace. American Tera Moody, who’s PR was a good 15 minutes slower than the expected leaders, even found the pace too slow for her liking.

“I wasn’t really frustrated, but I was shocked,” she said. “I wondered, ‘Where is everybody?’”

Moody, who grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago and went to St. Charles High School, took the lead early in the race for several miles before the rest of the women’s pack caught her.

“I just wanted to run my own race and not worry about anything else,” she said. “But I’ll tell you, it was really great leading the race. I love this event and the crowd support was unbelievable.”

Moody would run just about event splits between the first and second half of the race to finish in 2:32:59, becoming the second American woman to finish and setting a PR in the process.

A group of nine women eventually overtook Moody and stayed together for the most part through the halfway point, which they crossed in 1:15:04. This lead group included Shobukhova, Kastor, Mikitenko, Teyba Erkesso of Ethiopia (PR of 2:24:18 in Houston this year), last year’s Chicago Marathon winner Lidiya Grigoryeva of Russia (2:25:10 PR) and Berhane Adere of Ethiopia, who has a PR of 2:20:42 and won the Chicago Marathon in back-to-back years in 2006 and 2007.

The large group stuck together much longer than anyone expected. Kastor was dropped just past 21 miles when she had trouble grabbing her water bottle and had to slow down to get it.

At mile 23, Adere was dropped from the final group of five, leaving Erkesso, Mikitenko, Grigoryeva and Shobukhova. Of the remaining women, Shobukhova had the speed, with a sliver medal at the 2006 European Championships in the 5,000 meters. At one time she held the 3,000-meter indoor world record.

So as expected, Shobukhova made a move and the rest of the women couldn’t keep up. She went on to win the race by 35 seconds. Mikitenko of Germany, who had previously won London and Boston, finished second in her first U.S. marathon in 2:26:31. Grigoryeva of Russia joined her countrywoman on the podium by finishing third in 2:26:47.

Kastor ended up in sixth in 2:28:50. But she was all smiles after the race, despite the disappointing finish and a series of unfortunate events throughout the race. This was her first marathon since she broke her foot during the Olympic Marathon in Beijing in 2008.

“I’m really grateful to be out there today,” she said. “I’m actually really happy with the way my training is going.”

Kastor had trouble finding her bottle at two different water stations, and then had to stop for a bathroom break with two miles to go.

“To see the finishing time and knowing what I could have done if I’d been up there is a little disappointing,” she admitted. “But I’m still ecstatic about the way I’ve been able to get back into (marathon shape).”

Shobukhova was obviously happy with her performance as well.

“It’s only my second marathon. And it’s a crazy surprise to win only my second marathon,” she said through a translator. “I’m very happy.”

As for the slow time, Shobukhova thinks she’ll be able to go faster in the future.

“It was very cold, and I was disappointed in the personal time,” she said. “If it were warmer, I was hoping to get the Russian national record. But not today.”

Sammy Wanjiru wins the Chicago Marathon. Photo: PhotoRun.net

Sammy Wanjiru accomplished most of what he set out to do on his first trip to America. The 23-year-old reigning Olympic marathon champion, after flirting with world record pace, won the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2:05:41, beating the course record by one second. It was also the fastest time ever run in the U.S.

It was clear from the start that the men were interested in taking advantage of the cool weather and fast course to make a run at Haile Gebrselassie’s world record of 2:03:59. A group of nine men—all from Kenya or Ethiopia—passed the 5K mark on pace for a 2:02:50, and their 10K split of 29:10 was the same time Gebrselassie hit on his world-record run.

That group included Wanjiru, who set a PR of 2:05:10 in his victory in London earlier this year; Vincent Kipruto, who won the Paris Marathon this year in 2:05:47; and Charles Munyeki, who was making his marathon debut but had broken an hour in the half marathon.

The group slowed the blistering pace a bit, but still passed the half marathon mark at 62 minutes on the nose, well within shouting distance of the record. Just past 15 miles, the pacer dropped back, and Wanjiru, Kipruto and Munyeki continued in the lead pack.

The three of them stayed together until just past mile 21, in Chinatown, when Wanjiru made a move and the other two couldn’t respond.

“Sometimes, you know, you try to go out front to test other people,” Wanjiru said after the race.

For the last four miles, it was just a question of whether Wanjiru would be able to break the course record. He did—despite the fact he slowed down the last few strides to wave to the crowd. That wave could have cost him $100,000—the prize bonus to for breaking the course record.

“I wouldn’t have been happy,” said Wanjiru, who didn’t realize he was that close.

Coming from behind to take second place was Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco, who finished in 2:06:04. He decided to let he leaders go early on when they ran sub-world record pace, expecting to catch them at the end. The tactic paid off, but he couldn’t reel in Wanjiru.

“I think this is the right pace for me,” he said of his decision not to go with the leaders. “It was a little bit cold and a little bit windy, and it was a little fast for me. I ran the best second half with a 63:10. So I showed I can run good races in the future with this tactic.”

It did mean, however, that Goumri had to settle for second place in a World Major Marathon for the fourth time in his career.

He joked, however, that he would still marry his fiancé, after saying earlier that he was waiting until he actually won a marathon.

“I think I have to get married,” he said with a laugh. “Now, no excuse.”

Vincent Kipruto, 22, of Kenya held on for third place in 2:06:08, while Charles Munyeki finished fourth in his marathon debut in 2:07:07. Three of the top four finishers were under 24 years old, perhaps belying the conventional wisdom that the marathon is an older person’s race.

The temperature at the start of the race was 33 degrees with an 8 mph wind—and it didn’t get much warmer.

“The temperature was very cold,” Kipruto said. “It affected me in the second half.”

Even Wanjiru said the temperature made a difference in his quest for the world record.

“I think I can definitely go faster,” Wanjiru said.

Race Director Carey Pinkowski wants to give Wanjiru that chance again in Chicago next year.

“Hopefully we’ll have a conversation and he’ll come back next year,” he said. “When you have athletes of the caliber of Sammy, it adds to the excitement.”

The top male U.S. finisher was Sergio Reyes of Palmdale, Calif., who finished eighth overall in 2:15:30. Patrick Rizzo, who grew up in Schaumburg, Ill., and now lives in Michigan while part of the Brooks-Hansons Distance Project, became was the second U.S. finisher by setting a PR of 2:15:48.

“Anytime you get a PR you’ve got to be happy,” Rizzo said. While the cold weather never allowed Rizzo to get into a good rhythm, he felt he couldn’t complain.

“The crowd was the biggest thing keeping me going,” he said. “I had to see 200 local friends cheering me on. You just can’t feel bad when you’ve got 200 people there supporting you.”

According to marathon officials, 34,792 runners started the race, while more than 1 milllion spectators lined the course.

He’ll start with all the other runners at 7:30 a.m., but when he finishes about three-and-a-half hours later, he’ll just keep going for another lap. Volkswagen, the official automotive sponsor of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, approached him about trying the unique double.

“The folks from Volkswagen contacted me an told me about this great new vehicle, and I was thinking, OK, I’ve heard this one before,” he says. “But then they started telling me what it’s about, about the clean-burning diesel technology that gets 70 miles to the gallon, and I thought, maybe I could get behind this thing.

“They told me it could go twice as far as a normal vehicle on a tank of gas, and we heard you go twice as far as a normal runner,” Karnazes said. “So guess what we want to do?”

They didn’t have to twist his arm very far to convince him to try and run two loops of the marathon course, which amounts to a 52.4 mile race.

“I’m thinking, depending on the weather, it should take between eight and nine hours,” he says. “The last time I did Chicago was part of 50 in a row, and I think I ran 3:30. So maybe I’ll run 3:30 to 3:45 on the first loop. And then have some fun on the second loop. Stop and get some pizza, you know, just see what happens.”

A double marathon is small potatoes compared to Karnazes’ next endeavor, which is still in the planning stages.
“It sounds crazy, but in 2012 I want to embark on a global marathon expedition that involves running a marathon in every country in the world within a one year time period. Right now there’s over 200 countries in the world. And that would include Afghanistan, North Korea, and places that are tough to get into.”

The toughest part of such a trip may just be getting all the countries to get with the program.

“It will be five years in the planning,” he says. “The logistics behind it will be as interesting as the running. I’m working with the state department and trying to get permits.”

But for this year, he’s happy to be spending his time in Chicago with the rest of the runners on a marathon Sunday. “I’m really hoping to run into a lot of people on that second lap and have a good time,” he says. “And share some pizza.”

Niketown Pep Rally discussion pannel of experts. Photo: Jeff Banowetz

A new Chicago Marathon tradition keeps the city buzzing.

Take a drum line, a couple Olympic medalists, a marathon legend, the city’s newest football hero and enough cowbells to satisfy Christopher Walken—and you get a sense of the scene at Niketown Thursday as the marathon sponsor kicked off marathon weekend with a pep rally and fun run. It also announced a Northside/Southside challenge for high-school cross-country runners who will be competing the morning of the marathon.

Niketown’s weekly Thursday night run started by handing out the cowbells for spectators this weekend—and the crowd put them to good use as a group of elite runners sat down for some motivational words and a quick Q&A.

Among those on stage were marathon legend Joan Benoit Samuelson,  5,000 and 10,000 meter specialist Bernard Lagat, 10,000 meter bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan to offer their tips for runners preparing for the marathon. But getting the most attention might have been rookie Bears wide receiver Johnny Knox, who last week returned a kick return 102 yards for a touchdown.

“I’d rather deal with people hitting me,” he said, when asked which was harder, playing football or a marathon. “I don’t think I could do a marathon.”

Most of the athletes on stage echoed Joan Benoit Samuelson’s prerace tip: “Believe in the training that you’ve done to get here,” she said.

She also offered some advice for those looking to run with a partner.

“How may of you are planning to run the race with somebody?” she asked the crowd. “Get rid of that idea.”

“Tell your friend or training partner that you’ll meet them at the finish line,” she continued, with a smile. “Because what you have to do is go out there and run your own race. You don’t know what you can do until you can give it your best shot.  And you can’t run anybody else’s race, nor can anybody run your race.”

After a short Q&A with the athletes, members of the Nike Run Club left the store for their last organized run before the marathon, led by an eight-person drum line to kick off the run.

• Nike also announced a Northside/Southside cross-country challenge that will be taking place the same day as the marathon over the final 2.6 miles of the course. Ten local high school teams—both boys and girls—will compete as part of the challenge. This marks the first time that a World Marathon Major will feature high school athletes competing an invitational meet on the race day course.

The boy’s competition will start at 7:40 a.m., followed by the girls at 7:45 a.m. The race begins at 31st Street and Michigan Avenue and ends at the finish line of the marathon.

The competing teams will be designated either “Northside” or “Southside” based on their geographic location. Individual and team winners will be named for both boys and girls. Following the Challenge, the participants and their families will be invited to stay at the finish line area to watch the remainder of the Marathon.

Mayor Richard M. Daley with Carey Pinkowski

Mayor Richard M. Daley helped the organizers of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon kick off the start to marathon weekend by honoring Carey Pinkowski for his 20 years as executive race director of the event.

At this year’s marathon press conference, Daley revealed that the race’s start at the intersection of Monroe Street and Columbus Drive will bear the name “honorary Carey Pinkowski Drive.”

“Carey Pinkowski brought this marathon from what it was, to what it is today,” Daley said. “It started out as a small race and now brings 45,000 participants to the city. It brings a tremendous amount of revenue to the city of Chicago.”

“It’s been an honor to be a spokesperson for this event,” Pinkowski said. “But it really is about the thousands of people behind the scenes who make it happen.”

The announcement was part of an event that began the weekend’s festivities in preparation for the 32nd annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 11. Race organizers confirmed that this year’s event has 45,000 registered runners, including 7,500 runners who are from outside the United States.

The race also features more than 8,000 runners who will be running the money to raise money for 123 different charities. Last year runners at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon raised more than $10 million dollars for charities affiliated with the race.

Other news coming from the press conference:

• Race sponsor Nike and Bank of America donated $100,000 in support of youth running in Chicago. The money will be used to refurbish Hanson Stadium, a Chicago Public Schools facility on the northwest side. The stadium has hosted various track & field events from the elementary to high school level.

• Nike also announced a Reuse-A-Shoe Drive, which will encourage Chicagoans to donate used running shoes to be recycled this weekend. The shoes will be turned into Nike Grind material, which is used to manufacture sports surfaces and playgrounds. From Oct. 8 to Oct. 16, runners will be able to drop off used shoes of any brand at Niketown, Nike retail locations, city locations of Bank of America, the marathon expo at McCormick Place and at the finish-line area at the race on Sunday. For a full list of locations, visit www.chicagomarathon.com. To find out more about the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe program, visit www.nikereuseashoe.com.

• The Bank of America Chicago Marathon race expo opens tomorrow for runners at the McCormick Place Convention Center. The expo is free and features more than 175 exhibitors. Expo hours are Friday, October 9, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, October 10, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• A University of Illinois study showed that last year’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon generated a $143 million impact on the city of Chicago.

Nike athletes at the 2008 Niketown Pep Rally in Chicago. Photo: Jeff Banowetz

Kick Off Marathon Weekend with Pep Rally at Niketown

Are you ready for marathon weekend in Chicago? Niketown is bringing in the big guns for a pep rally on Thursday, October 8, to help kick-off a weekend of activities celebrating the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

A slew of elite athletes will be coming to Niketown, 669 N. Michigan Ave.,  for a fun run starting at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to everyone, whether or not you’re running the marathon on Sunday. Joining the local runners for the pre-run rally will be:

• Chicago Bears wide receiver Johnny Knox, who made headlines last week with his 102-yard kickoff return for a touchdown

• Olympic gold medalist and former Chicago Marathon winner Joan Benoit Samuelson

• Bernard Lagat, the 1,500 and 5,000 meter specialist who recently won silver and bronze medals at the world championships

• Shalane Flanagan, the 2008 Olympic bronze medal winner in the 10,000 meters

• The American record holder in the 2-mile, Matt Tegenkamp

The athletes will be available for a Q&A after providing their tips for the marathon.

People may think of Mackinac Island as a summer destination, but it closes out the fall season with a memorable half marathon

Great Turtle Half Marathon Photo: Courtesy of Gault Race Management

Runners are used to their races being closed to traffic. But on Mackinac Island, that isn’t necessary.

The car-free island located just to the east of the Mackinac Strait, which separates Michigan’s two peninsulas, is a throwback to the Victorian age. Horses and carriages or bicycles provide all of the transportation on the island, which is reached by a 15-minute ferry ride from the mainland.

The island became a tourist destination in the late 1800s, as wealthy vacationers from Chicago, Erie, Montreal and Detroit would come to Mackinac Island (pronounced MACK-in-awe) for the cooler weather and spectacular scenery. The island’s signature landmark, the Grand Hotel, was built in 1887 to accommodate the growing number of visitors. Featuring the “longest front porch in the world,” the hotel serves as a good symbol for the island’s draw—beautifully manicured gardens, Victorian architecture and an embrace of a slower-paced time when people dressed for dinner and lounged in rocking chairs.

While the island celebrates its historic roots, that’s not to say you’re limited to Victorian age entertainment (after all, you can even follow the Grand Hotel on Twitter). For athletes, the island offers more than just carriage rides and fudge shops—and the fall is the perfect time to take advantage of fewer tourists and better prices.

The 14th running of the Great Turtle Half Marathon is expected to draw 1,300 participants on Oct. 24. It’s the last weekend of the tourist season, and race organizers take full advantage of the late fall weather and special events on the island to make for a memorable running experience.

The course starts at the Mission Point Resort (missionpoint.com) and follows the shoreline to provide great views of Lake Huron and the Arch Rock Formation. It then moves to the interior of the island where most of the course is run on bike paths and paved roads. Mackinac Island is only about 4 square miles in area—and half marathon runners explore much of it. If you’re not up for the half, the event also includes a 5.7-mile distance (and a chance to set that 5.7 mile PR).

Save some energy to also visit the Mackinac Island State Park, which occupies 80 percent of the island and features 61 miles of roads and trails (mackinacparks.com). You can hike, bike or ride horses through the park to see the fall colors and impressive views of the lake from the limestone bluffs.

Or you can save that for another day and take it easy in a rocking chair, reading a book, and enjoying the sounds of four-legged traffic.

And don’t forget the fudge—you’ll have earned it.

For more information, visit  www.runmackinac.com.