All smiles - Robert Cheruiyot winning the Chicago Marathon (© Victah Sailer)
In a portion of the United States more known for its variable weather and temperate fall climate, forecasters are calling for temperatures in the high 80s on Sunday for the 30th running of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.
2005 and 2006 champions back in Chicago
Defending men's champion Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot said he prefers warm weather and isn't concerned by the heat, but most runners come to Chicago to run fast times on the flat course that has been host to several World records.
British 2006 Commonwealth Games women's marathon bronze medalist Liz Yelling, who was hoping to run under 2:30 on the Chicago course was only half joking when she says she feels like rotten race conditions seem to follow her. The weather won't be the only thing that's hot, however, as the men's field features something of a repeat of the thrilling 2005 edition of the race where four runners dueled during the final mile with Felix Limo taking the title.
Limo is back this year, joined by those he beat in 2005, two time Chicago champion, Evans Rutto, fellow Kenyan Ben Maiyo, and perhaps the most consistent top performer in the race the last few years, Daniel Njenga. Those four Kenyans, Cheruiyot, double World champion Jaouad Gharib of Morocco, and Bong-ju Lee, the 2002 Boston Marathon champion and 1996 Olympic marathon silver medalist, are also in the men's field.
While Cheruiyot is the clear favourite on the basis of his back to back Boston wins in 2006-07 and his Chicago title last year, the pending tactical battle due to the high temperatures could result in a race that might come down to a final sprint. In that sort of duel there is no clear favourite.
Women’s race: Another win for Adere?
The women's field is less deep with defending champion Berhane Adere of Ethiopia being the pre-race favourite on paper, followed closely by Australian Benita Johnson. Another Ethiopian, Teyba Erkesso, is a mystery as this is her debut marathon. She ran a women's only race World best of 51:44 for 10 miles in April, but was only 10th in the IAAF World Road Running Championships 20km last year.
Romania's Nuta Olaru could surprise and improve on her 2004 runner-up placing. Russia's Albina Ivanova was fifth in 2004, but her best for the marathon is only 2:27:49.
Last year's men's race ended dramatically as Cheruiyot slipped while crossing the finish line and landed hard on his head. He has fully recovered from the fall, said Cheruiyot, as his win in this year's Boston Marathon demonstrated.
"You were very lucky," said four-time Chicago champion and former Marathon World record holder Khalid Khannouchi, who is preparing for the US Olympic marathon trials on 3 November in New York City. "Unlucky and lucky both," replied Cheruiyot.
Unlucky to fall, but lucky to have suffered no lasting damage.
The drama is likely to happen out on the race course this year and the weather could play a major role. 1992 women's Chicago champion, Linda Somers Smith broke up the audience at the opening press conference by noting that the athletes often said, only half in jest that: "Carey (Pinkowski, LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon executive race director) has an inside phone line to the guy upstairs for the weather. Unfortunately that phone line is clogged by Cubs fans."
She was making a reference to the fact that the local baseball team, which prefers to play in warm weather, is scheduled to play on Sunday in Chicago.
If it is as warm as predicted, the warmth could approach the historic high and low for the race of 70 at the start and 84 at the finish in 1979. Only three times since then has the race day high temperature been above 69. The runners may not like the heat and sun, said Sommers Smith, but, ever the optimist she said: "It will be perfect for spectators."
Jim Ferstle for the IAAF
