Chicago Marathon--Then & Now
Employing a technique I picked up from reading Joe Brainard's I Remember , I'd like to wax nostalgic about the Chicago Marathon. I remember when 6,000 people ran the marathon, yesterday it was 45,000. I remember when my husband who was then my boyfriend could meet me at the finishing line. Yesterday we couldn't find the finish line for all the people. I remember when it maybe $45 to sign up for the marathon. Someone yesterday told me they paid $160. You used to be able to run the Chicago Marathon bandit--meaning just jump in at the last minute. Yesterday they were ONLY letting people with numbers into the park. So that even your family, loved ones, etc couldn't even GET INTO the park to see their runner start. It was absolutely draconian. I remember when the marathon wasn't sponsored by Bank of America--and it was A LOT BETTER. We used to be able to glean clothes the runners flung at the last minute when the race started. We'd walk up and down Colu...