Kenya’s Moses Mosop Sets Marathon Record

Medical team rushes to help a fallen runner near 16th and S. Michigan

Sore Achilles No Problem Today

Moses Mosop set a new record today at the 2011 Chicago Marathon. The Kenyan ran the race in 2:05:37. For winning the race, Mosop gets $100,000 and a bonus of $50,000 for breaking the course record. The old record was set by the late Sammy Wanjiru whose time was 2:05:41. Mosop told reporters that he had a sore achilles tendon before the race. The sore achilles did not appear to be a problem this Sunday.

 

Check the video below to see how big a victory Mosop’s win was.

Take a look at the video below for a look at the runners coming through after the three-hour mark.

The Chicago Marathon: It’s Back!

The 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon (its official name) will take place this Sunday, October 9. If you’re traveling in and out of the South Loop, it’s best to leave early and come back late. Expect traffic detours, to accommodate the race, to cause some minor headaches. According to marathon organizers, 45,000 runners are registered for the 26.2-mile road race. There are runners from all 50 states and 109 foreign countries participating this year.

South Loop Drama
We love watching the Chicago Marathon as the runners come through the South Loop. With barely two miles left in the race, things can get pretty dramatic on S. Michigan Ave. around 18th and 16th streets. From 16th St., we saw last year’s winner, Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya, run by looking like he was running a 5K, not a marathon. Wanjiru died last May after falling off of a balcony in his home in Nyahururu, Nairobi, Kenya.

Weather Watch
The weather is expected to be warm with the temperature to be in mid-60s when the race starts at 7:30 a.m. It could reach 80 by noon, but it won’t be anything like the 90 degrees experienced in 2007 when 3 ½ hours into the race organizers canceled the event. Over 300 people were taken away for medical treatment on that day.

Course Race Views
We like to watch the race from 16th and S. Michigan. Where’s your favorite spot to watch the Marathon? To find a spot to watch the race check out the course map by clicking here.

Olympic Gold Medalist and Chicago Marathon Winner Sammy Wanjiru Dies in Fall

Domestic Dispute May Be Cause
Sammy Wanjiru, the 24-year-old Chicago Marathon winner died in a fall from a balcony. Details are unclear, but according to some reports, Wanjiru was involved in a domestic dispute. In October, Wanjiru won the Chicago Marathon for a second time. Wanjiru was the first Kenyan to win an Olympic gold medal in the marathon.

Camera crew filming front-runner, Sammy Wanjiru, eventual the winner of the 2010 Chicago Marathon

Check out the video below of Wanjiru running up S. Michigan Ave. in the South Loop, just minutes from the finish line. Wanjiru's marathon performance in the Chicago Marathon was the fasted ever recorded.

Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya Wins thee 2010 Chicago Marathon!

Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya won the 2010 Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:06:23. He beat Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia, by only 19 seconds.See the video below for Sammy and Tsegaye running down S. Michigan Ave. in the South Loop.



Check back for some Marathon highlights.

2009 Chicago Marathon

Kenyan Sammy Wanjiru, the eventual marathon winner runs past 16th and S. Michigan Ave. to cheering crowds. Wanjiru set a new Chicago Marathon course record. His unofficial time stands at 2 hours 5 minutes and 40 seconds.

On a very cold morning that felt more like January than October, hundreds of spectators lined the streets around 16th and S. Michigan Ave. Always an exciting and dramatic place to watch the marathon, we were fortunate to time things just right and get Wanjiru’s photo as he ran toward victory.

While watching the elite runners go by, we’re reminded how grueling a marathon can be. One of the elite runners, stopped shortly and then started running in front of the Dunkin’ Donuts on the corner of 16th and S. Michigan. After a few moments, he started running again, to hopefully cross the finish line. Not too long after that runner took a break, a van with “Marathon Dropouts” emblazoned across its hood drove by with several runners sitting inside it. How disappointing to train for something for so long and then be branded a dropout!