History of chicago marathon october 2008

The Bank of America's Chicago Marathon (formerly the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon) is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. The October 7, 2007 running was the 30th Anniversary running of the race. It has been run every year since the September 25, 1977 running of the first race under the original name the Mayor Daley Marathon drew a field of 4200 runners. It is among the fastest growing marathon road races in the world, due in part to its largely fast and flat course which facilitates the pursuit of personal records and world record performances. The race has achieved its elite status among marathons by developing relationship with sponsors who provide prize money to lure elite runners who have produced American and world record performances.
There is no qualifying time to participate in the Chicago Marathon, but only runners who finish within 6½ hours are officially timed. The race is limited to 45,000 runners on a first-come, first-served basis. Although the race has limited registration, exceptions include elite runners and charity representatives. Increasingly, local (e.g., Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital), national (e.g., American Cancer Society) and global (e.g., Global Business Assist, British Red Cross, Asha for Education, World Vision) charities and humanitarian organizations encourage sponsored participation in the event as a means of fund raising.
The 2008 marathon will feature a new sponsor name in Bank of America, (as Bank of America acquired LaSalle Bank in 2007). The 2008 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will take place on Sunday, October 12th, 2008. 2008 registration opened to the general public on Feb. 1st.
2008 Chicago Marathon Course Map Video of the race.

The first marathon at the 1896 Games of the I Olympiad generated interest in the sport which led to similar races throughout the most western countries and across the United States. Marathons sporadically occurred in New York City, Chicago and St. Louis with a few runners. Between 1905 and approximately 1915, a Chicago Marathon (organized by the Illinois Athletic Club) existed in rivalry with a St. Louis Marathon. It was not until the health consciousness of the 1960s that marathon growth gained traction. Frank Shorter's 1972 Games of the XX Olympiad marathon victory represented the convergence of many middle-class American ideals. Then the 1976 New York City Marathon, which was the first New York City Marathon to embrace the five borough course, popularized the big city marathon. As the New York marathon began to grow exponentially in the 1970s, the Chicago Marathon was established as a rival to the New York City Marathon. By the mid 1980s, the Chicago Marathon was ensconced as one of the big four marathons. During the mid 1980s, it was named America's Marathon/Chicago and opened up the way for appearance payments. Joan Benoit Samuelson described the Chicago Marathon's of the mid 1980s as "The World's Marathon". The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is an open race with no qualifying time to participate.

The Chicago Marathon was founded over the objection of Ed Kelly, Chicago Parks Superintendent who refused permission to run in the parks or along the Lake Michigan lakefront. With the help of Lee Flaherty, who operated out of Flair House in the Near North Side community area of Chicago, Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley's support for the marathon was enlisted. Although Mayor Daley died, his successor Michael Anthony Bilandic approved the race and got Kelly on board. Michael Bilandic, a runner, and his wife actually passed out medals at the first marathon on September 25, 1977. Flaherty footed the bill for the first race, which had no sponsors. He again footed the bill in 1978 when the race was again called the Mayor Daley Marathon. In 1979, however, Beatrice Foods became the first race sponsor.
In the early years the Chicago Marathon was held in August. It has from its inception with 4200 runners and 2128 finishers been one of the nation's largest marathons. The 2000 running was second only to New York. The 1979 and 1980 events, however, continued to be gatherings of amateur runners. By 1982, the race finally had sufficient prize money to attract world class athletes. The 1982 was the first with world class times such as the 2:10:59 by Greg Meyer, the last American-born male to win the race. By 1983, the Chicago Marathon had achieved its status as one of America's most important marathons. In 1984, Beatrice raised the purse to $250,000 ($50,000 more than New York's). The race had become a legitimate rival to New York and continues to vie for top runners. The 1985 race was spectacular with Steve Jones breaking his own course record (2 seconds short of the world record) and Joan Benoit Samuelson the 1984 Olympic Champion, two-time defending Chicago Marathon Champion and Olympic Bronze Medalist, Rosa Mota and the fourth place Olympic finisher and world record setting Ingrid Kristiansen. Benoit set a record that stood nearly a generation. Although 1986 had 40 world-class runners among the 8000 participants the times paled in comparison. Beatrice dropped out as a sponsor in 1987, but Heileman Brewing Company sponsored the 1988 Old Style Chicago Marathon. The race resulted in three women who had been passed over for the 1988 Games of the XXIV Olympiad placing in the top positions. In 1991, Heileman discontinued its sponsorship and both the prize money and performances waned. 1992 again had no sponsorship, but 1993 brought new sponsor LaSalle Bank. In 1994, the race became the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. In 1996, LaSalle Bank purchased the Chicago Marathon. In 1998, the race began using transponder timing. For 2008, the race will be sponsored by Bank of America following the purchase of LaSalle Bank from ABN Amro to Bank of America, and the new title will be in use.
Info (c) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Marathon