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Lead Stories: Saturday, October 11, 2008

Steamy Chicago Marathon On Tap For Sunday

Posted October 5th, 2007 at 8:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The leaves may be falling from the trees of this bustling Midwestern city, but the temperature decidedly is not. Usually blessed with crisp autumn days, Chicago is in the middle of an untimely heat wave in advance of Sunday’s 30th edition of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

Britain’s Liz Yelling will be competing here for the first time. Usually joined by her triathlete husband, Martin, she is by herself here because he is preparing to compete in the Ford Ironman World Championships in Hawaii a week from tomorrow.

“It’s hotter here,” said Yelling.

The average high temperature for the last ten marathons here was 14.7°C (58.5°F), but forecasters are predicting a high temperature for Sunday of 31°C (88°F) accompanied by 65% humidity.

At the 8:00 a.m. start, the temperature should be around 21°C (70°F). It will be the hottest Chicago Marathon on record; the previous high temperature for the race, according to records kept by the organizers, was 29°C (84°F) in 1979. The record high for Oct. 7 here is 86°F (30°C).

Executive race director Carey Pinkowski and his team have taken steps to protect the massive field –last year’s race had 32,995 finishers– from the heat. They have posted a heat advisory on their website, beefed up their medical team, instituted a plan to move unused water from earlier drinking stations to later ones, and will have cooling sprays installed in various locations.
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Five helpful tips for a healthy, active summer of running and overall fitness

Posted June 25th, 2007 at 9:00 AM by thefinalsprint.com

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Motivation, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Supplements, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise

The following article was written by TFS guest contributor Dr. Larry Robinson. For more about Dr. Robinson, check out the “About Dr. Robinson” section at the conclusion of the article.

1. Use the summer weather to increase your outdoor activity:

“From running and baseball games in the park to weekend getaways hiking, biking and canoeing, summer’s the perfect time to get in shape without a daily trip to the gym,” says Dr. Robinson. “Use the season to start a new sport you’ve always been interested in that can carry you through the holidays, New Year’s resolutions and colder weather.”

Of course check with your physician first if you have any physical concerns, and always start off easy. If you’re prone to heat stroke or exhaustion, take advantage of dusk and dawn to complete your fitness activity. And, as always, drink plenty of water and don’t forget the sunscreen for daytime outdoor activities.
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