Interesting…
So I read something about the OutGames in Montreal next summer, there is a marathon competition. I thought that could be a pretty amazing experience (actually at the time I thought it was the Gay Games I was reading about). Then I was on the marathon maniacs site and I saw someone mentioned something about having participated in the Gay Games a few years ago. I left him a message asking about it, and a little while later got an email from the fellow I’d just signed up to run with in Disney: he’s doing the Gay Games in Chicago as well as the OutGames in Montreal. I hadn’t really even heard about the Chicago Gay Games..! So anyway, looked them up. And promptly got reaaaaalllly excited.
I’m sure I’ve never raved on here about the Chicago Lakeshore marathon. I think it sounds absolutely gorgeous, but it’s only been around three years and they keep having problems. One year the course was too short. The next year it was too long. I think they’ve had problems securing volunteers, all that sorta stuff. So despite the fact that the course itself sounds heavenly, I wouldn’t waste the $.
Well guess what course the Gay Games marathon is modelling itself after? Yup!
What is the course like?
Starting at Burnham Park the course utilizes the lakefront bike paths along the shores of Lake Michigan. This 26.2 mile course features 3 wildlife sanctuaries, 7 beaches, 6 harbors, famed landmarks, including the newly renovated Soldier Field, Navy Pier, McCormick Place, Lincoln Park Zoo, and Museum Campus, home to the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium. Pathways are concrete, blacktop and crushed gravel.
So yeah. I think I may have a July marathon picked out. I think it’s funny that this guy who I just talked to re: Disney is going as well. It’s a small world, I guess… 🙂
edit: D. just mentioned to me that I’d probably have a decent chance at placing, as most of the participants are men. I looked up the 2002 results, and sure enough.. the first F1829 finished in over 4 hours, and the top 5th woman overall came in at 3:44. Granted, that was in Sydney and I can only imagine there will be plenty more runners here in the US, but still….
