I had a great time during this race! I had only run the Portland Marathon up to this point and it was nice to not have any big hills to worry about. The crowds were fantastic and I got a lot of energy from them. My biggest complaint about the course was that at the end when you run through McCormick Place, which is a black tunnel and feels like a cave, and there are no spectactors. I needed the spectactors the most at the end and there were none. Besides that, this race gives you a great tour of the city. I loved how the Mexican part of town smelt like tortillas. It was great to see my name in the paper the next day. Chicago really pulls out all the stops for this race. I highly recommend it, there's even beer at the end. It was also way cool to run in a race where the women's world record was shattered!

Only one suggestion: they need to run this race in waves. The first six miles was nothing but congestion. My pace at the 6 mile mark was a minute slower than my usual. Be prepared for some frustration in the beginning. Besides that, it was simply a great time and a first class event.

The 2001 Lasalle Bank Chicago marathon was my very first marathon and it was fantastic!! The organization and crowd support were fantastic. I was able to beat the time that I had set for myself and had a blast while running. I highly recommend this marathon to everyone. The weather was absolutely perfect too. I hope that my future marathon experiences can compare to Chicago. I will always remember this one.

This was an awesome experience - I had not run a marathon in 22 years and was concerned about being a novice at every aspect of the marathon. There couldn't have been better organization (though slow runners should start farther back), and the fans were unbelievable all along the course. A true tribute to Chicago! And it all combined to help me qualify for Boston! And, finally, it was amazing to spend the weekend in Chicago - the parks were spectacular, the post-race Van Gogh/Gauguin exhibit was great, and the dining in the city in unique in the US. I will be back to this marathon as long as I am runnning!

This was my 1st marathon and I have ran one other since. Although it is expensive, they do it up right in Chicago. I would love to run here again!

One suggestion would be to vary the drinks from only one flavor of Gatorade!

Chicago was my first marathon. I was awe struck by the great crowds cheering me (us) along. The course is flat and fast. I can't wait until next year.

This was my 4th Chicago marathon, and it was one of the best ever. The crowd energy was great, and the conditions were perfect (I gotta remember, use sunscreen!)

My only suggestions for improvement are these:
1. The starting corral was filled improperly. Perhaps there ought to be entrance gates for the main corral with pace times listed at each entry point. I saw many slower runners in front of me (they got in the corral too far up) and a few faster runners got in too far back and were having a hard time moving up.
2. The early water stops were overrun and had no Gatorade and little water. This problem was corrected by the fourth or fifth stop.
3. Some parts of the course, mid-teens, are dull to look at. Might be hard to fix, but I'd love to see the lake at some point.
4. We had another death this year, our second novice overheating error. How to fix: The PA cannot be heard at all in the main corral. Place PA speakers so that everyone can hear properly. Then announce that all runners, especially novices, should drink plenty of fluids, including at least some Gatorade. Also announce that runners should line up in their proper pace location and that groups running slower than the pack should run in single file to avoid blocking the road.

Other than these issues, this great race is better than ever.

A great city and a great race! We were fortunate to have ideal running weather. Organization was top-notch and the course was definitely fast. Highlights - running through downtown (the fans), running past Lincoln Park (Mile 5) was scenic, mile 7 through 8 (some of the strangest dancing performances I've ever seen on a large platform - hysterical!) and of course, running through Chinatown (mile 20, I believe. Chicago is a great destination - it was a smart move by the organizers to move the race to a holiday weekend!

This was my 2nd marathon and my 1st Chicago. The crowd support was unbelievable and the sheer number of runners got you swept up in the excitement. The support and organization was great. I'll be back in 2002!!!

Great event for runners of all levels.