Three guesses...
If you said Chicago...you'd be right. They made a nice pretty audition tape. They were a big success when the Olympic Committee came...but what they forgot is that the OC is always watching. And this tragic Chicago marathon? Yeah...that's a pretty big test to fail. Especially since the marathon has been going on for 30 years. If they can't successfully hold an event they've been holding for 30 years...how can they possibly handle the international onslaught of the Olympics?
They ran out of water. Emergency medical personnel couldn't keep up. This cannot look good for our fair city to the OC.
So who's fault is it? Kevin says it's the runners fault. They shouldn't have run it. They should have known better.
I disagree. After talking with Jen - she says that she had the run of her life. She was posting great times at the markers and felt the best she's ever felt. She took it easy at the beginning and paced herself nicely, taking necessary breaks, pumping her fluids. HAD THEY NOT RUN OUT OF WATER, she would have had a strong finish, too. Luckily she and her running partner had people to bring them more fluids. Others were not so lucky.
I think these athletes train under these very conditions and know their limitations. I don't think anyone enters a marathon thinking it will be easy, or not taking it seriously. These people train for months...years...and the city of Chicago let them down. I'm not blaming them for everything, they can't control the weather. But they knew it was going to be hot, they should have been more prepared. Handing out ice to runners finishing the race? They did it wrong.
I'm sure Jimmer is going to have something to say about this one - he'll side with my hubby. And that's fine too...what do you all think?
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Once again, I verily disagree with Kevin. You can tell him I said that.
I gave it to him pretty good last night, but I will tell him that my BBFF said booooooo Kevin...
:)
The Great City of Chicago and the race organizers are at fault here, hook, line and yes, sinker. You are correct, these runners train and run in hot weather all the time, and they have their hydration ready. Anyone who has participated in an event like this, more than likely, EXPECTS the race organizers to have water availible, hell, with the high price of entrance fee, you better believe they were EXPECTED TO FREAKING HAVE WATER...sorry, so, the City screwed it all up and don't deserve the Olympic honor...
Remember the Olympic Marathon doesn't have 40,000 runners many who are not professional runners. The Olympics has only about 200. That's quite a difference. I agree with Kevin. It's the runners' fault. Big dreams and egos, little common sense. Sorry, runners. I applaud the 10,000 who didn't even show up. They used their heads. The elite runners started hydrating a month in advance, not the night before.
As far as running out of water, they didn't anticipate that the runners would be using the available water on themselves to cool down and not drinking it. That would have been the time to bring out the fire departments to open hydrants for misting and showering the runners to cool them down.
Well if you go on history alone, The 68' Convention should have kept the Dem's from coming back in 94'...Right? As far as the O.C. goes, I'm sure if an envelope, with say $100 million turns up, with an Illinois postmark, they could reconsider, as they have in the past.
Ironically I'm with Kev on this one, I myself would have held out with the conditions being what they were, and the supplies being so thin. Common sense could of helped avoid a lot of tragedy.
Im with Joy, Darren and Kevin.
The comment by SNP: The city screwed up and don't deserve the Olympics. What a moron statement.
Do you understand the magnitude of revenue the Olympics will bring to Northeast IL. and Northwest IN. For vendors, City, and Construction Trades. This effects more people than a bunch of fools that need someone else to tell them when to stop running. Even a dog knows to get out of the rain. Its easy to lay blame. I have an idea why dont all of you Mommy types go to the race (if there is one) next year and hand out water and wipe the runners runny noses.
I completely understand the magnitude of what the Olympics could do - that's why this is a huge blemish for the city and they should be ashamed of themselves for it.
No, there won't be 40,000 runners in the Olympic marathon...but there will be thousands and thousands of athletes competing all over the city and NWIN, outside, in potentially super-hot super HUMID temperatures as the midwest is prone to do. Take into consideration the support staffs and families that come along, we'll be looking at the same amount of people. Now bring in the hundreds of thousands of spectators milling about in the heat. If the emergency medical personnel couldn't keep up with this, how will they keep up with that? We're talking August in Chicago - this year it was in the 90's and humid all the way through. Those will be trained athletes as well...think they're going to call off the Olympics due to heat & humidity? Or do you think they'll plan for enough water for the athletes and everyone else to do whatever they need to do with it, whether it be consume it or splash in it?
And Darren - you can say now that you would have held out, because we now know that supplies were thin. No one knew that when the race started. And Jen said that in the morning, the temps were cool, seemed fine. It wasn't until you got 10 miles in that the breeze went away and the sun blasted everyone to bits. With proper hydration, people would have made it. Jen made it. Dan made it. Danny and his wife made it. Brian would have made it if the police hadn't forced him off the road. The thing they all had in common? Non-race people going to apartments, places off the marathon course to bring them fluids. It should have been there.
Lots of people probably started that race thinking the weathermen were wrong, it's going to be a great day for a run. The city and race organizers should have been prepared for the worst seeing the forecast, hoped for the best...they didn't plan that way.
Hey Anonymous, good point, but still yet, suck my butt
"Do you understand the magnitude of revenue the Olympics will bring to Northeast IL. and Northwest IN. For vendors, City, and Construction Trades"
Ahhh, my little chicken shit friend, one must ask themselves, does the City of Chicago understand this. If they did they would not have screwed up so bad. Just because the above statement may be true, does not mean that the city deserves it, can handle it, or is prepared for it.
And finally, still addressing chicken shit, that last time someone called me a "Mommy Type" I did wipe something, the floor with their ass...
Simma down now Pea, let's not stoop to levels beneath us all.
As far as anonymous goes...
There's a difference between sarcasm and being offensive. There's a difference between debating and being flat out rude. Your point was made, yet rendered ineffective by your childish tactics.
I'm sorry for you that you can't see the difference between my making a point about the responsibility of providing enough water at an event that requires providing water and some bleeding heart mommy who feels that the runners should have been catered to like toddlers. That is unfortunate.
Please rethink your tone and your anonymity before you post again.
it started it...
Everyone is talking like Chicago is the only city that ever gets hot. They had an opportunity and they messed up! Its not the weathers fault, its not the runners fault, it is what it is. Over! The OC is taking its business some where else!
What....We were'nt discussing the T.V. Show?
Seems to me that the entire city did'nt run out of beverages, a non-competitive runner could have zipped into a 7-11, zipped his/her credit card, and BOUGHT a big ass gatorade, Which is probably what the support staffers would do during the Olympics. As for the front runners, they are out front so they would have got first crack at said water.
I know there is about as much chance of me winning this argument as there is of me NOT having Bikini spiders in my Bananna Hammick, being Italian and all. So I'm done on this one... But I would still like to see Chicago on the worlds stage with the Olympics.
D - now you added bikini spiders to the mix and I'm officially scarred...scarred I say.
And racers did go into 7-11's and get beverages...Jen and her mom and several other families that I know all confirmed that all stores along the raceway also ran out of water and gatorade because so many people were doing it. There was none closeby to be bought. That's why Jen's running partner's friend went all the way back to his apartment to get them fluids.
I'm an Olympics junkie - ask Julie - she makes fun of me...so no one, NO ONE wants to see the games come to Chicago more than me. That's why it upsets me so that they screwed this up. It shows poor planning, and that reflects badly. Contigency plans are paramount to holding big events and they didn't have one.
It's not about winning the argument, it's about having it. I completely get where you're coming from, I want to hear all sides.
Boooooo OC the TV show. Hooray beer!
I’m big into taking responsibility. If one is going out for a run, marathon or not, on a very hot, humid day, have a plan. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Who’s responsible if you dehydrate? You are. Not the Chicago Marathon Committee. Not the City of Chicago. You.
Take Responsibility.
So many people are pissing and moaning that Chicago’s not capable of handing the Olympics. Please. And my favorite comment --- Chicago’s not worthy! Seriously. These crybabies are the same lost souls who still blame their parents at 35.
On your mark, get set, Take Responsibility.
I would like to think that the great city of Chicago learned it's lesson and will have GALLONS AND GALLONS of beverages during the Olympics and because of this...Chicago is the PERFECT place to have the Olympics!
No one will ever be thirsty again.
Kathy, my fellow Harvest Mom, you make me laugh.
Cracka....Pleeese.....
I completely agree with planning and taking responsibility.
But when you pay your entrance fee to an event, you expect them to hydrate you. What were runners supposed to do? Drag a cooler behind them? Some people don't have the support system (friends and family) to help them out. Those runners, according to Jen and her mom, left the course and did attempt to hydrate themselves. The stores were empty, too. They expected, and I don't think wrongly, that the committee would plan effectively. Why can't the committee and the city take responsibility???
I'm not saying that Chicago isn't ready - I'm saying this makes them look like they aren't. It's like cussing in a job interview. You're supposed to put your best foot forward.
Harvest moms...LOVE IT, Jul. Love it.
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