CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- An estimated 35,000 runners are set to take part in Sunday’s 43rd Chicago Marathon. And on Friday, they’ve been filing through McCormick Place for the Health and Fitness Expo and to pick up their race packets.
"I think there's not better place than Chicago to have a race," said Hiko, who flew in from Germany for his third Chicago Marathon.
"I'm feeling confident right now, because I put a lot of miles in, so not much of anxiety right now, more excitement."
The weather, the heat, is a big topic of conversation.
David Lett, from Falls Church, Virginia, is running his first Chicago Marathon. He told WBBM Newsradio he’s making adjustments and taking it slower.
"Yeah, I had to adjust my goals for that. I'm probably going to run 15 to 20 minutes slower. I've been joking I am going to start off slow and taper," Lett laughed.
"You know you've got to be realistic about what you can do in the heat. You can control everything except for the weather."
Lett said he, too, has no anxiety, and no self-doubt as he prepares for his first Chicago Marathon.
"No, why suffer twice. If you have done the training, then you have done the training and you should just be honest with yourself," Lett said.
Dr. George Chiampas, the medical director for the marathon, said "a couple of heat contingencies that we have added are more ice across all the aid stations, some bottled water; we are going to have sprayers and we are going to have two sponge stations in the middle of the course where you can get a sponge to help cool yourself down."
The temperatures are expected to be in the 70s at the start of the race and get into the 80s.
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