running

I was so excited that I could barely sleep. I did

some stretching and some crunches. I took a shower and put on my gear. Hat, check, Chip, check, gels, check, and $10 in case I give up (which of course, I will not!) At about 6:40am, I ran out of the building towards Grant Park. The place was teeming with thousands of people of all types, shapes, sizes and nationalities.

My Pace leader Margaret was excited that I made it after 6 months of arduous training. At 7:30am, the gun went off and we all shouted! People started tossing their warm up suits in the air and the homeless people ran around picking up all the free clothes. We just stood in one spot and started walking towards the start because the crowd was so thick, 37500 strong!

I started out going slowly.

As we went, people were screaming:Go Isi! I was running at about a 13 mins mile and I was feeling great. At about mile 6, I really needed to pee. I made a quick stop, came out and kept going. At about mile 8, a guy screamed “Go Isi!” and he jumped out and started hugging me. I was thinking who is this? I was really getting freaked out, because I had no idea who this guy was. Finally I asked if I knew him. He looked shocked and I looked closely at him, it was Enoete Inanga, my neighbor who I hadn't seen in eons!!! I started screaming. The other runners were looking at us like we were crazy. Enoete ran with me for a while miles and we promised to keep in touch, who knew Enoete lived in Chicago too.

Now I was completely by myself. My goal was to make the 13-mile marker in 3hrs. I got to mile 13, in 3 hrs 3 mins. I was making good time. At about mile 15, I was famished all of a sudden. God, why didn't I listen to my friend Lola and have breakfast this morning! My stomach was growling; so I ran and bought a pastry quickly, ate half of it and kept going, but I was beginning to really slow down. At mile 17, we ran into the Hispanic neighborhoods, they were blasting some nice hip-hop music. I was jamming and running. People were yelling– “Go Mami, Go Isi”.

By mile 18 I was simply pooped.

I just stopped running and started walking. I walked through Chinatown; all the big drummers were out there with their centipede costumes. By Cominskey Park, I ate some bananas and kept walking, I couldn't even imagine running. My feet were KILLING me, and my calves and thighs were screaming. I knew then that I was not going to make my time goal. One of the marathon trackers drove by and asked if I was OK?. I was so tempted get in the van and call it a day but I thought about all the people who supported me and donated money for FATE foundation (www.fatefoundation.org) and the notion of telling people I did not complete the marathon was unthinkable. I told the man “ I am OK”.

Around Mile 23, I looked up and there was a huge sign saying “RUN ISI!!” and there was Kofo and Soji. Kofo was jumping up and down and started screaming. I was so happy to see them!! She said, “you have only 3.2 miles to go!” We started jogging, and I was really tired but Kofo kept egging me on. She was trying so hard to help me make it. We got to mile 25 and I saw the sign, I mile to go. Lola and Funmi were screaming, “ Go Isi, you can do it” As we got into Grant park, I saw a huge sign saying, GO ISI being carried by Maurice, Deborah and Nneka. At that point, I felt dizzy like I was going to pass out, and then I stopped to walk. Kofo said no, no, no!! I walked for a few seconds and started jogging again. As I rounded the corner, I saw the most beautiful sight in the world up ahead, 2002 CHICAGO MARATHON FINISH LINE.

I started out in a sprint.

Ahead of me, they were shouting GO ISI, GO ISI. I ran across the finish line, and smiled for the photographers. Ayo gave me a bouquet of roses. For some reason, I pushed them aside and kept going! Like I was Forrest Gump. I finally realized—IT IS OVER! I walked back to the finish. One of the marathon officials put the marathon medal around my neck.

Say what you may, but I am proud to call myself a MARATHONER!!!

I am recruiting people for 2003 marathon (see you there).

written in 2002.

By Isi Okogun, a financial expert and Chicago's second best known marathoner after Oprah (in our eyes anyway)!

running the chicago marathon

I was so excited that I could barely sleep. I did

I started out going slowly.

By mile 18 I was simply pooped.

I started out in a sprint.