Deaton said he went into the 26.2-mile Chicago Marathon to prove he could run it and to cross the finish line. “I’m thrilled to have finished,” Deaton said. “It was hot during the race.”
The temperature was officially 64 degrees at the 7:30 a.m. start and climbed to 77 by noon. Deaton was among the 35,628 runners (from 45,000 entrants) who completed the race, second most to the record set last year with 36,088 finishers.
Officials estimated 1.8 million spectators lined the 26.2-mile course. “Chicago was very welcoming to the racers,” Deaton said. “There were so many people crowded deep and along the entire route. It reminded me of the Tour de France.”
Deaton said the race was challenging. “Right now I’m not sure I will do another one. I finished and I feel healthy.”
A 35-year-old North Carolina firefighter, William Caviness, collapsed about 500 yards short of the finish and died nearly two hours later. It was the first fatality in the Chicago Marathon since 2007. Heat shut down that race before it ended.
“I was standing near a guy who was on the cellphone talking to his wife. who was in the grandstands,” Deaton said. “His wife said a runner collapsed and they were performing CPR.”
The Chicago Tribune reported 54 people were transported to hospitals Sunday, compared to 100 last year.
Some runners cooled down after the race by balancing ice packs on their heads and sipping on free beers, the Tribune reported. Others had to be helped from the finishing area in wheelchairs or be supported by volunteers.
Deaton commended race officials for keeping plenty of fluids and sponges available along the route. “We didn’t have any problem getting water or fluids during the race. They did a great job.”
Deaton was among 10 runners from the Greer area who competed and finished the marathon.
Others with their placement, name, age, city and time were:
2,535. Ashley Long, 30, (Greer), 3:25.50.
|2,856. Daphne Weyand, 35, (Taylors), 3:28.27.
8,265. Mike Pastore, 56, (Greer), 3:58.14.
16,747. Andrea Smith, 46, (Taylors), 4:33.26.
17,032. Michelle Carter, 40, (Taylors), 4:34.36.
18,862. Jessica Justice, 39, (Taylors), 4:41.
30.20,249. Kimberly Rhodehamel, 49, (Greer), 4:46.59.
22,405. Reno Deaton, 40, (Greer), 4:55.13.
22,432. Natalie Putnam, 28, (Greer), 4:55.18.