With a full year of racing, training and reporting behind us, Chicago Athlete looks back at our most-read stories of 2015.
10. Locals Shine at Chicago Triathlon
After a relentless rainstorm soaked Saturday’s triathletes, the weather held out for the main event on Sunday, where Chicago-area athletes swept top honors in the Sprint and International distance races.
9. Swimmers to Cross Lake Michigan This Weekend
Another event that felt the wrath of Mother Nature, Swim Across Lake Michigan finally took place at the end of August, with nearly two dozen swimmers crossing Lake Michigan between Burnham Harbor and Michiana, Michigan to raise money for the Rush University Medical Center.
8. Joan Benoit Samuelson and Deena Kastor to Run 2015 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
In July, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon announced that two of the most prominent women in American marathoning, Joan Benoit Samuelson and Deena Kastor, would take on the race in 2015. Though illness kept Benoit Samuelson from running, Kastor went to break the decade-old American women’s master’s record at the event.
7. Training for Speed
High-intensity interval training, such as Tabata-style workouts, can make a big difference in your speed. Brian Alexander of CrossFit Illumine provided a variety of exercises and movements that can help runners get faster.
6. Returning Elites to Watch – Chicago Triathlon
Several athletes from the 2014 Chicago Triathlon came back in 2015 to test their speed and endurance against the course another time.
5. Hotel Palomar and Shred415 Partner for Outdoor Workouts
Hotel Palomar and Shred415 set the tone for boutique business partnerships in Chicago this year as the first boutique hotel + studio fitness matching. The model expanded to other hotels and studios as the year went on.
4. Area Runners Reflect on 2015 Boston Marathon
Nearly 900 Illinoisians chased the unicorn on a cold, rainy and windy day in Boston last April. Despite rough conditions, local runners enjoyed the experience and crowd support.
3. New Website Pairs Blind Runners with Sighted Guides
Richard Hunter, a legally blind runner, created United in Stride earlier this year to help visually impaired runners find guides to help them in their training. The site connects runners and provides sighted runners with a tutorial to help them learn how to guide.
2. On Your Mark and Chicago Athletic Association Hotel Launch Partnership
Like Hotel Palomar and Shred415, On Your Mark and the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel partnered up to bring guests the best of Chicago fitness, with training runs, personal training and athletic breaks for groups using the hotel’s meeting and conference facilities.
1. First Time Marathoner: Connection
Our First Time Marathoner, Nikki Labaschin, ended her training chronicles by sharing the story of how she met Pete, an Army veteran, on the course and finished the race with him.
