For the tens of thousands of runners who took on the Chicago Marathon this weekend, 26.2 miles meant something different. For some, it was a personal challenge. For others, a way to give back, honor family, or discover just how much they could do.
For Northwestern senior Isabella Millman, becoming a marathoner was the result of years of gradually pushing herself further.
“When I started college, I started running just like one mile once a week,” she said. “And then eventually kind of just started running more.”
Millman built up her distance over time, first running two half marathons before deciding to take on Chicago.
Running has been a part of junior Logan Symson’s life since elementary school, when her parents introduced her to the sport. As she trained for Chicago while working over the summer, her mom often biked alongside her, helping her tackle the long runs.
“That was really fun to spend that time with her, especially because she’s the one that got me into this in the first place,” Symson said. “So it feels very full circle to have her be accompanying me on these runs.”
Symson ran to raise money for Lurie Children’s Hospital and finished the marathon in three hours and 43 minutes.
For junior Marisol Guillena, the race was about something deeply personal. She ran for the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois after her mother received a kidney transplant in January. With her mom there to cheer her on, the marathon marked a moment of gratitude for Guillena.
“It just means a lot for it to be October, when nine months ago in January there was a lot of uncertainty around what our life would look like,” she said. “It’s such a personal, personal cause for us.”
The morning of Guillena’s race did not go to plan. She was sick, her sunglasses broke, she lost her hat, and her watch broke before the start. Then a volunteer stepped in with a small act of kindness.
“She gave me the hat off of her head,” Guillena said. “And I literally could not hold it together.”
Later, Guillena ran alongside another participant who was struggling through the final miles. In a race that can seem like an individual challenge, she found meaning in helping someone else reach the finish.
Professor Jim Jackson traveled from Nashville to watch his wife and daughter run together. From the sidelines, he saw the marathon as a reminder of what people can accomplish—and how they encourage one another along the way.
“Everybody is so supportive, competitive, but caring about each other, pushing harder than they thought they could,” Jackson said. “It’s really been beautiful.”
Across the course, the reasons for running were different, but the connections made along the way were part of what made the day memorable.
“Truly, if you ever need to get back in touch with humanity, just go spectate a marathon,” Guillena said.