Posted: September 8, 2007

Athletics: Counting Down To The 30th Anniversary Lasalle Bank Chicago Marathon

30 Inspiring Stories in 30 Days The 30th Anniversary LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon continues the countdown to its Oct. 7 race day with the second of 30 inspiring runner stories. Today’s profile features Chicagoan Michael McRoyal, celebrating his 30th birthday with his first marathon. Michael is one of the runners featured on this year’s LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon mural wall and advertising campaign. WHO: Michael McRoyal AGE: 29 OCCUPATION: Assistant Director of BNI Chicago/Stand-up Comedian HOMETOWN: Chicago, Ill. PREVIOUS MARATHONS: Debut RUNNER STORY: Michael McRoyal certainly put some distance under his feet during his service in the military, but until recently it was mostly just a chore. He never struggled in his fitness goals so volunteering to run in a two mile race from the Chicago Police Academy to the Sears Tower seemed to be a reachable goal. Without planning on it, Michael stumbled onto a new pastime. The opportunity to run again came when he was invited to participate in the 5K Run to Remember – a race supported by the Chicago Police Department. His first thought was that the distance was too great as he had not faced an endurance challenge in some time. He decided he would have to push himself if he was to compete in the 5K. At his first chance, Michael visited his gym and started on a treadmill. He completed the distance on the first try and went on to finish the race. Running was no longer a chore for Michael, so when he learned about the 30th anniversary of The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon he began to research how to register and prepare for the race. He located the Chicago Area Runner’s Association (CARA) and with the help of their program director, Bill Fitzgerald, he learned a great deal about the race and was motivated to begin training. He immediately joined a running group to begin training aggressively. Not only will Michael participate in the Chicago Marathon this October 7, he will also be running to celebrate his father’s birthday; a man who has been a source of inspiration his entire life. He is especially looking forward to finishing before his 30th birthday this November. With his life seemingly falling into place, he was additionally asked to be photographed for the LaSalle Bank mural which is painted annually to promote the Marathon. He and his fellow runners can be viewed from Chicago’s Kennedy expressway near the Armitage Avenue exit. He is also one of eight runners whose story is featured in the race's advertising campaign. RACE INFORMATION: The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon will celebrate its 30th anniversary on Sunday, October 7, 2007 as 45,000 participants advance to the start line, embarking on the culmination of 45,000 personal journeys. Along with the massive field of recreational runners, the 26.2-mile course will welcome a full field of world renowned professional athletes drawn to the flat, fast, urban setting and the potential to break world and national records. Since the inception of its charity program in 2002, The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon has generated more than $27.5 million for a variety of charitable causes including $9.5 million in the 2006 event alone. Registration for the race opened on January 1, 2007 and closed when it reached capacity on April 18. All previously released runner stories are available at ChicagoMarathon.com. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest