Beacon News

By Dennis O'Neill, President, Beacon Consulting Group, Inc.

Over the years, my daughter Jackie and I have shared many fun running memories, from local 5Ks to community charity runs. It feels like just yesterday she was a little kid lacing up her running shoes for her first fun run beside me. Time has flown by. Jackie is now 23 and works as a nurse in Boston. While juggling a busy life and a challenging career, she has also managed to take her love of running to an entirely new level.

This year, Jackie decided to take on both the Boston Marathon and the Chicago Marathon. She successfully completed the Boston race back in April, finishing with an impressive time of just 3 hours and 19 minutes. Her months of training clearly paid off, as she ran even faster in Chicago. Jackie crossed the finish line in an incredible 3 hours, 9 minutes, and 31 seconds, which is about an hour faster than the average participant's time. Her 7:14-per-mile pace is a testament to her focus, discipline, and drive.

As a dad, I could not be prouder. Watching Jackie’s dedication and determination has been inspiring, and it reminds me how powerful perseverance can be, both on the race course and in everyday life.

Beyond Jackie’s impressive performance, the entire Chicago Marathon weekend was unforgettable. More than 53,000 runners from 120 countries took part, cheered on by an estimated 1.5 million spectators. The atmosphere was electric. The weather cooperated beautifully, with dry conditions and temperatures in the 50s and 60s. The elite athletes were amazing to watch. Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda won the men’s race with blazing fast time of 2:02:23. Hawi Feysa of Ethiopia set a personal record and captured the women’s title in 2:14:56.

If you ever have the chance to experience the Chicago Marathon, I highly recommend it, whether as a runner or a spectator. It is an incredible event in a fantastic city. For me, it was a weekend I will never forget.