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Bob Aitken remains focused while running in the 2003 New York City Marathon. Aitken has run in 19 marathons, and this Sunday marks his 10th consecutive Chicago Marathon. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Former Mt. Vernon resident running in Chicago Marathon
By VANESSA WELCH
vanessa.welch@register-news.com
MARYVILLE — Throughout life athletes and others who participate in various activities exercise for physical and emotional benefits. Like many people, 53-year-old Bob Aitken, formerly of Mt. Vernon, began jogging to stay healthy.
“When I turned 40 I decided to run for health reasons,” Aitken said. “I wanted to hike the grand canyon, and a year later I was able to do that from running.”
But what started as a casual activity quickly turned into stepping up to starting lines at races. After one of his friends convinced him to run in 5K and 10K races, another friend asked him to join him in running a marathon in Chesterfield, Mo.
“I didn’t think I could do it, and originally I planned to stop halfway,” Aitken said. “I made it all the way though.”
Since that date, Aitken has run in 18 other marathons, and Sunday he will once again lace up his racing shoes to participate in the 31st annual Chicago Marathon. This will be his 10th consecutive year to run in the 26.2 mile event, and Aitken said 45,000 runners are expected to participate this weekend along with one and a half million viewers cheering them on.
“I like big races because there are so many people,” Aitken said. “It’s hard to keep your pace in the beginning — you can reach out and basically touch somebody. But the crowds keep you going. If you have your name on your shirt, people will yell it out.”
The interactive nature between runners and onlookers along with meeting new people are reasons why Aitken said he enjoys marathons.
“I meet many people from different countries,” Aitken said. “At a race in St. Charles, Mo., I met a guy from England who wanted to run a marathon in each state. I’ve also met a person in their 50’s to 60’s who had run in 120 marathons. During races you’ll see a person willing to talk to you and that makes it go faster.”
One year Aitken said he ran in three marathons in a six-week period. At one of the races, a man came up to him because he recognized Aitken’s number tag from a Chicago race they both had attended previously.
Other races Aitken has run in include the Lewis and Clark Marathon and New York City Marathon. From one race to the next, Aitken said he has learned techniques for pace-setting and battling fatigue.
“Some of the things I’ve learned in the process are to not go out too fast in the early stages or set too high of a goal,” Aitken said. “After racing two to three times in Chicago, I wondered why my knees always hurt. I found out you’re supposed to run in the center of the road or switch back and forth from side to side. Before I always ran on one side.”
“I also look straight ahead at the course and focus on a building in the distance. Once I reach that point, I will focus on a new point.”
Aitken said he has been training over a19-week time period to prepare for the Chicago Marathon. Gradually he has increased mileage to build endurance and strength. Although he is not as concerned with running against the clock, Aitken said crossing the finish line is an achievement in itself.
“To me it’s such an accomplishment to go that far,” Aitken said. “For the last two-tenths of a mile, people all along there are yelling at you.”
“We’re just really, really proud of him,” Aitken’s niece Christy Jacinto of Mt. Vernon said of how their family feels. “He’s been training hard, and he’s really dedicated.”
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