The Daily Parker

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Marathon cut short because it's the middle of Octogust here

With record temperatures in Chicago today (now at 29°C), organizers have halted the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon:

Reports of inadequate supplies of water were frequent along the route, and many of the 36,000 runners competing stopped early.

The men's race appeared more like a track finish than the usually tactical marathon finish, with Kenyan Patrick Ivuti winning the closest race in the 30 years of the Chicago Marathon. In a photo-finish, Ivuti edged out Moroccan Jaouad Gharib by 5/100th of a second.

Both were clocked at 2 hours 11 minutes 11 seconds and appeared to break the tape at the same time. Ivuti is the fifth consecutive Kenyan to win the Chicago Marathon.

Ethiopian Berhane Adere recorded one of the greatest race comebacks, repeating as champion in 2:33:49. Adere fell behind by about 25 seconds late in the race, but managed to sprint to the finish and overtake unsuspecting Romanian Adriana Pirtea.

The Cubs, meanwhile, spent the day cooling their heels.

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