Track and field is a sport that carries some of the most inspiring stories of human determination. From Jesse Owens, who ran against an entire regime, to Margaret Hagerty, who ran a marathon at the age of 81, the tales are endless. This is why fans keep coming back to the sport to enrich themselves with such intriguing chronicles.

One such intriguing event is set to take place at the upcoming Chicago Marathon. The prestigious race, scheduled for October 13, has been generating significant buzz due to its planned tribute to the late Kelvin Kiptum. Additionally, another exciting story will reach its climax on that day.

Kate Swain will celebrate her cancer-free anniversary at the Chicago Marathon

Kate Swain is a 39-year-old woman who will be taking part in the 2024 Chicago Marathon. She has taken this decision to celebrate her 10th anniversary as a cancer survivor. Kate was diagnosed with cervical cancer when she was 29. 11 days later, she was in the operating room having a hysterectomy to get rid of it. She said, “It completely changed the trajectory of my life. Every year I celebrate my cancerversary that I’ve named. It’s the anniversary of the day of my surgery. It’s a very emotionally charged day for me.” But, this year, on my tenth anniversary, she really wanted to do something to mark the occasion.

Kate had been talking about running a marathon since high school and thought, “What better year than this year to show the world that I’m still here, I’m still alive, and I can do something amazing with my body?” It was a great decision from her to run the Chicago Marathon, as what can be a better day to fulfill your lifelong dream than the one where life threw your biggest adversity?

George Higginbotham, Kate’s husband, will also take part in the Chicago marathon with her. While initially worried about the prospect, he slowly started coming on board with the idea. “I am excited for race day at this point. Five months ago, I was probably terrified.” Kate Swain believes it’s a full circle moment for the couple, as George was the one who was supporting her through everything during her diagnosis, and now that she has recovered, they are running together.

While she’s unsure how she’ll react, Kate is certain of one thing: she will feel immense pride in her accomplishment, showcasing to the world that she’s still here. This event is just one of the many reasons to tune in and watch the Chicago Marathon. Another compelling story is also set to unfold during the race.

The grieving son who will use the Chicago Marathon to spread mental health awareness

Brendan O’Brien, a resident of Elmhurst, will also be competing in the Chicago Marathon. Although he has been running for a long time, this marathon holds special significance for him. He aims to complete the race to spread awareness about mental health issues. In 2020, Brendan lost his father to depression, which has fueled his commitment to this cause.

He was struggling to stay away from coaching lacrosse, which was halted by the pandemic. “He died from sui—e, it was incredibly sudden,” said Brendan, seemingly fighting with his urge to break down into tears. The Elmhurst resident has used running as a way to overcome this traumatic incident ever since then. According to him, running is an opportunity to look inward.

Thus, he will also take part in the Chicago marathon to promote sui—e prevention with other members of the American Foundation of the same. It is a great initiative taken by a son who’s clearly yet to recover from a huge loss. By undertaking this task, he can try and help other families avoid the same fate. Let’s hope his journey is successful on October 14th.