The buzz in the track and field world is still strong after the 46th Bank of America Chicago Marathon lit up on October 13, showcasing some truly inspiring stories. But let’s rewind a bit and go back to 2023, when doctors diagnosed one runner, Batbayar Tserendorj, with cancer in March. While radiation helped shrink his tumor, doctors told him a liver transplant was his best shot at survival. To stay active while waiting, he started running with his wife, who was training for the marathon.

“I never thought about a full marathon, ever. Never in my mind until the diagnosis came,” Bat shared. Then, just the night before the 2023 race, he got a call that changed everything: “In less than 12 hours, I’m going to run the marathon, then doctors call me, ‘Ok Bat, it’s time. We got the organ.’” He faced a tough choice—run the marathon or go for the transplant. He decided to race, finishing strong before undergoing a successful transplant just 19 days later. “Unbelievable. I am so lucky,” he said. But wait—this story was far from over!

Batbayar Tserendorj celebrates his second chance at life at the Chicago Marathon

After choosing to race instead of getting a transplant last year, Batbayar Tserendorj made a triumphant return to the Chicago Marathon this year, bringing along a brand-new liver! At 60 years old, he was back in action, completing the 26.2-mile journey once more. In a heartfelt conversation with CBS News, he expressed, “[It’s] a second chance at life,” capturing the essence of his incredible journey. This time around, Bat was as determined as the last time to not let the opportunity slip away!

When this determined 60-year-old decided to run instead of getting a transplant last year, it surprised even his transplant team. Dr. Juan Carlos Caicedo, Bat’s surgeon at Northwestern Medicine, said, “That’s a very risky situation. Normally, we prefer the patient take the organ.” But Bat was all in, fueled by his goal to show himself and his family that anything is possible. He trained hard for the marathon, proving just how strong his spirit of resilience truly is.

Now cancer-free, Tserendorj hopes to inspire others by showing that liver transplants aren’t a death sentence but rather a beautiful second chance at life. As he shared, “It’s my second birthday!” However, the tale of comebacks at this year’s Chicago Marathon doesn’t stop with this remarkable 60-year-old; another track and field athlete also defied the odds by overcoming an injury to reclaim their place on the track!

Another miraculous comeback on the fast and flat course

Last December, Kurt Greteman, a spirited 38-year-old from Chicago, was happily running the Hot Chocolate Run’s 15K in St. Louis when disaster struck. A startled herd of deer burst through the crowd of over 7,000 runners, hurling him into the air. “I thought he was dead,” said his brother-in-law, Cam Schoefell, who witnessed the shocking scene unfold.

Just ten months after that terrifying encounter, Greteman was ready to tackle the Chicago Marathon—his first race since that miraculous recovery. “I’m doing this to prove to myself that I can,” he shared, eager to inspire others with his story. He woke up in a neck brace with multiple skull fractures and a double jaw break, determined to overcome the pain and pursue his passion for running.

As he ran the marathon, Greteman carried an obituary card for his mother, Barbara, who passed away from brain cancer, crediting her memory and his wife, Iavora, for supporting him through recovery. With the beat of “Cashin’ Out” pumping him up, he declared while recovering, “There’s going to be 50,000 other people there, and a lot of them are going to run faster than me. But if I stick to the process and what I’ve done, I can finish this.”