Chicago is his kind of town

Victoria Sun

Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2000 | 10:11 a.m.

Results of the Oct. 22 Chicago Marathon:

1. Khalid Khannouchi, U.S., 2:07:01

2. Josephat Kiprono, Kenya, 2:07:29

3. Moses Tanui, Kenya, 2:07:47

4. Peter Githuka, Kenya, 2:08:02

5. Fred Kiprop, Kenya, 2:08:23

6. William Kiplagat, Kenya, 2:11:57

7. David Morris, U.S., 2:12:00

8. Eric Mack, U.S., 2:12:42

9. Yi Young Kim, Korea, 2:13:02

10. Josh Cox, U.S., 2:13:55

The progress wasn't there.

Neither was the desire.

Over the last two years there had been many times 26-year-old Eric Mack wondered whether he should even run any more.

Then, the answer came last month at the unlikeliest of times and under even stranger circumstances.

Mack, an intelligence officer for the Air Force, finished eighth at the prestigious Chicago Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 12 minutes and 42 seconds. Incredibly, it was the first marathon he had ever entered and it was supposed to be his last.

"People have told me since I was in junior high that I should be a marathon runner because of my running style," he said. "I don't have a high knee lift, but more of a marathon shuffle.

"I thought I'd be ending my competitive career with the Chicago Marathon and just quitting. Now, it's totally rejuvenated my interest in the sport and I plan on running four more years. This was a huge turnaround for me."

Mack, a 1996 Air Force Academy graduate, relocated to Nellis Air Force Base in September from Boulder, Colo.

Even though the former All-American in cross country and indoor track and outdoor track was used to running 5Ks (3.1 miles) and 10Ks (6.2 miles), he had never attempted a 26.2-mile marathon.

Because of his success with the shorter distances, many friends suggested that he start competing at the next level.

"It is just kind of a natural progression," Mack said. "I've run 5 and 10Ks for a few years and just decided it was time to move up in distance."

But from last year until a few months before the Chicago Marathon, his body didn't want to cooperate.

First came the two stress fractures, one in his left foot and the other one in his left shin that kept him from running for a total of 16 weeks. Then when Mack recovered, he tore his left calf muscle twice and his left hamstring once.

The left side of his body wasn't the only thing ailing him.

Late this spring heading into summer, Mack discovered something else was wrong.

"I would train and nothing felt like it was sticking," he remembered. "Every day I'd go out and run, but there was no progression fitness-wise.

"When you run, you expect that you can run a certain distance in a certain time and that your time will get better. Things never got better for me."

Mack wasn't sure what the problem was until after he ran a 5K in July.

"It didn't go well," Mack said. "I took two weeks off then got a blood test and found out I was anemic.

"I didn't have anemia so bad that I was walking around tired all the time. But the attitude towards running, it was just unhappiness at running. It just became really frustrating that I would reach a certain stage of fitness and my body would break down."

Mentally and physically worn, Mack decided that the Chicago Marathon would be his final race.

To get better, he started taking over-the-counter iron tablets and put himself on a 12-week training program leading up to the marathon.

Still, it did not affect his decision to quit.

"I went into it thinking I owe it to myself to do it at least once," he said of running a marathon. "Then I can walk away and say I tried everything."

Today, Mack's outlook is much different.

"Finishing eighth just reaffirmed that you kind of belong," he said. "I'm definitely going to switch my focus to the marathon."

But because of his work schedule, Mack does not think he will be able to compete in the Las Vegas International Marathon in February.

"I'll still run some of the shorter races, but definitely my season will be geared towards running marathons."