A Look into 53 Years of Running, 52 Marathons, and the First Chicago Marathon with Jim Laubsted

Jim Laubsted - CARA Training Spotlight 

2024 Ready to Run 20 Miler

Jim is a longtime site coordinator at CARA’s Summer Marathon Training Wheaton site. He has completed over 50 marathons and was even part of the first Chicago Marathon! Jim truly has had an amazing running journey that spans 53 years and includes running locally for Proviso West High School and UIC. Read about his amazing stories and experiences below. 

Q: Tell us about your running journey! How did you start running?

A: 53 years ago I went out for the cross country team as a freshman at Proviso West High School. I didn't know how much that decision would affect my life. I even met my future wife at a high school track meet.

Q: How long have you been involved with CARA Training programs?

A: I have been a Marathon Training Site Coordinator for 21 years. I was a Group Leader before that.

Q: What is your favorite part about training with a CARA group?

A:  Run with other runners. The runs are always easier running with other people.

Q: What does running mean to you?

A: After 53 years of running, its been a major part of my life. I'm addicted to running. I really miss running if I go a few days without it.

Q: Describe your most memorable training or racing experience.

A: I ran in two Division 2 National Cross Country Championships for UIC.

Q: What advice would you offer to a new runner or someone who wants to start running?

A: Start slow and easy. It takes about 30 days for the body to adjust to running. After that, running becomes much easier.

Q: Anyone you would like to thank or give kudos to that has helped you on your running journey?

A: My coaches in high school and college. They knew how to make running fun and helped me get the most out of my running.

Q: What is your favorite marathon?

A: My favorite marathon is the Chicago Marathon.

Q: What is the hardest marathon you have run?

A: The hardest marathon was the 2007 Chicago Marathon.  75 degrees with a 73 degree dew point at the start. Virtually no wind. I still ran a Boston Qualifier and finished before the race was canceled.

Q: How many marathons have you completed?

A: I have run 52 marathons.

Q: You were part of the first Chicago Marathon. Can you take us through that day? 

A: I entered the first Chicago Marathon in 1977 and was listed as an early entry in a newspaper article. My coach at UIC (UICC at the time), Bill Leach, saw the article and said I could only run the first half since it was September 25th and was during the cross country season. The race started downtown and ran mainly north on LSD about six miles and back. The second half ran south on LSD. It was great running in a large race. 1977 was also the first year of the Chicago Lakefront 10 and the First Chicago Distance Classic. I had never run a race with more than 300 runners before those races.

The following year I red-shirted and got to run the marathon. Unfortunately, race management wanted more publicity and the September 24th race started at 10:30am. It was 75 degrees at the start and 85 degrees at the finish. The people that started CARA (Bill Robinson, Sharon Mier, Erma Tranter and Noel Nequin, circa fall 1978) were handing out black armbands to protest the late start and that the marathon doubled the entry fee (from $5 in '77 to $10 in '78). 

There was nothing like chip timing then, so I started in the second row. Very similar to how I remember the first half the year before, except for the temperature. I kept an even pace for the first 17 miles (6:04/mile), but the heat got to me. I still broke 3:00 and qualified for Boston by 80 seconds. This was actually my first marathon. 

I entered the North Central College Marathon in 1974, but it snowed 8 inches the night before so the race director would only let us run 10 miles on the then cinder track. The finisher award was a beer mug (I still have it). Great for a 16 year old!