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BY AL HAMNIK
ahamnik@nwitimes.com
219.933.4154 | Sunday, October 09, 2005 | (No comments posted.)
RUNNING | 28th CHICAGO MARATHON
CROWN POINT | The family of 73-year-old Jim Johnson gave him a present you won't find in any fancy catalog or at the mall.
They're running the Chicago Marathon with him, which is good news and bad news.
This is Johnson's 10th Chicago and 20th marathon overall. Keeping him company today will be daughter Elsie Ruble, 45, and twin granddaughters Brandy and Brittany Hartman -- representing three generations in all.
None of the ladies have run a 26.2-mile marathon.
"My daughters ran cross country in high school, but not after that. I never was a runner. I was in gymnastics," Ruble said. "We've watched Dad run for so many years, he kinda inspired us.
"We've been trying to do the longer runs with him, (but) the girls and me have only been going since May. The main goal is just to finish."
Today's 28th Chicago Marathon will feature 40,000 runners. Executive director and Hammond native Carey Pinkowski capped the race in July, having to turn away 17,000 requests since then.
"I think I'm gonna continue to run. I don't know about Boston, but I'd like to do another marathon," Ruble said. "I'd really like to get better on the short runs -- the 10Ks and 5Ks. Dad's got me into the running mode."
The Crown Point grads got their first up-close look at Chicago last year while working a water station. It was a snapshot moment they'll never forget.
"That was really exciting because we got to see the whole deal, starting from the wheelchair race to the Kenyans and the way everyone was cheering," Ruble said. "We were cheering like crazy at just the 5-mile mark."
Jim Johnson was a "late" starter as a runner -- 57 -- and didn't try his first marathon until 60.
"My first two I ran like 4:45. But I've gone down since then to about 5:30," the retired NIPSCO electrician said. "I walk part of 'em now. I think everybody ought to run."
"Not me," interrupted Marlene, Jim's wife of 54 years and a designated cheerleader.
"I want to do this for as long as I can," Jim said. "It's very addictive, even with the pain."
The women admitted being as excited as they were nervous about today's endurance test.
"We probably wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for (Jim)," Brittany said. "We want to make him happy. It's going to be special, a family reunion of sorts.
"I want him to finish with us. I'm sure he will. He's never not finished a marathon."
Jim and Elsie trained hard over the summer while Brittany and Brandy weren't as dedicated, a fact they don't deny.
"If I feel like I'm gonna walk, I'm gonna walk," Brittany said.
"I got a lot going on right now," Brandy added. "I'm in school, I work and I have a baby. It's like, ' Mmm. Which do I put first?'
"My training's been limited. That's why I'm nervous."
When it was suggested a nice family picnic at the Crown Point Fairgrounds might be easier on everyone, Brandy laughed.
"Yeah, but it wouldn't be the same. We have to torture ourselves," she said.
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