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BY PAUL OREN
Times Correspondent | Monday, October 23, 2006 | (No comments posted.)
LASALLE BANK CHICAGO MARATHON
CHICAGO | Like most marathon runners who made their way to Chicago, Steve Dyke has gone through intense training for the latest running of the Chicago Marathon. But Dyke has gone up and down more hills than most.
"Three years ago as I was training for the Mini-marathon in Indy, I was diagnosed with cancer," Dyke said. "The last three years have been a battle to get to today."
Dyke was told that he had bladder cancer on his 40th birthday and has been undergoing surgeries every three months since the diagnosis. With constant trips to the hospital and therapy, Dyke had been unable to keep the rigorous training schedule that is needed for marathon preparation.
"I just couldn't get the training that I needed to be able to compete," Dyke said. "The last three weeks I have been on pins and needles hoping that I wouldn't get sick while I was getting ready to race."
The East Chicago resident made the decision to train for this year's marathon despite constantly fighting the cancer that has taken over his life.
"For me to do this, wow, it's what I need to do to beat the cancer," Dyke said. "I'll still be doing treatment, but this is the final nail in the coffin, by doing this, now I can do whatever I want."
Dyke, who finished with a time of 5 hours, 32 minutes, 50 seconds, is one of countless inspirational stories amongst the 34,698 entrants that made up the field of the 29th annual LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. Kenyan Robert Cheruiyot won the race, finishing in 2:07.35 after slipping at the finish line and cutting his head from the fall. Berhane Adere, from Ethopia, won the women's race in 2:20:42.
Lee Alvarez was afraid she would lose her leg after a car accident on the day before Thanksgiving which kept her laid up for five months. The Michigan City native was standing between two cars when a third vehicle slammed into the cars and pinned her, crushing her leg in the process.
"I prayed a lot and my family has been a lot of inspiration for me," Alvarez said. "Everyone I came across, the doctors, therapists, everyone has been great."
Alvarez, who participated in her seventh marathon and her fourth Chicago Marathon, worked at both strengthening her leg and her resolve as she trained for the 26.2 mile race. She finished the race at 5:36:45.
"Everytime I run, I get really choked up," Alvarez said. "I just feel like shouting ‘I can run, I can run,' I'm so thankful for this day."
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