By Ross Forman
Bring out the cowboy boots; it's Chicago Marathon time.
Those boots aren't for runners, but for those who are supporting the brave runners who will be going along the 26.2-mile course Sunday, Oct. 22.
The Frontrunners/Frontwalkers ( FR/FW ) Chicago, an LGBT club with about 250 members, will host its annual water station at the 8-1/4-mile mark along Broadway, between Aldine and Belmont in Lakeview.
This year's FR/FW water station theme is The Wild West—and all 250 members will be wearing cowboy hats, among other traditional garb. The FR/FW have run a water station for 10 years, and have been voted 'Best Water Station' every year but two.
The water station could be the largest event all year for FR/FW.
'The water station brings together a lot of people—club members, their families and friends, plus others,' said David Reithoffer, the volunteer coordinator for FR/FW who also serves as the international and community coordinator for the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. 'We all join together for this great event which really draws great visibility to the club.'
The FR/FW water station will include male cheerleaders, as usual, and a variety of over-the-top dancers. Plus, the Righteously Outrageous Twirling Corps ( ROTC ) will be performing in front of Avenue Tavern on Broadway.
The water station will distribute water and Gatorade to the 40,000 Chicago Marathon participants. How much, you ask? Well, there will be 90,000 cups, with at least 35,000 cups of water and 25,000 cups of Gatorade.
About 10 FR/FW members will run the marathon, Reithoffer said.
'A lot of the runners really perk up when they run past our water station and [ after the race ] say it was the highlight of the run,' Reithoffer added.
The marathon starts in downtown Chicago in Grant Park.