Chicago, IL - 500 volunteers along with The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Staff 
will form a human assembly line this weekend to make sure each runner at the 
October 22nd race gets a "Goodie Bag" filled with useful items, special 
products and important race information. With 35,000 bags being called for to 
handle an expected record number of racers, it means that 1.89 million items 
will be in the bags at the end of the weekend. That number consists of 16 
hard items for each bag --- like the Marathon's 100-page Official Program, a 
rain poncho, New Skin for Blisters and a Mobil Speedpass Phone Card --- and 
38 pieces of paper, including course maps, a pace card for the race, 
suggested viewing options for family and friends and discount offers for many 
running products.

ALSO:  Elite athletes will be vying for a total purse of $450,000 at 
The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon with $75,000, plus possible time bonuses, 
going to the two winners.

Official sponsors of The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon include LaSalle Bank, 
New Balance, American Airlines, Gatorade, Mobil Speedpass, Volkswagen, 
Sparkling Spring, Ernst & Young, Dominick's, Nextel, PowerBar, Outdoor 
Solutions, Hilton Chicago, Chicago Tribune, FOX Sports Net and WBBM-Radio. 
Joining as Supporting Sponsors are Kellogg's Smart Start, Compaq, Potlatch, 
The Running Network, Broadwing, CTA, Outside Magazine, Hyatt Regency, 
McCormick Place, Sam Adams and Windy City Sports. Products and services 
provided by Supplier sponsors come from Korbel, Michel Picard, Rand McNally 
and Do it Sports,Inc.

For more information on this year's race,
 visit http://www.chicagomarathon.com.