CEM Team Runs the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Virtual Experience

Last week was the first-ever Bank of America Chicago Marathon Virtual Experience. While it wasn’t the typical race week CEM-ers are used to, it did give our staff the unique opportunity to participate. Check out photos of everyone who ran and read some of our favorite past-Chicago Marathon memories!

CEM-ers taking part

Mike Nishi

Mike Nishi throws it back to exactly 10 years ago today when the race was held on 10.10.10 and Sammy Wanjiru broke the tape. “Such an amazing talent, fearless and dominating, and we only saw the tip of his potential – such a tragic loss,” Mike says of Wanjiru.

Carey Pinkowski

After 30 years of watching incredible performances by the greatest marathon runners, Bank of America Chicago Marathon Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski says his favorite finish line was seeing his wife cross her first in 1996. “It’s so hard to choose just one, but that was the year we were married and it would have to be my favorite marathon memory,” Carey says.

Janet Myrmel

Each year, Janet Myrmel looks forward to standing on the start and finish stages of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. “My favorite memory is still my first in 2006 standing on the start stage and hearing the countdown to the start and cheering for all those runners. Still gives me goosebumps every year!” Janet says.

Mia Narcisi

In honor of the first-ever Bank of America Chicago Marathon Virtual Experience, we are going to share memories from our CEM-ers each day this week! To kick things off is Mia Narcisi, who experienced her first Chicago Marathon in 2019 as CEM’s Partnership Coordinator. “It was a great feeling to see all the hard work come together for a successful event,” she reflects.

Brooke Lord

Brooke Lord on our team has been involved in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon as both a runner and CEM-er! She ran her first marathon in 2004, but her favorite memory working the event was the 2018 race when she got to escort the Athletes with Disabilities mentees to greet their mentor once they crossed the finish line.

Christian Hoffer

In 2018, Christian Hoffer worked with Nike to help facilitate Kevin Hart’s participation.  “Wherever he went, he attracted a crowd of gawking onlookers with cameras pointed in his direction.  It was refreshing to see how down to earth and normal he was, given this fact and his incredibly demanding travel schedule,” Christian says.

Paul Brackey

2019 was Paul Brackey’s 20^th anniversary as a CEM-er, and in those years his best memories are working with the event sponsors, exhibitors and event staff to put together the Expo experience. “The energy is amazing; we have created something to celebrate those who traveled from around the world to accomplish their goals and dreams. Of course, I see all the great emotions on race day in Grant Park, but I have the opportunity to see most of them on their first step of marathon weekend at the Expo,” Paul says.