By Bob Richards
Editor, Chicago's Amateur Athlete
     The next decision for Algonquin's Ann Schaefers-Coles might not be
 which marathon to run next.  Coming off a PR 2:37:48 at The LaSalle Bank
 Chicago Marathon, Ann has said she would like to run at Boston in April. 
 However, she and husband Dan also want to have a family.  "I'm currently in
 negotiations with my husband," Schaefers-Coles joked after the marathon. 
     The race itself was tough to stomach for Schaefers-Coles, who finished
 three seconds ahead of friend and rival Mary Knisely, 41, of Naperville. 
 They were 10th and 11th overall among the women competitors. Schaefers-
 Coles, who had been fighting an upper-respiratory infection for several
 days leading up to the race, found herself experiencing  stomach cramps
 through the first three or four miles.  It was a good old-fashioned side
 stitch and there wasn't much she could do to stop it.
     "I just told myself to relax," she said, but admitted it was tough
 getting all of the fluids she needed (because she felt sick) on what turned
 out to be a somewhat warm day. 
      Schaefers-Coles also said she made a tactical error, trying to stay
 with Libbie Hickman and Kristy Johnston in the early stages of the race.
 The strategy wasn't out of the question.  On a warm day at the U.S. Olympic
 Trials in February, Ann had taken sixth place, finishing behind Johnston,
 but ahead of Hickman.
      "I just went out too fast,'' she said.  Her real goal had been sub-
 2:35.  Her previous PR was 2:38:25, set at Chicago in 1997.
      Knisely was catching Schaefers-Coles near the finish and clocked
 in 2:37:51.  She was second masters woman overall, losing to Marie
 Soderstom, 40, of Sweden, who ran a 2:34:58.
      Alluding to the heat at the Olympic Trials, where she became severely
 dehydrated and suffered cramps en route to a 21st-place 2:45, Knisely
 termed Chicago "a piece of cake."
     "It was just wonderful," Knisely said.  "We were very fortunate.  It
 was nice to be able to run and not worry about the weather."
     Knisely, married with two children, keeps quite busy as a hockey/soccer
 mom.  She plans to focus on short races for a while, most likely in the 5K
 range.
      Third woman from Illinois was Mary Beth Ellis, 23, of Naperville, who
 ran 2:46:28. She was listed as a resident of Rehoboth, Del., but lives here
 now.
      Jason Effmann, 24 of Chicago, was the first Illinois (U.S. citizen)
 finisher.  His time of 2:30:45 was a PR by more than eight minutes (2:38:55
 at Chicago in 1998).  He finished 48th overall, and was 45th male overall.
      "It went great, right up until mile 24," said Effmann, who was doing
 whatever it took to break 2:30, including some surging near miles 21 and
 22 when the pack he was in broke up. He came close to his goal.  He said
 being able to pass South African Olympian Elana Meyer late in the race was
 a real rush.  "She was like a carrot dangling out there," he said.
      "I can't even describe this," Effmann said.  "It was one of those days
 where you train for six months and you have no confidence on how you can
 really do.  With four or five miles to go, I knew I was onto something
 special from what I had done before.  From there, it was just a matter of
 staying composed and just as relaxed as I could."
     Second Illinois male was Thomas Bellos, 33, of Joliet, who posted a
 2:33:20.  Third was Geoffrey Hutchison, of Evanston, who finished in
 2:33:46.  He had won the Runner's Edge Trail Half Marathon on Labor Day.
     For trivia buffs, John Kariuki, 31, of Homewood, who finished in what
 his coach Bruce Meyer termed a disappointing 2:20:58, is a Kenyan citizen
 and doesn't count as an Illinois finisher.
      In the friendly rival department, Nancy Rollins and Susan Croll went
 1-2 in the women's 50-54 age group.  Rollins, of Evanston, ran 3:17:51.
  Croll, of Marengo, ran 3:21:25.  The two are never far from each other,
 no matter what race they are in.  Both are 53, married, and have children
 who run.
     Dan Mayer, 28, of Naperville, had hinted his training hadn't gone
 well.  Mayer, who had hoped to go under 2:20, was humbled but gamely
 finished in 2:42:29.  The former North Central College All-American
 wan 2:20:08 at hilly Pittsburgh a couple of years ago.  Go figure.
     Note: This is the proverbial tip of the iceberg.  There are literally 
 thousands of local angles to this story.  We at Chicago's Amateur Athlete
 salute all who participated, volunteered or watched the marathon.