More than 8,000 local runners from Chicago's ethnically diverse city and suburban neighborhoods are in training for the September 19th Chicago Half Marathon. Joining them will be former Olympian and four-time Boston and New York Marathon winner, Bill Rodgers, who recently won the Honolulu Half Marathon.

Bill has served as an inspiration to many runners throughout the years. Ranked #1 in the world in the marathon by Track & Field News in 1975, 1977 and 1979, Bill's running career has spanned three decades of excellence and includes multiple marathon wins and awards. He was inducted into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame in 1998. More information about Bill can be found on his website www.billrodgers.com.

Rodgers offers up many of his 'tried and true' marathon racing/training pointers to Chicagoans preparing to run the Chicago Half Marathon, among the Top 10 half marathons in the United States.

#1. Start slowly. In the early stages, start all your workouts at a slower pace, giving your muscles, heart and breathing rates a chance to warm up and increase gradually.

#2. . Determine your fitness level. You need to set goals; goal setting is an extremely positive technique to keep you going.

#3. Make time for Fitness. Consider your run an integral part of your day, the same as going to work or spending time with your family. Don't consider your day over until you've gotten your run in. Schedule your runs the same way you do other parts of your life - write them on a calendar or enter them into your personal organizer.

#4. Plan when you're going to run; don't expect time to magically present itself. Plan where you're going to run. That's one of the best parts of running - seeing the beauty of nature and having your own quiet time.

#5. Keep a Training Log-that's the best way to track your progress. It's an objective record of your progress as a runner.

#6. When you're under a lot of stress, be more diligent than usual about making time to run. Endorphins that flood your body will go a long way toward keeping you calm to work through daily problems.

#7. If your enthusiasm for running is lacking, you probably need to add more variety - try different locations, times or running partners.

#8. Carbohydrates ingested within 30 minutes of finishing a run are absorbed three times quicker than otherwise.

#9. Drink at least 10 eight-ounce glasses of water a day, plus however much you lose sweating on your runs. On race day, drink plenty of water all along the race; you can dehydrate easily.

#10. Dairy products are an essential part of a runner's diet. They're an excellent source of calcium which keeps bones strong enough to withstand running's pounding.

#11. Use long runs to experiment with what pre-race foods work best for you. If you find a food that agrees with you before a training run, they're work fine on Marathon day too.

#12. After you finish your Half Marathon, keep moving so you won't get stiff and sore. Get something to drink, put on dry clothes and go for a walk later in the day. You'll feel better.

#13. Running goals should be attainable, with a reasonable amount of work - but they should be challenging. If your goals are too easy, you're more likely to get bored with running.

There are many great reasons to run. The top three are:

Great Way to Lose Weight

Decreases Risk of Heart Disease

One of the Best Stress Relievers

The fourth reason is that it's great fun and camaraderie. Lifelong friendships and memories are made - out running, proving to yourself what you're made of, then sharing those great triumphs and life lessons with your running buddies.

Bill Rodgers will be running with Chicago's best qualified runners on Chicago Half Marathon race morning. If you would like to sign up to race with Bill Rodgers, visit www.chicagohalfmarathon.com.