As the 2024 Chicago Marathon approaches, American fans will have their eyes on Keira D’Amato as she returns to the event after a three-year absence. Set for Oct. 13, the race will see thousands of runners throughout the streets of the windy city to tackle the iconic course. D’Amatoโs return is especially anticipated following a disappointing performance at the U.S. Olympic marathon trials earlier this year, and sheโs bringing a competitive edgeโnot just with herself, but also with her husband, Anthony (Tony).
After a rough Olympic trials back in February, D’Amato revamped her approach, relocating from Richmond to Park City for altitude training and switching coaches, now under the renowned Ed Eyestone. Regardless, DโAmato has more than just professional goals in mind for Chicago: If her husband, Tony, finishes within 40 minutes of her time, heโll win a WWE-style Championship belt (that he ordered off of Amazon), a playful but tough bet given her experience and speed.
In a pre-race interview, DโAmato said her preparation for the Chicago Marathon has been one of the best build ups she’s ever had. Logging around 95 miles per week, her training regimen has been intense, but she says she has a solid support crew around her. Matthew Centrowitz, for example, an Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500m, will serve as her pacer during the race on Sunday. Additionally, her training partner Makena Morley will also be competing, giving D’Amato a familiar face among the sea of competitors.
Though D’Amato has had a solid build up despite undergoing major changes in her training environment and coaching team, she admits that the results of this build-up will remain a mystery until race day. In a recent conversation with Citius, she shared, โIโve never trained at altitude before, and this is all new. Iโm not entirely sure what it means for race day.โ Despite the uncertainty, DโAmato is confident that sheโs in the best shape sheโs been in recent years, crediting the altitude training and the higher volume of work sheโs put in.
With her preparations in place, D’Amato’s comeback story is about more than just redemption from her lacklustre Olympic trials earlier this yearโitโs also a fun challenge with her husband. While Tony is determined to close that 40-minute gap, it wonโt be easy against the former American marathon record holder.
But how does Tony feel about all this?
For D’Amato’s husband, it’s been about seven and a half years since he last ran a marathon. However, he says, “the legs don’t feel like it’s been seven and a half years.” In a pre-race interview, Tony said his race plan is to “send it around mile two and try to break three.“
Whether he manages to win the WWE belt or not, DโAmato is set to make her mark once again on the streets of Chicago, and her fans are eagerly waiting to see if she can reclaim the spotlight. This yearโs Chicago Marathon promises to be exciting, with DโAmatoโs return, her high-octane training, and the added little bet creating plenty of storylines for both spectators and competitors.