More than 50,000 runners were expected to take on the 26.2-mile journey through the city today for the 47th edition of the marathon, now led by Bank of America Chicago. Randy Burt, Henry Kozlowski, and George Mueller — if you were in or watching the Chicago Marathon in 1977, you might remember these names. But what are the odds they would still show up at the 2025 Marathon? One hundred percent.

Choose Chicago, in an Instagram post, announced the history they’re making with a caption that read, “These are the ONLY three people that have run every Chicago Marathon since the first once in 1977! 🤯 Runners, take your advice from these Chicago Marathon legends! 🏃‍♂️ Randy Burt, Henry Kozlowski, and George Mueller ran their first Chicago Marathon in 1977, and they’ve run it every year since. Keep an eye out for them on the course this weekend and cheer them on!” The post, shared two days ago, featured one piece of advice from each of them.

“If you can comfortably run nine miles, you know, without dying, you can finish a marathon,” advised Henry Kozlowski. The Chicago Marathon’s standard distance is 26.2 miles, and his advice essentially means that if you can manage nine miles without giving up, you’re ready for the big one. Until 2024, Kozlowski wore his high school gym shorts for every Chicago Marathon — and that tradition might just live on in 2025. George Mueller, on the other hand, kept his guidance short but meaningful.

“Keep it simple. Double knot your shoes,” he said — wise words indeed, because no one wants to waste time tying laces mid-race or risk tripping over them. Mueller has always kept his advice simple; last year, he told first-timers to “Start slow. You already have your personal best in sight!” A retired dentist and military veteran, Mueller began running in 1975 to get in shape. Next up was Randy Burt, who shared his own take on how to start strong.

“Start out slow and maintain your pace and that will get you across the finish line,” said the retired Army Ranger from Vietnam. It’s advice even seasoned long-distance runners would agree with. Burt was 76 when he ran the Chicago Marathon last year, finishing in 5:18:05. Before the race, the Antioch native was asked how long he planned to keep running. “At least the next 20 years,” he replied.

In another interview, he mentioned that he hopes to run the 50th Chicago Marathon. “It will be my 100th marathon and I’ll be 80 years old, so it’s a lot of neat numbers coming together,” he said. The 50th running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, October 10, 2027. Regardless of their finishing times, it’s the spirit of these three men that stands out — along with the timeless advice they continue to share with younger runners. What also invites curiosity is how their performances have evolved over the decades.

Through the years: Randy Burt, Henry Kozlowski, and George Mueller in the Chicago Marathon

On September 24, 1977 — the day before the first-ever Chicago Marathon — Burt had pepperoni pizza and red wine for dinner. The next morning, he put on his high school training shoes and gym uniform for the race. But that pizza wasn’t done with him yet. “I made it past 10 miles feeling pretty good about myself, and then, by around mile 21, that pepperoni pizza started to say hello to me. I got stomach cramps and saw the top of my shoes because I was bent over,” he recalled in a 2024 interview. Despite the discomfort, he crossed the finish line in 3:36.

Over the years, Burt recorded a personal best of 3:07. In 2013, he finished in 4:01, and in more recent editions, he has continued to defy age — clocking 5:11:20 in 2021, 5:23:21 in 2022, and 5:18:05 in 2024.

Henry Kozlowski also had his share of struggles during his first marathon. When he signed up in 1977, he did so because, as he said in 2024, “it was like five bucks and in Chicago,” — cheap and close to home in Wilmette. He finished his debut in 5:02, slower than he had hoped.

Running: Chicago Marathon Oct 13, 2024 Chicago, IL, USA A general view near the start line during the Chicago Marathon at Grant Park. Chicago IL USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xPatrickxGorskix 20241013_kdn_gb9_081

Through the years, Kozlowski achieved a personal best near 3:50. In 2013, he finished in 5:16. More recently, he completed the 2023 race in 7:59:35 and the 2024 edition in 7:33:53, placing 27,924th. But his toughest outing came in 1999, as he recalled in 2024: “My slowest was 5:51 in 1999, basically a fast limp after a fall off of a ladder. I wasn’t sure that I was going to finish.” Running 26.2 miles with an injured foot is no small feat — that 5:51 is truly admirable.

George Mueller also faced his share of pain in his first marathon. Two years after he began running in 1975, he participated in the inaugural Chicago Distance Classic — a 20K race, as he remembered it. In 1978, he learned about the Chicago Marathon. “I said, ‘Well, what the heck? Let me try doing that,’ and ran it. My knee went out on me a little bit at the halfway mark, and I managed to soldier on through,” he said of his first marathon experience.

Despite the pain, he crossed the line in 4:50. Over the years, Mueller recorded a personal best around 3:17 and remained consistent, posting 5:12:53 in 2013, 3:41:43 in 2021, 4:02:57 in 2022, 4:42:18 in 2023, and 7:33:53 in 2024. Like his two fellow marathoners, Mueller is an enduring source of inspiration — a living testament to perseverance and the enduring love of running.