Chicago Marathon Race Recap, Part 7: Initially it felt like the “blue shirt guys” were surprised I could go with them. They kept looking back in what seemed like confusion, but as the miles ticked by I realized it wasn’t perplexity, but cognizance. Each time we approached a fueling station, each guy around me made space so I could secure my bottle. Every sharp turn we made, they were sure to give me a wide berth. In my career it’s been rare to see this kind of awareness from others during a race. In last year’s Chicago Marathon race recaps, I brought it to attention that I, as well as many other women, can be made to feel small. In many circumstances, women are forced to protect their space. At times it is stressful and/or scary when people (especially men) interfere with that space. I have noticed a significant shift over the past year. I think many people are realizing that just because you can take up space, it doesn’t mean you should. We are all traveling through this life t...