I found Chicago Running Tours in a recent issue of Runner's World, right before a trip to Chicago. I excitedly signed up for a Saturday morning tour, but when I arrived at the designated meeting place, the guides were not there. I called Marlin, the owner, who apologized profusely for the scheduling mix-up. He offered to meet me later in the day (outside of regular running tour hours), but I had a previous commitment scheduled. Instead, we agreed that I would participate in the tour the following morning. Initially, I was disappointed, but only a few minutes later, Marlin sent me a message, again apologizing profusely and asking for my shirt size, as he was going to bring me a Chicago Running Tours shirt for free. I got the impression that Marlin was genuinely upset about his mistake and was not only worried about how this would reflect on his business.
The next morning, I met Marlin, the second tour guide (Michael, I think), and two fellow tour-takers. We embarked on the Grant Park tour, a 5k that takes approximately 90 minutes with stops to talk and take photos. Even though I initially had signed up for the Chicago Tragic Events tour, I really enjoyed the Grant Park tour. We ran through Chicago's beautiful parks nestled in between the Lake Michigan waterfront and the bustling Michigan Ave. Marlin and Michael told us about the history of the park, the statues and attractions within it, and many other things we passed along the way. Throughout the tour, Marlin and Michael exchanged corny jokes with each other and the tour-takers, which makes the experience a bit cheesy, but even more fun. Michael takes photos of the runners at different points throughout the tour and these photos are made available to the runners for free online. It's great to not have to worry about taking your own pictures during the tour.
After the tour was over, Marlin offered to take me and the other tour-takers to the Chapel in the Sky at the Chicago Temple, which offers free tours and amazing views of the city. When we were done at the Chapel in the Sky, he walked me back to my hotel, pointing out some of the sites I would have seen on the Tragic Events tour. Marlin felt less like a tour guide and more like a friend showing you around his city.
Yes, there was an initial mistake made Saturday morning, but mistakes are bound to happen occasionally in business. I think the handling of these mistakes is most important, and Marlin did everything he could to make it up to me. He's also promised me that when I return to Chicago, I'll be taking the Tragic Events tour for free. If I return to Chicago, I would definitely sign up for more of Marlin's tours. At about $30 for the 5k tours, they're a great deal!
Thanks, Marlin and Michael! read more
