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Pro Handball Star Ray Ure Tackles the Chicago Marathon, by David Vincent
While the elite of the handball world battled it out on the four-wall courts at the Portland Classic, WPH pro handball star Ray Ure took on a grueling 26.2-mile challenge on the pavement of the Windy City. Opting to step away from the tournament stop for the weekend, Ure laced up his running shoes to conquer the world-renowned Chicago Marathon.
Starting in Grant Park on a mild, energetic autumn morning, Ure set an ambitious target: break the elusive 2-hour, 30-minute barrier after clocking an impressive 2:30:11 the previous year. Running a marathon at that level requires sustaining a blistering sub-5:45 per mile pace—an endurance feat demanding every ounce of cardiovascular grit that handball fans are accustomed to seeing from him on the court.
Early on, Ure looked completely locked in, clicking off miles around a 5:37 pace and passing the halfway mark (mile 13) right on schedule around a 5:40 clip. Supported by a vocal cheer squad along the course—including his parents, his brother Sam, his girlfriend Emily, and close friends—Ure fed off the roaring crowds through Chicago’s iconic neighborhoods, from the downtown loop and river paths all the way into the electric atmosphere of Chinatown.
As any endurance athlete knows, balancing pro tournament travel with marathon training is a monumental grind. While the final miles tested his limits, Ure crossed the finish line in a remarkable 2 hours, 30 minutes, and 43 seconds, finishing just seconds off his personal best.
Though he was understandably exhausted and feeling the ache of 26.2 hard-fought miles immediately afterward, Ure delivered a world-class performance on the streets of Chicago before shifting his focus right back inside the four walls.
Watch the behind-the-scenes race-day journey and recap HERE
Footage provided by Tom and Amy Ure, video edits by Che Lowenstein (WPH). Special thanks to the City of Chicago, Ray Ure and the World Players of Handball Foundation