2 runners share stories of resilience heading into Chicago Marathon

CHICAGO (CBS) — Two runners are embodying their own theme of resilience heading into Sunday's Chicago Marathon. One battling a scare while doing what he loves, and the other dodging Hurricane Milton to make it to the city.

The stage is set for the Chicago Marathon, and runners are ready.

"I'm very excited. It's something I've looked forward to for a very long time," Brooke Klinker said.

Klinker is participating in her first Chicago Marathon. She arrives Friday from Florida, where she rode out Hurricane Milton near Orlando.

"You're first thinking of what's going to happen with the storm. You don't know what the destruction is going to be. But then you're also like, I've been training all of these months for this race, and I really want to go, so I didn't know what was going to happen," she said.

Milton spared Klinker, but Hurricane Ian flooded her home two years ago, which is why she's running with a team known for lending a helping hand.

"I am running for Red Cross this year because of what has happened in past hurricanes. I thought it was a fitting charity. I'm fortunate I didn't have the destruction, so since I am able to run and get there, I wanted to do that," she said.

Also preparing for the race is Kurt Greteman.

"Super excited this will be my second time doing the Chicago Marathon. I did it back in 2022, so two years later, I'm back at it," Greteman said.

Greteman is ready to hit the pavement in Chicago after a horrible accident last year on the morning of Dec. 3 in St. Louis while running with his brother-in-law.

"I promised my brother-in-law Cam that I'd be there, and we'd do it together," Greteman said.

But he didn't promise his brother-in-law who would win since they're both competitive. Just moments after the first mile, everything changed.

"Crossing the first-mile marker, Cameron tried to get my attention. He saw a few deer to the left of us. I think they were startled by the crowd," Greteman said. "They came in, they hit me in my tailbone, didn't see it coming, didn't feel it at all. I was thrown 12 feet in the air and landed on the back of my head."

His skull was broken and fractured in multiple places — causing him to lose 60% of his hearing. Nerve damage caused him to lose his taste and smell.

"I was able to bounce back a few days later in the hospital from the walking element and utilizing my extremities, but I wasn't able to leave because of the amount of swelling and bleeding my brain was incurring," he said.

Ten months later, he's putting one foot in front of the other, getting back to his true passion.

"For me, I just want to prove that I was able to bounce back," he said. "If I can't finish, or if I don't hit the time I want to hit, none of that matters to me at this point. Just being able to finish, say that I was able to do it, and hopefully inspire other people to not give up when you're backed against the wall."

One thing both wish they had with them this weekend is their family. Whether it's Klinker's family from Florida, who are still dealing with the aftermath of Milton, or Greteman's brother-in-law, who was with him when he was injured back in December.

Runners take their marks here at Columbia and Monroe on Sunday morning.