Former Oregon Duck Andrew Wheating talks about his high school days...

CHICAGO--In advance of Sunday's Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and the concurrent Nike Running Media Summit, 2008 US Olympians Amy Yoder Begley from Portland, and Andrew Wheating (left/photo by Paul Merca) spoke to reporters on the Northside/Southside Challenge 2.62 mile race involving Chicago area high schools.

The Northside/Southside Challenge is a race that involves area schools, and finishes at the finish line of the marathon.

Participating runners from the teams will then have the opportunity to sit near the finish line and watch the finish of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and be inspired by the throngs of runners crossing the line, and to watch what is traditionally one of the fastest marathon races in the world.

In this video, Wheating, a double NCAA champion this season at 800 and 1500 meters from the University of Oregon, and who ran 1:44.56, 3:30.09, and 3:51.74 this summer, talked about his humble beginnings as a runner at Vermont's Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, Vermont, where after competing in soccer, he was taken under the wing of original Nike employee Jeff Johnson, who eventually guided him to the University of Oregon.

Yoder Begley, who made the 2008 Olympic team and competed in last year's world championships in the 10000, also talked about her beginnings in the sport.

NOTE: Special thanks to Nike Media Relations for their hospitality in order to cover the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.