Chicago Marathon Rewind

36 hours ago, I was just over an hour into marathon #4 that was the Chicago Marathon. Now that the dust has settled and I’ve had a chance to digest the weekend, here’s the race that was!

Friday
I left for Chicago Friday morning. This month, I could make my own schedule for work, so I decided to to take Friday off. I changed my flight and flew out Friday morning. I landed in Chicago around 10 am and headed out to the race expo at McCormick Place, luggage and all. Once you get to the expo, it’s officially race weekend! I picked up my bib (#13957), and my shirt, I checked in with ACS at the DetermiNation tent. Not hard when you have an ACS arch to look for. They were impressed I came right from the airport! I ended up staying to volunteer at packet pick up for a few hours. At 4:10, I left and was to my friend’s house. The nice thing about having friends in Chicago means I have a couch to sleep on while in town. Later that night, we headed to Lake Forest for a bonfire and some fun.

Saturday
Woke up and headed back to the expo for some retail therapy. A pair of shoes, a long sleeved shirt, a pint glass, a sweatshirt, a bibfolio to hold my bibs and a few other things. I was a happy camper. Any good runner grabs carbs for lunch, so I headed to The Italian Village. Good food right there! I stopped in Nike after lunch and met the one and only Paula Radcliffe. She was giving a talk about marathon day and what to expect. She reflected on setting the world record at Chicago 10 years ago. Shortly after, she signed my bib for me, a touch of good luck! After stopping at my friend’s apartment, I got my bib on my ACS shirt, pinned on my in memory of and in honor of ribbons. Later that night, I headed to dinner with my friend and his girlfriend. Of course, there was some OSU football watching as well (of all nights for them to have a night game). With all my stuff laid out, I hit the sack around 10pm.

Marathon Morning
Only crazy people run marathons, that’s for sure. I woke up at 4:30 am. I felt like I was on a surgery rotation! I changed into my white base running shirt with my ACS shirt on top and red capris with some black mixed in. After getting my stuff together, I grabbed my luggage and headed to a downtown hotel where family friends were staying. They were kind enough to let me leave my stuff at their place and shower there afterwards. A group of 8 ish of us headed towards Grant Park. Once we got there, the group of 7 went to the CARA meet up while I hustled around to find the ACS tent. I dropped my stuff off around 7 and used the bathroom (no lines!), grabbed an orange and dashed to the start. At 7:30 the gun went off and the Kenyans and Ethiopians took off. About 9 minutes after the gun went off, I crossed the start. It reminds me of the scene of the start of the Marathon in The Spirit of the Marathon. The temperatures were cool, perfect of running at 42*, an indication of good things to come. People were hanging over bridges cheering us on and waiting for us under underpasses. Mile 1 and all cylinders were working well. I found a good pace and went with it.

Come mile 3, I detoured for a quick bathroom break. Oh hydration. The crowds were out in full force and that is always a plus. Come mile 7, I had hit the 10K mark in just under an hour and was looking for my friend N who let me crash at his place, but we missed each other. Running through Old Town, Boystown, Lincolnwood reminds me of my undergrad days. At the halfway point, I was running about 9:57 miles and was at 2:08:12. Less then a mile later a saw my friend K’s husband. He recognized me because of my crazy pants and was impressed how well I was doing. Just after that around mile 14, I saw my boss from undergrad. A quick hug and a ‘go go go’ of encouragement and I was off again. I had been chilly the whole race and after mile 14 I threw on my arm warmers. I then hit the charity cheer section and was greeted by a group of DetermiNation cheerers who cheered loudly for me! Mile 14-16 and I was still under 3 hours. I had the Just keep running montra in my head. Through Little Italy, Chinatown, passed UIC and their marching band. The don’t stop was in full effect. 10 miles left and I was beginning to think if I could PR and by how much.

Mile 18, 19 and 20 came and went and I was in the mindset of just a 10k left. I also realized I was still under 4 hours and by a good amount. I started thinking this was going to a decent PR. However, my hip flexors, quads and feet were aching. I had to walk a few times just to work the issues out. At mile 23, I was at 4 hours and that kept me going because there was going to be a PR.

Mile 24 brought more cheers stations. I saw a DetermiNation coach and then passes Mister DetermiNation himself DPTurtle. 1.2 miles later, we hit one mile to go. The point of where you’re almost done is welcome. After the 800m sign, we turned a corner and had to deal with Mount Roosevelt. After getting through it, I ended up with a bout of dry heaves. After making the last turn, we hit the last straight away and there was the hallelujah, we’re there phase. After 4:32:53, I crossed the finish line. I PRed by TWENTY MINUTES. My goal was for 4:45 and I went well below that. My friend N called me right in the chute. After collecting my medal and some food and headed to the exit.

I headed back to the ACS tent and got a much needed massage. 2 pieces I pizza, a hot dog and cake later, I began hobbling back to the hotel for a shower. Once i got a good pace, I just went with it. A warm shower does wonders, let me tell ya! Before my weekend came to a close, I got lazy and took the bus 3 stops to Nike to get a finisher’s shirt and my medal engraved. It was a good weekend all and all with a wonderful ending and PR!

Here Come’s Chicago and DetermiNation deadlines!

Earlier this month, a story ran about an 8 year old boy from Edwardsville, IL who won $1000 in a scavenger hunt sponsored by a local bank.  Later that day, he called the parents of a 2 year neighbor girl fighting leukemia and asked how much chemo $1000 could buy.  We need more kids and people like 8 year old Wyatt Erber.  The type of people who help people (not just with money) during times of need.  That’s part of the goal of the American Cancer Society and people who run for DetermiNation.  Our goal is to make life a little bit easier for people suffering from cancer.  Whether it include helping with rides to treatment, providing wigs or helping them through the shock of their disease, money raised is going towards a good cause.  I have 15 days to raise $550 and I’m asking for help in my goal to help fight cancer.  Head on over here to my DNation Page to donate to a good cause.  No amount is too small!!!  I promise Chicago Marathon tweets and blog posts, a hug if I see you in Chicago and hand written thank you notes!

Chicago Marathon or Bust…for The American Cancer Society!

In 44 days, the gun goes off for the Chicago and yours truly is making her second appearance!!  I made the decision after a friend of mine dropped the seed in my head (thanks Jay!!) to run for the American Cancer Society. My goal is $950 and I’m currently up to $250. Chugging a long and doing well!!  I’m hear to ask for a little help.  My challenge for the week: donate $10 on my page and forward my blog to 10 of your friends.  In return, I promise hand written thank you’s, regular updates on training and various race discounts as I come up on them!

If everyone who reads my blog donates $10, that would put me past my goal.  $10!  That’s 2-3 days of starbucks, 1 day out to lunch or something of the like.  For every DetermiNation runner who raises $1,000, cancer patients are helped out in a variety of ways:

• assisting 25 patients to and from treatments
• 22 wigs, free of charge, to female cancer patients
• Personalized, cancer specific info to 85 newly diagnosed cancer patients
• Help medical students provide 3 parties/yr for 20 pediatric patients

I’ve personally come back as a bone marrow match for an individual and am waiting to see if I’ll be the final donor, so as I train and fundraise, I’m trying to control the one thing I can and raise money to put an end to cancer.  I’m running in memory of my grandfather and a family friend who lost their 7 yr old daughter earlier this week.  Know someone who you’d like me to run for?  Let me know!!!  Here’s to beating cancer, because let’s face it. Cancer Sucks!

Chicago Marathon- Runaway Registration!

I love Chicago- it’s a little known fact, but I really do. I ran my second marathon there in 2010 and finished in 93 degree weather while running for The Steps Foundation. Registration for the 2012 Marathon opened up February 1st. In 2 days, 30000+ people have registered for the race. THIRTY THOUSAND! The Chicago Marathon has been selling out quicker and quicker every year. Last year it sold out in a month. This year, it’s looking like it’ll go quicker. So, if you have the desire to run a flat, fast course with 45,000 of your closest friends, pull the trigger soon! Go here to register.

Don’t believe me with how quickly registration is going? Take a look at this release from the higher ups.

A few people I know (including me) are running for Charity. Interested? Surf the Charity Page and see if there’s one you like. I’m doing this race for ACS and DetermiNation.

Happy Running!