Race Report: Chicago Marathon

I ran the Chicago Marathon yesterday.

I knew that running a marathon after running the Ascent three weeks before was going to mean different training. I needed both elevation and distance, and made the choice to do most of my long runs on trails. Going into the race, I knew I couldn't have a good time prediction as the training conditions were just so different. I also had some concerns about 26 miles of city streets. Trail - even up and down granite mountains, is inherently "softer," and because trail is uneven, you don't have the exact same pounding on everything because every step is different. 

I flew into Chicago on Friday evening, and stayed out by the airport. Saturday I took a very long public transportation route down to Chinatown, complete with El-delays and no public toilets... causing significant bladder-distress. I may have ended up dropping my bags off at a luggage storage location and drying my pants with the restroom hand dryer. Cities should have mandated public facilities everywhere. 

Packet pickup must be done in-person and packet pickup is not available on race day, so while Eric was officiating the wedding of friends I never thought I would miss the wedding of, I hiked over to the absolutely enormous expo. I got lots of free samples, cowbells, demonstrations of dubious products and signed up for way to many giveaways that I did not win but will spend the next six months getting off of mailing lists for. 

I hiked back and checked into the Air B and B. Pretty soon, Eric was up from Indiana and drove me to the grocery store so I didn't have to walk another couple of miles around the city to get food. I made my pre-race pasta and go-to egg breakfast and it was time for bed.

There needed to be 6000 more of these

Race morning and the weather was cool and overcast, albeit humid. We were up early, and took the El (on time this time) to the Hilton where we met up with some of Eric's friends who had people running. I took advantage of the flush toilets in the lobby and then we were over to the race start. Only runners are allowed in the staging area, so off I went, checked in my drop back and got in the extremely long line for the porta-potties. I was on the verge of having MORE trouble when I finally secured a pot, then immediately got back in line again because I wasn't taking chances.

The start line is somewhere up there

Looking behind... wave 3 is way back there.

By the time I got over to my corral it was completely full, and I had to wait outside the fence until the earlier corrals started and there was room to let me in. The race was divided into 3 waves, with corrals for each wave - and I was in the last corral of the second wave. I was not "at the back" but relatively near it. I realized the road was crowned and I needed to stay in the center to have the most even footfalls, so I positioned myself there, which must have meant that people were going around me to get ahead because all of a sudden I was at the VERY back of the pack. It was SO weird to see this empty road behind me and the throng ahead... and eventually the start of Wave three marching forward like a Nike-clad protest.

I eventually crossed the start line 30 minutes after the start of Wave 2, and rapidly passed people... including at least 50 men who peeled off within 200 yards of the start, peeing on the side of the road. I was clearly not the only one with bladder issues this weekend. 

I felt strong and steady moving through downtown, staying on the center lines as planned. Eric asked me later if I liked the course, and honestly, I don't remember a ton of it. I mean, I was running through downtown but nothing in particular stuck out. I know we ran over bridges, which weren't great footing because of the way they are designed to combat ice, but I don't think I even ever saw the river. I did however, see a woman trip on something and fall right in the middle of one of those bridges, so I also suspect I was watching my footing. 

I passed Eric around mile 4 and called out "there is so much oxygen here!" It's true - I felt like I was hardly breathing and at that point, things were pretty easy. I had made a choice not to look at my watch, as I heard the tunnels and the interference from the skyscrapers would mean your pace wouldn't be very accurate. 

At mile 5 I had to stop and pee. Fortunately the potty lines weren't terribly long, but Eric saw a two-minute drop in my mile pace and commented on it after. Seriously, the theme of this race... Do you know I have only ever stopped to go in one other race, ever? 

I saw Eric again at mile 11 and had to work by brain not to get emotional at seeing him. Fortunately, crowd signs and some stern talking to kept me in check. Speaking of crowd signs, there were some fun ones:

• Run like Moo Deng runs from the hose
• Run like Glen Powell/Harry Styles/Justin Bieber are at the finish
• Run like your mom just used your full name
• May the course be with you
• You are impossibly fast and strong (with a photo of Bella from "Twilight")
• My sister is running a marathon. How do I make this about me?
• Unlike book club, you have to finish this.
• Due to inflation, you will now be running 28.2 miles.

and possibly my favorite: "Therapy was also an option."

Frankly, I got a little bored after a while. It felt like it took a long time to get to mile 13, and then I had 13 miles to go after that. I went through neighborhoods and smiled at the very calm dogs who were out. Some had "free pets" signs. 

By mile 18 I could tell I was slowing a bit, although I felt like I was slower than the data said I was later. I hit mile 20 and tried to shift into "ok, 10K to go, new race." That's what all the coaching tips say to do. Its a lie. It's not a new race.

I saw Eric at mile 21, near Chinatown. He apparently came back to the apartment, watched part of a movie and came out again because that's how long it takes for me to run a marathon. Chinatown was reported to be a "quiet" part of the race without as many spectators, but apparently the community read their reviews and did something about it. I passed no fewer than four absolutely beautiful dragon body puppets, drummers, and a lot of spectators! 

Miles 22-24 sucked. There is also a section where the race doubles back on itself, so you see the race course 2 miles ahead of where you are just over the median. That's just mean, and wow. The urge to cut the course and run the opposite way was strong, like 40-days-in-the-desert-temptation strong. I was really stiff and was taking shorter strides. I wasn't cramping or locking up, but the concrete was taking its toll. I walked through an aid station somewhere in there, and restarted running like I was 100 years old.

Mile 25.With a mile to go, I kept looking for the count down and worked on rallying. The last half mile includes "Mount Roosevelt," a bridge with a steeper grade, but was not that significant. I was up and over, and then the turn for the final stretch. I managed to get going faster, but it wasn't the "find my kick" I have had in other races. 

I left it out there, and was satisfied I was done. My pace was relatively even, and while this was my slowest road marathon yet, I know I've got a faster time in me and I'm not disappointed. I had multiple goals this year and compromises had to be made.

Epilogue:

I crossed the finish, and then it was a solid mile plus of walking to get out and gather all the post race "stuff" they hand you one station at a time. Once I stopped, everything in my body said "nope, we need to be done." I straight hobbled that mile, and I'm pretty sure I actually walked to the moon to get my checked gear bag. Also no porta-potties in that mile. PEOPLE. WORK ON YOUR POTTY PLACEMENT! 

I stretched by Buckingham Fountain and that made walking a bit easier, then eventually made my way out to find Eric. His friends had run for the Ronal McDonald House and we were able to purchase extra tickets to the after-race area from them, so we got to hang out and have amazing salad (said no one other than me, ever) and drinks before eventually heading out. 

Truth: I'm standing like this because I 
can't stand fully upright

We were back to our apartment (where a sign reads "If someone knocks on the door claiming to be from the city or the People's Gas Company, you don't know me and you don't tell them anything." Because that's not shady at all? It was a great place to stay though). We got takeout soup dumplings and finished watching Eric's movie, did my toxic laundry, packed up and went to bed. 

Home this morning. I've got some serious chafing from the humidity in new and interesting places. My quads scream every time I get moving, and remind me that I really should have trained on more concrete. I'm losing two more toenails. 

I put in for the Berlin marathon lottery. 

We live to run another day.