The Chicago Marathon 10-10-10

So yes, I was well fed, well rested, and I thought, well prepared in many ways. Mentally I was more than ready to take this on. Sure, it was going to be a physical challenge, but most of it is a mental thing. In that regard I was well prepared - I was determined to finish by my own strength and power on my own two feet! Physically I felt pretty good about this. I had trained for 18 weeks and ran distances up to 21.2 miles. I felt I could take on an additional 5 miles without too much struggle. I had packed everything early in the week and triple checked to make sure I had what I needed - or so I thought. Of all the things I did not remember to pack, the one thing I thought my body might need the most during the race, I did NOT remember to pack.

After about two hours of continuous exercise the body begins to break down things like fat and muscle tissue to provide the fuel necessary to continue. As a way to negate my body cannibalizing itself I usually take a protein shake with me and begin drinking it around mile 13. However, this one thing I DID forget - and it is probably something that would have enabled me to stay below pace for a longer period than I did.

So, I got as close behind the last seeded corral as I could stand to. Even still, I didn’t cross the starting line until 7 minutes after the elite runners had left. By that time they were nearing the second mile of the course. Thankfully thought, there were not too many walkers towards the front so I didn’t have to swerve in and out like I’ve done in races before.

The course was awesome. Having lived in the Chicago area for six and a half years, I knew many parts of the city, but the course opened my eyes to many places I had never seen before. I had my iPhone ready to play music, but I did not use it until well into the race - there was so much to see and take in I really didn’t want the distraction of the music; and so I just ran. I didn’t think about pacing, I just ran.

By the time I realized it I had caught up with a friend who gave me a Garmin reading of 2.7 miles - I had already missed a mile marker? And when I hit mile three and realized the pace I was running at I was a little surprised, and slightly worried at the same time. Took a 45 second walk break at mile three, grabbed some Gatorade and water and went back at it. Before I knew it I was at mile 6 and my pace was still about the same. (as an aside, I ran my last 10k in 54 minutes and change, here at this point in the marathon I was below that pace!) I knew I needed to slow things down, and so I did.

Coming back south into the city I knew I would be seeing Tina at 13, so I began sending her text messages of my location on the course. She informed me of her location and I kept running. Saw my beautiful wife at 13 and continued on. When I looked at the race clock at that point I knew I would be able to reach goal number 3 for the race, a 4 hour 30 minute or less time. I was at 2 hours 8 minutes for the first half - it was going to be a cake walk! Saw my wife again between 16 and 17, grabbed my gel pack and continued on.

At this point I was still feeling pretty darn good. But then the buildings began to disappear and the heat began to rise, and rise quickly. There was nothing to hide behind on the south side of the city except a few trees here and there, but for the most part it was full sun and over 80 degrees. One sign I saw said 95 degrees, and I knew it was going to be a rough finish. I knew that if I didn’t slow down a bit more I could become a victim of the heat and not finish. And then mile 19 came.

My hips started burning. Not my feet. Not my legs. Not my back. My hips! Holy crap did they hurt. I pulled off the side around 21 to stretch, then back at it. The same at 22, 23 and 24 - stretch and run, stretch and run. From about 22 through to the finish I noticed many runners hitting the aid tents, and even some runners fallen in the middle of the course - the mind games began in my head. Would I be able to finish? This is my first marathon, I’m sure some of these people have done this before, and they can’t make it. How am I supposed to be able to get through to the end?

The walk breaks became more and more frequent, and I was hitting every water and Gatorade station I could find, sometimes grabbing two of each and walking to finish it all. I was not going to be a heat victim, not this day, not this race. I was going to finish. And from mile 22 on all I could think about was getting to the end to see Tina and the kids - that was all I wanted. I wasn’t concerned about a silly medal, or even my time, I just wanted my family.

And as I headed north on Michigan I knew I was almost there. I started seeing signs that said 800m, 400m, and it was at that point that I knew I was going to finish my first marathon. I made it up the bridge that leads to the Field Museum, turned left, and headed down to the finish line. I had done it. I had completed a marathon. I can now say I am a marathoner. As I crossed the finish, somewhat in a running fashion, I felt elated. I was tired, yes, but not defeated. I had completed a marathon in 5 hours, 37 seconds. 30 minutes off my target time, but I'm not going to complain. I made the long walk through the gauntlet of space blanket, water, Gatorade, medal, food and then on to the hospitality tent for OAR where they too gave me another medal, more liquids, encouragement and a cool place to sit until Tina and the kids got there.

It’s a strange emotion, finishing something of that magnitude. I was physically high, mentally drained, physically wiped, emotionally wrenched, and happy like never before all at the same time. I wanted to laugh and cry. I wanted to scream, but had no air to force out. I was done. Even now, just thinking about it brings back a little of that feeling. What more could one ask for on a birthday?

I have much more to tell of this race, but for now, this is it. There are people, places, and things I need to tell about, but not today. This post has reached it’s climax, and with that I will draw this to a conclusion.