Race information

• Bank of America Chicago Marathon
• October 8th, 2017
• http://www.chicagomarathon.com/

Background

This was my 4th marathon ever. I just started running in 2013, so I don’t have quite the aerobic base as a lot of you. My current PR is a 3:13, which I set on this same course back in 2015. Leading up to Chicago 2016, I was in 3:05 shape and looking forward to a PR and a BQ. Unfortunately, I developed two consecutive injuries that took me out of commision, and I DNS’d Chicago 2016. By the time I was cleared to run again, I had to start from scratch. I felt like I had lost so much fitness. I started out with run/walk for a while; jogging my way through 10 minute miles. From there I slowly rebuilt my mileage. In the spring, I put in 6 weeks of base building, hitting between 50-60mpw. Upon this base, I built my marathon training cycle.

Training

I decided to create my own self-designed plan. I looked back at my logs to see what has worked in the past for me. I kept it simple. Every week I did 1-2 workouts, a medium-long, and a long run. Workouts varied, but they started out with simple fartleks (10 x 1 min on/off). Then they became extended tempo runs lasting 25-30 minutes. Lastly, they transitioned into marathon-paced runs (e.g. 2 x 4 miles @ MP). Rest days were unscheduled, but taken every 10 days or so, as needed. My Strava log is here if you’re interested.

Total mileage peaked at 75 miles. Long runs were usually 16 miles, but I did three 20-milers. I missed about a week of training due to some weird calf pain, but otherwise training went really well. Did some weight training. Got plenty of sleep. Ate lots of pizza.

My race results from this year didn’t have any PRs. I had lost quite a bit of fitness and really this entire year has been trying to get back to my old self. I learned to accept the fact that nothing spectacular was going to happen this year. Ultimately, I never got back into peak pre-injury shape.

Goals

So what should my goal be for this race? I’m not in peak shape, but I’ve put in the miles. I blew up during a tune-up 10k a few weeks earlier, so I didn’t have a great sense of where my fitness stood at the end of the cycle. I figured I have a VDOT of around 50, which Daniels predicts can run a 3:10. That seemed ambitious. A 3:11 would be a BQ-4 minutes. That would be a dream, but it seemed too aggressive. I tried doing a MP workout at that pace, and it was misery.

My next option was to run a sub 3:15. That would get me guaranteed entry for the next 2 years. It was also about 2 minutes slower than my PR. So I tried doing my MP workouts with a 3:15 goal in mind (7:25/mile pace). Unfortunately, all my MP workouts took place during a heatwave with temps around 85-90F and high humidity. Could I maintain this place if the weather didn’t suck and I had fresh legs? Do I gamble and risk blowing up? I don’t know, stop asking me.

In the end, I decided I was happy with sub 3:20. Considering I was gallowalking a 10 minute mile a recently as late February, I’m really just thankful to be running again. Let’s just run a smart race, Jay. Don’t be reckless. Go out with the 3:20 pace group.

Be smart. BE SMART. (<-- this is foreshadowing, I am not smart).

Pre-race

This is my hometown race. Treated myself to a deep tissue massage on Thursday night. Attended the expo on Friday. Spent most of Saturday lounging around, trying to stay calm. Did some yoga. Went out for korean food. Laid out all my stuff and got in bed by 9pm.

Race day

Slept like a rock. Got up at 4am. Coffee and an English muffin for breakfast. Drove into the city and headed into gear check. Hit the bathrooms and made my way to corral B. You need a sub-1:25 HM to get into corral A (maybe someday!). I met an ARTC lurker that recognized the singlet. We chat briefly about our goals.

So, remember how I was going to go out with the 3:20 pacers? Turns out there isn’t a 3:20 pacer in my corral! Ok, crap, I should really read the directions next time. What now? Plan B is to just stay about 100m behind the 3:15 pace group.

Then I remembered the post about race grit by /u/pand4duck. I had already decided that I was going to spend 2018 focused on the 5k/10k. This was going to be my last marathon for at least a year and a half. Should I just go for the BQ and see what happens? Daniels thinks I can run a 3:10, and I’ve put in plenty of miles. As my kids would say, “YOLO, dad”.

The sun is starting the rise, and the National Anthem is sung. I take a moment to enjoy the fact that I get to race.

The Race (official 5k splits)

Start to 5k

I’m not following a pace group. I’m doing this solo. The first 5k go by in a breeze. I’m manually splitting my laps because GPS is garbage with the tall buildings. I’m feeling good, but everyone does this early. Split 22:28 (7:14/pace).

5k to 10k

Great crowds throughout. I’m having a blast. I take a Gu. Keeping the pace consistent. Split 22:26 (7:14/pace).

10-15k

This goes through a wealthy residential area. Some guy yells, 'Go ARTC!' I have no idea who you were kind sir, but thanks! There isn’t much shade and the sun is starting to let its presence be known. I still feel good. Split 22:27 (7:14/pace). Nice and even.

15-20k

I’m using that “race screen” app for my Garmin that someone had suggested a few days ago. It has a race predictor feature which tells me I’m on pace for a 3:09 marathon. I start to get worried that I should slow it down. Take another Gu. 5k split in 23:05. I hit the 13.1 split in 1:35:23 (7:19/pace).

20-25k

It’s starting to get hot. There are zero clouds in the sky and the sun is blazing. I start dumping water on my head at every station without taking any stops. I grab a cup of Gatorade and the guy handing it me give me another 'Go, ARTC!'. I start to slow down a bit, but I’m still on target for BQ. Split in 23:05 (7:26/pace).

25-30k

I manage to maintain my pace, but I’m definitely feeling the exertion. Shoulders are getting tight. I feel like I can maintain this pace for the remainder of the race if I had to. Split in 23:14 (7:29/pace).

30k-35k

I haven’t run a marathon in two years. I had kinda forgot what they feel like. It was around here that it started coming back to me. I’m stopping at every other water station to drink a cup / douse myself with a cup. Take a Gu. Split in 24:04 (7:45/mile).

35k-40k

This is the worst section of the race every time. It’s out along the expressway with no crowds or shade. It was around here that my left hamstring and calf both start cramping. If I stop, I’m toast. My only option is to keep my stride controlled so nothing seizes up on me. I'm forced to slow down. Split in 24:49 (7:59/mile).

40k-Finish

I go to the well and dig deep, trying my best to finish strong. This is probably the hardest I’ve ever pushed myself in a race. I bring my pace back up to a 7:18/mile for the last 2.2k and empty out the tank. Chip time: 3:15:30

Strava activity.

Reflections

I beat the A goal and the stretch goals that I had originally laid out for myself. Would it have been smarter to go out with the 3:15 pace group and be more conservative in the first half? Yeah, sure but I was here to race and I wanted to push it. Eight months ago I couldn't run at all. I have no regrets. I will always remember this race.

Sappy stuff (feel free to skip)

Rebuilding after an injury is depressing. There’s no two ways around it. When I started running again after six months off, I was gallowalking and anything faster than a 10-minute mile felt like I was pushing it. It was disheartening. I had put a lot of time into this sport just to be incredibly mediocre at it. There were definitely moments over the winter where doing a long run in the cold seemed masochistic at best, and stupid at worst. It was the low point of my short time as a runner. The small fleeting moments of success help make it worthwhile. And man, are they fleeting. The community here at ARTC has been great, and I wanted to thank all of you for helping make this place awesome. You reminded me to enjoy the process. If I hadn’t stumbled upon this community there’s a good chance I would have thrown in the towel a while back. I wanted to also personally thank /u/CatzerzMcGee and /u/PrairieFirePhoenix for taking the time to look at my logs and help me try my first self-designed marathon training plan. You guys rock.

What's next?

I’ve sworn off marathons for a least one year. I made this decision prior to this race. I want to focus on the 5k/10k in 2018. I’d like to race once a month and really practice that skill. If I talk about registering for Chicago in 2018, please stop me. I may revisit the marathon in 2019.